NDASCD
Legislative Update – Aril 21th 2017
The North Dakota 65th Legislative Session began on January 3th 2017. Governor Doug Burgum gave The State of the State address and urges North Dakotans to embrace change, rethink budgeting, education, addiction treatment, and tribal relations. He stated that the state’s revenue challenge presents an opportunity to rethink the way North Dakota does do government and its time to embrace technology to help hold down costs and to build an economy and workforce for the 21st century..
Governor Jack Dalrymple prosed a budget before he left office that would reduce general fund spending by about $1.2 Billion which newly elected Gov. Burgum said was a great start. Gov. Burgum stated that “Right now is the time to right-size government”.
The Soil Conservation Districts hosted our “Day at The Capitol” where we hosted and fed the lawmakers, interns, and a few other folks. It was a big hit and many lawmakers thanked us for the event. We had many SCD booths showing the many fine projects and work that each of you do. We had a booth for our Farm Bill Specialists and Lincoln Oakes Nursery. Board President Richard Knopp as well as board member Jeff Aalund were in attendance. It was a good time and we need to do it every session.
Crossover has happened and we are getting busy again now that the other chamber has the bills.
At this time NDASCD is lobbying for: SB 2029. A BILL for an Act to create and enact chapters 4.1-18, 4.1-20, 4.1-21, 4.1-22, and 4.1-48 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to revisions of agriculture laws regarding industrial hemp, soil conservation districts laws, forestry and tree distribution, nurseries, and potato production contracts; and to provide a penalty. It passed the Senate and now will go to the house for consideration. SB 2029 see below. I attended the House committee hearing on March 10th. There were only folks testifying in favor of the bill. No one testified against SB 2029.
|
Date |
Chamber |
Meeting Description |
Journal |
| 01/03 | Senate | Introduced, first reading, referred Agriculture Committee | SJ 25 |
| 01/05 | Senate | Committee Hearing 01:00 | |
| 01/16 | Senate | Reported back amended, do pass, amendment placed on calendar 6 0 0 | SJ 118 |
| 01/17 | Senate | Amendment adopted, placed on calendar | SJ 132 |
| 01/18 | Senate | Second reading, passed, yeas 45 nays 0 | SJ 143 |
| 02/02 | House | Received from Senate | HJ 342 |
| 02/09 | House | Introduced, first reading, referred Agriculture Committee | HJ 452 |
| 03/10 | House | Committee Hearing 09:00 | |
| 03/20 | House | Reported back amended, do pass, amendment placed on calendar 12 0 2 | HJ 1032 |
| 03/21 | House | Amendment adopted, placed on calendar | HJ 1041 |
| 03/27 | House | Rereferred to Appropriations | HJ 1128 |
| 03/31 | House | Reported back, do pass, place on calendar 19 0 2 | HJ 1247 |
| 04/03 | House | Second reading, passed as amended, yeas 90 nays 0 | HJ 1267 |
| Senate | Returned to Senate (12) | SJ 1077 | |
| 04/05 | Senate | Concurred | SJ 1189 |
| Second reading, passed, yeas 47 nays 0 | SJ 1189 |
SB Bill 2020– A BILL for an Act to provide an appropriation for defraying the expenses of the North Dakota State university extension service, northern crops institute, upper great plains transportation institute, main research center, branch research centers, and agronomy seed farm. I anticipate the state technical grant suffering further cuts as it makes its way through the house appropriations committee. This bill is changing fast and often. The House Appropriations Committee is making an amendment to eliminate the funding for Scott Hochhalter’s position and giving his responsibilities and $25,000 to the NDSSCC board. The bill passed the House 74-16 and is being returned to the Senate. Senator Bowman is going to oppose the house amendments. The bill will then go to a conference committee next week. SB 2020 was finally settled upon by the conference committee. It was decided to keep Scott’s position and funding for two years while the legislative body studies the State Soil Committee, and Scott Hochhalter’s position. Recommendations will then be made as to how the grant money should be administered.
|
Date |
Chamber |
Meeting Description |
Journal |
| 01/03 | Senate | Introduced, first reading, referred Appropriations Committee | SJ 23 |
| 01/18 | Senate | Committee Hearing 10:15 | |
| Committee Hearing 11:00 | |||
| Committee Hearing 01:30 | |||
| Committee Hearing 02:15 | |||
| Committee Hearing 03:00 | |||
| 02/13 | Senate | Reported back amended, do pass, amendment placed on calendar 13 0 1 | SJ 388 |
| 02/14 | Senate | Amendment adopted, placed on calendar | SJ 409 |
| Second reading, passed, yeas 43 nays 2 | SJ 409 | ||
| 02/20 | House | Received from Senate | HJ 640 |
| 02/22 | House | Introduced, first reading, referred Appropriations Committee | HJ 810 |
| 03/07 | House | Committee Hearing 09:30 | |
| Committee Hearing 10:15 | |||
| Committee Hearing 11:00 | |||
| Committee Hearing 01:30 | |||
| Committee Hearing 02:15 | |||
| Committee Hearing 03:00 | |||
| 03/21 | House | Committee Hearing 09:00 | |
| 03/24 | House | Committee Hearing 09:00 | |
| 04/06 | House | Reported back amended, do pass, amendment placed on calendar 18 0 3 | HJ 1480 |
| Amendment adopted, placed on calendar | HJ 1487 | ||
| Second reading, passed, yeas 74 nays 16 | HJ 1488 | ||
| Senate | Returned to Senate (12) |
HB 1162–A BILL for an Act to create and enact a new section to chapter 49-02 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to competition between the government and private industry and to require a report to the legislative management. We need to watch this bill and lobby against it. HB 1162 see below. An amendment has been passed to turn the bill into a study. I testified against this bill and I am hopeful we can get it killed in the Senate. Good news the Senate voted 41-5 to veto this bill. It died and will not be a study.
|
Date |
Chamber |
Meeting Description |
Journal |
| 01/06 | House | Introduced, first reading, referred Industry, Business and Labor Committee | HJ 69 |
| 01/16 | House | Committee Hearing 02:00 | |
| 01/26 | House | Reported back amended, do pass, amendment placed on calendar 12 2 0 | HJ 257 |
| 01/27 | House | Amendment adopted, placed on calendar | HJ 269 |
| 01/31 | House | Second reading, passed, yeas 83 nays 8 | HJ 308 |
| 02/17 | Senate | Received from House | SJ 498 |
| Introduced, first reading, referred Industry, Business and Labor Committee | SJ 519 | ||
| 03/15 | Senate | Committee Hearing 10:00 | |
| Reported back, do not pass, placed on calendar 6 1 0 | SJ 772 | ||
| 03/16 | Senate | Second reading, failed to pass, yeas 5 nays 41 | SJ 781 |
Warmly,
Brian Johnston