Rep. Mary Schneider

Relating to public employee fertility preservation health benefits; to provide for a report to the legislative assembly; to provide for application; and to provide an expiration date.

Maddy summaryHB 1553 requires all North Dakota public and nonpublic schools to provide free breakfast and lunch to every student, eliminating meal debt restrictions that previously barred students with unpaid balances from meals or activities. It prohibits schools from stigmatizing students based on meal payment status (e.g., using tokens or public lists) or denying participation in school activities due to meal debt. The bill appropriates $140 million from the legacy earnings fund to the Department of Public Instruction for school meal grants, covering the 2025-2027 biennium. This policy directly affects all K-12 students and schools receiving state meal funding, ensuring universal access to meals without financial barriers.

Maddy summaryHB 1433 would create North Dakota's dementia response program within the Department of Health, administered by a dedicated state dementia coordinator. The program requires developing and updating an Alzheimer's/dementia state plan every three years through a work group including people living with dementia, caregivers, healthcare professionals, and advocacy organizations. It also mandates collecting dementia-related data via existing state systems and launching a statewide public awareness campaign to reduce stigma and promote early detection. The bill allocates $250,000 for the program and coordinator position over the 2025-2027 biennium.

Maddy summarySB 2235 amends North Dakota law to clarify how partial rent payments are applied when a tenant pays less than the full amount due. It requires that any insufficient payment for lodging (like apartments) must first cover the outstanding rent amount, not late fees or other charges, unless the tenant specifies otherwise at the time of payment. This directly affects residential renters and landlords across North Dakota by standardizing payment priorities under rental agreements. The bill does not change rent due dates or amounts but ensures payments are applied to the core rent obligation first. The bill failed to pass in the 2025 legislative session.

Maddy summarySB 2237 would require North Dakota's labor commissioner to investigate tenant complaints about landlords violating specific housing laws (sections 47-16-20 and 47-32-02) and take disciplinary action against non-compliant landlords. The bill mandates that the labor commissioner provide landlords with written notice of alleged violations and a reasonable time to fix the issues before taking action, with notice delivered personally or via certified mail. Landlords directly affected would face potential disciplinary measures under this new process, while tenants would gain a formal channel to report housing disputes. The bill aimed to expand the labor commissioner's role from workplace safety to certain landlord-tenant enforcement, though it failed to pass in February 2025.

Maddy summarySB 2236 would have limited late fees on rental payments in North Dakota to no more than 8% of the overdue rent amount. The bill specifically applied to landlords and renters in standard residential rental agreements, capping fees for payments not made by the end of the month or the date specified in the lease. It amended North Dakota's Century Code to replace existing late fee rules with this 8% maximum. The proposal aimed to prevent excessive late charges but failed to pass the legislature in February 2025.

Relating to speed limitations on multilane highways; and to provide a penalty.

Relating to the membership of the brain injury advisory council.

Relating to a mandated intervention program for domestic violence offenders; and to provide a penalty.