Rep. Mike Brandenburg

Relating to nonresident upland and small game licenses; and to amend and reenact section 20.1‑03‑07 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to nonresident hunting licenses.

Maddy summaryHB 1385 sets specific deadlines for processing water resource permits in North Dakota. It requires the Department of Water Resources to make a final decision on permit applications (for dams, dikes, or drainage projects) within 120 days, and if they miss this deadline, the permit is automatically approved. For appeals of local board decisions, the department must decide within 120 days, and failure to act results in the appeal being denied. This affects developers, landowners, and water management entities seeking permits for projects requiring state approval under North Dakota's water resource laws.

Maddy summaryHB 1402 would have amended North Dakota law to require state surplus motor vehicles to be offered first to local governments (like cities and counties) for 14 days at 30% below fair market value, before being made available to other eligible state agencies or nonprofits. This change aimed to prioritize local governments for purchasing surplus state vehicles at a discounted rate. The bill applied specifically to motor vehicles designated as surplus property under state code. The legislation was introduced in January 2025 but withdrawn in February 2025 without becoming law.

Maddy summaryThis bill would limit annual maintenance fees for drainage systems to $4 per acre on farmland, with two calculation methods: either based on historical benefit levels or uniform assessment across all farmland. Non-farm property would be charged up to $2 for every $500 in taxable value. It also allows drainage districts to accumulate funds over six years if annual fees don’t cover repair costs, and requires landowner approval via recorded vote for costs exceeding that six-year limit. The bill directly affects agricultural and non-agricultural landowners in North Dakota drainage districts.

Maddy summaryHB 1405 would require defendants in civil court cases to serve their written responses (answers) to complaints within 60 days of being served with the complaint. This procedural change would directly affect defendants in North Dakota civil lawsuits by establishing a uniform deadline for responses, overriding any existing time limits under other laws.

Maddy summaryHB 1182 allocates $611,000 from North Dakota's Strategic Investment and Improvements Fund to Dickey County for a specific road project. The funding would replace a culvert system and raise the road grade to address recurring flooding on a local road. This one-time appropriation is intended for the 2025-2027 biennium and directly supports Dickey County's infrastructure needs. The bill does not create new regulations but provides targeted financial support for a flood mitigation project.

Relating to a property tax exemption for certain agricultural land upon which an easement has been granted to the United States; and to provide an effective date.

Maddy summaryHB 1264 appropriates $75,000 from the general fund to the North Dakota State Historical Society for a one-time bridge construction project at Whitestone Hill State Historic Site. The funding is allocated for the 2025-2027 biennium and is specifically designated for infrastructure improvements at the site. This procedural bill directly affects the State Historical Society and the Whitestone Hill site by providing dedicated capital for physical enhancements.

Maddy summaryHB 1462 would have amended North Dakota law to expand exemptions from hunting, fishing, and trapping license requirements. It would have allowed landowners and their families to hunt, fish, or trap on their own land without a license, permitted youth under 16 to fish without a license, and extended fishing exemptions to certain institutions like schools and hospitals. The bill also included provisions for military personnel on leave and governor-declared free fishing days. However, the bill was withdrawn from consideration before moving forward in the legislative process.

Relating to weight limitations for vehicles on the interstate system and weight limitations for vehicles on highways other than the interstate system.