Rep. Kathy Frelich

Maddy summaryHB 1141 would prohibit North Dakota government employees and officials from using public property (such as vehicles, buildings, or equipment) or public services (like employee time during work hours) for political activities. It defines "political purpose" broadly to include campaign ads, candidate endorsements, or using terms like "vote for" near elections, while exempting bona fide news coverage or public office duties. Violations could result in personal liability for officials or complaints filed with the ethics commission, which may refer criminal cases to prosecutors. The bill aims to prevent misuse of public resources for political gain during election periods.

Maddy summaryHB 1593 would require websites and online platforms (excluding news organizations) to verify users are 18+ before accessing sexual material deemed harmful to minors. It defines such material as content appealing to prurient interests, depicting sexual acts, or lacking literary/artistic value for minors, and mandates "reasonable age verification" methods like ID checks. Platforms failing this verification could face civil lawsuits from parents or individuals whose data was improperly retained, seeking damages, injunctions, or attorney fees. The bill explicitly excludes news-gathering organizations and internet service providers from liability for merely hosting content they don’t create. The bill failed to pass in the North Dakota legislature on February 17, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1242 would establish a legal presumption that shared parenting (joint decisionmaking on major issues like education and health, plus approximately equal time with each parent) serves children's best interests in custody cases. This presumption applies unless a court finds specific exceptions, such as evidence of child harm, domestic violence involving serious injury or weapons, or sexual abuse. The bill requires courts to document specific reasons when overriding this presumption and mandates supervised parenting time for abusive parents in domestic violence cases. It directly affects parents in custody disputes and North Dakota courts handling parental rights decisions.

Maddy summarySB 2361 prohibits foreign adversaries (as defined by federal regulations) from purchasing or owning real property in North Dakota after July 31, 2023, directly affecting foreign governments and businesses meeting the "foreign adversary" criteria. The bill bans county and city governments from approving development agreements with such entities and requires foreign adversaries violating the law to divest all property within 36 months, with civil penalties up to $25,000 for non-compliance. Exceptions apply to entities registered for seven+ years, approved by the Committee on Foreign Investment (CFIUS), and holding active national security agreements with the federal government. The law includes enforcement mechanisms allowing state attorneys to initiate court actions for divestment and public sales of non-compliant property. This bill was introduced in 2025 but failed to pass in February 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1559 would limit annual increases in property taxes for residential homeowners in North Dakota by capping tax valuations at the average of the previous three years' values. Exceptions allow reassessment if property was previously untaxed, sold/transfered, or underwent significant improvements (not including routine maintenance or standard repairs after damage). The bill directly affects residential property owners by preventing sudden tax hikes from normal market value changes. It would take effect for tax years starting after December 31, 2024, and prohibits local governments from overriding these rules under home rule authority.

Maddy summaryHB 1221 proposes allocating $24 million from North Dakota's general fund to the state board of higher education for workforce education innovation funds, to be distributed to eligible institutions during the 2025-2027 biennium. The bill provides direct funding for programs aimed at enhancing workforce training and education initiatives, primarily affecting community colleges and vocational schools eligible to receive these grants. It does not create new programs but establishes a funding mechanism for existing or planned workforce development efforts. The bill failed to pass in the legislature on February 11, 2025, with no support (0 yeas, 91 nays).

Maddy summaryThis concurrent resolution (SCR 4010) urges the NCAA to revoke its policy allowing transgender student-athletes to compete on women's sports teams. It argues the policy discriminates against biological females in collegiate women's sports and conflicts with Title IX's requirement to protect sex-based athletic opportunities. The resolution specifically calls for the NCAA to enforce a policy restricting women's sports to athletes whose biological sex is female, requiring member institutions to comply. It was introduced in North Dakota's legislature but withdrawn before further action.

Maddy summaryHB 1548 allocates $10 million in one-time state funding to the Department of Health and Human Services for a fitness center grant at the Life Skills and Transition Center. The bill specifically provides funds to construct a fitness center that will directly benefit residents of this facility. The grant is intended for the 2025-2027 biennium and comes from the Strategic Investment and Improvements Fund. This is a funding measure focused on physical health infrastructure for a specific state-run residential program.

Maddy summarySB 2246 appropriates $49,500 from the general fund to the North Dakota Legislative Council for a one-time study on regenerative grazing. The bill directs a consultant to research the feasibility of creating a regenerative grazing ranch (focused on soil health and carbon absorption) and study how regenerative grazing practices affect carbon levels, rangeland productivity, and ranching sustainability. Key provisions require gathering scientific data, connecting ranchers with stakeholders, and identifying funding sources for carbon management practices. The study would involve input from the agriculture commissioner, mineral resources department, and ranching/energy industry stakeholders, with findings to be reported to the next legislative assembly. This bill does not create the ranch but examines whether it would benefit North Dakota's ranching and energy sectors.

Maddy summarySB 2184 would amend North Dakota law to require courts to grant additional parenting time to a parent falsely accused of harming a child. If a court finds a parent made a false harm allegation against the other parent (not in good faith), the court must order the false accuser to pay the other parent's legal costs and fees. The bill mandates that the falsely accused parent receives additional parenting time matching the denied time (e.g., weekends, holidays), to be scheduled within two years of the court's finding. This directly affects parents in custody disputes where false allegations led to denied court-ordered parenting time.