Relating to offering school breakfast and lunch at no cost and the school meals fund; to provide an appropriation; to provide for a transfer; and to provide an effective date.
HB 1627 proposed appropriating $7 million to fund free school meals for eligible students during the 2026-27 school year. It would have provided meals at no cost to students in public or nonpublic schools whose household income is below 300% of the federal poverty level. The bill aimed to cover meal expenses through grants to school districts, with funding effective July 1, 2026. The legislation failed to pass in January 2026, receiving 45 votes in favor and 48 against. This was a funding measure, not a procedural resolution, and would have directly affected low-income students and school districts.
Relating to department of commerce grant reporting requirements; to amend and reenact subsection 1 of section 10‑30.5‑02, sections 54‑60‑09, 54‑60‑19, 54‑60‑28, 54‑60‑29, 54‑60‑29.1, and 54‑60‑31 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the purpose of the North Dakota development fund, duties and talent strategy of the division of workforce development, the uncrewed aircraft systems program, the uncrewed aircraft systems program fund, the beyond visual line of sight uncrewed aircraft system program, and changing the name of the office of legal immigration to the global talent office; to authorize a Bank of North Dakota line of credit; to provide for a transfer; to provide an application; to provide an exemption; and to provide for a legislative management report.
HB 1018 provides state funding for the North Dakota Historical Society's operations and updates the jurisdiction of the state heritage center under North Dakota law. It authorizes the Bank of North Dakota to offer a new line of credit for state projects and declares an emergency to allow immediate implementation of these provisions. The bill directly affects the Historical Society, the heritage center, and the Bank of North Dakota by altering funding mechanisms and operational responsibilities.
Relating to a rail revolving loan fund and uses of the abandoned oil and gas well plugging and site reclamation fund; to amend and reenact subsection 7 of section 6‑08.1‑02 and sections 6‑09‑35, 6‑09‑46.2, 6‑09.7‑05, 6‑09.14‑04, and 49‑17.1‑02.1, subsection 1 of section 54‑17‑40, and subdivision a of subsection 4 of section 54‑17.7‑04 of the North Dakota Century Code, and section 15 of chapter 14 of the 2023 Session Laws, relating to confidential and exempt records of the Bank of North Dakota, the rebuilders loan program, loan guarantees through the strategic investment and improvements fund, interest rate buydown limits for the partnership in assisting community expansion fund, department of transportation review and approval of rail projects, uses of the housing incentive fund, North Dakota pipeline borrowing authority, and a salt cavern underground energy storage research project; to repeal section 3 of Senate Bill No. 2188, as approved by the sixty-ninth legislative assembly, relating to a transfer from the strategic investment and improvements fund to the clean sustainable energy fund; to provide a deficiency appropriation; to provide for a transfer; to provide an exemption; to provide for a legislative management study; to provide for a legislative management report; to provide for a report; to provide an effective date; and to declare an emergency.
HB 1019 provides funding for North Dakota's parks and recreation department to cover operational expenses. It creates a new law that establishes procedures for creating and naming state parks under the state code. The bill also requires the department to submit an annual report, allows for fund transfers, and includes an unspecified exemption. This legislation directly affects state park management and the department's budget allocation.
Relating to a limited exemption for development incentive wells; to amend and reenact sections 57‑51‑02.6, 57‑51‑05, and 57‑51.1‑01 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the temporary exemption for oil and gas wells employing a system to avoid flaring, an exemption from gross production tax for gas produced from certain enhanced oil recovery projects, and the definition of development incentive well; to provide an effective date; and to provide an expiration date.
SB 2009 provides state funding to cover the operating expenses of the North Dakota State Fair Association. It removes an existing law (section 4.1-45-22.1 of the North Dakota Century Code) that previously governed how the state fair's facility maintenance and operations costs were paid. The bill replaces this with a direct appropriation, meaning the state will now directly fund these costs through a new budget allocation. The bill also declares an emergency, requiring immediate implementation to prevent operational disruptions to the state fair.
Relating to a wastewater infrastructure grant program and the duties of the department of environmental quality; to authorize a Bank of North Dakota line of credit; to provide an appropriation; to provide for a legislative management study; and to declare an emergency.
SB 2010 provides $2.37 million in general funds from North Dakota's state treasury to the Council on the Arts for the 2025-2027 biennium. The funding covers salaries, operating expenses, and grants to support the Council's operations and arts programs across the state. It also directs all income from the state's cultural endowment fund to further cultural arts initiatives during the same period. This bill directly affects the Council on the Arts and the artists/organizations receiving its grants, ensuring continued funding for arts programming without creating new laws or altering existing policies.
