Relating to the creation of the division of apprenticeship within the department of labor and human rights; to provide an appropriation; and to provide a report.
HB 1037 allocates $750,000 to each of five state departments (agriculture commissioner, attorney general, transportation department, health and human services, and career and technical education) for grants to support autonomous technology use. It provides funding for agriculture businesses to inspect property with drones, law enforcement for missing persons searches and crime scenes, and transportation entities to monitor highways using uncrewed aircraft systems. Recipients must match state funds at a 1:4 ratio and report grant usage to the legislature. The funds are one-time, covering the 2025-2027 biennium, with each department required to submit reports detailing grant recipients and expenditures.
HB 1606 amends North Dakota's state employee sick leave policy to set a minimum of ten hours (one working day) and a maximum of one and one-half working days per month for sick leave, based on an employee's tenure. It also requires that employees with at least ten years of continuous state service receive a lump sum payment equal to one-tenth of their final salary for unused sick leave. The bill mandates that state agencies develop and submit their own sick leave policies to the Office of Management and Budget for approval, ensuring consistency across departments.
HB 1620 would require North Dakota's state treasurer, with input from the tax commissioner and state auditor, to create and maintain a public website showing how state funds are spent. The portal would display specific details for every state fund distribution, including the recipient's name, the amount received, and the purpose of the funds. All state departments, agencies, and recipients of state funds would be required to provide timely data to support this transparency. This bill directly affects taxpayers by making state spending more visible and all state entities receiving public funds by mandating reporting. The bill does not specify penalties for non-compliance or address how the portal would be funded.
HB 1337 would provide $10 million in state funds to counties for mental health and substance use disorder treatment services for people in jail. The bill requires counties receiving grants to report annually on how funds were used and outcomes, and the health department to submit a summary report to lawmakers by 2026. This funding would cover the 2025-2027 biennium and aim to expand access to mental health care for incarcerated individuals.
HB 1256 would allocate $75,000 from North Dakota's general fund as one-time funding for the Parks and Recreation Department to provide grants for walking trail expansion projects. The bill specifically targets rural communities experiencing significant population growth during the 2025-2027 biennium. It directs the department to award grants for trail projects that improve recreational access in these growing areas. This is a procedural funding bill with no other substantive policy changes.
HB 1573 would impose a $5 per ton tax on substances transported via pipelines longer than 25 miles (after July 31, 2025) for permanent underground storage in North Dakota. This tax applies to pipeline operators transporting materials for underground storage, requiring monthly reporting and payments to the state tax commissioner. Revenue collected would first fund the North Dakota Disaster Fund (up to $500 million), which can only cover pipeline-related emergency costs, specialized equipment, or training for pipeline hazards. Any excess revenue would go to the state general fund. The bill, which failed to pass in committee (23-61), aims to create a dedicated funding source for pipeline incident response.
Relating to the statewide property tax levy of one mill for support of the state medical center at the University of North Dakota; and to provide an effective date.
HB 1335 would adjust North Dakota's homestead tax credit to lower the eligibility age from 65 to 62 for seniors, while updating income thresholds. It would provide a full tax reduction (up to $9,000) for qualifying residents aged 62+ or permanently disabled with income under $70,000, and a partial reduction (up to $4,500) for those earning $70,000-$100,000. The bill requires applicants to submit a verified income statement, with the exemption applying to primary residences but not special assessments. It would take effect for property taxes starting in 2025. The bill was introduced in January 2025 but failed to pass the legislature in February 2025.
Relating to eliminating foreclosure of tax liens for residential property and collection of delinquent real property and special assessment taxes; to amend and reenact sections 40‑25‑03, 57‑02‑08.9, 57‑02‑08.10, 57‑20‑26, and 57‑22‑22, subsection 1 of section 57‑38.3‑02, sections 57‑45‑12, 61‑01‑21, 61‑09‑15, 61‑16.1‑31, 61‑24.8‑40, and 61‑35‑87, relating to the primary residence credit, setoff of income tax refunds for payment of delinquent real property and special assessment taxes, and eliminating foreclosure of tax liens for primary residential property; to provide an effective date; to provide an expiration date; and to declare an emergency.
