Rep. Anna Novak

Relating to creating a spay and neuter awareness grant program; to amend and reenact section 4.1‑41‑19 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the environment and rangeland protection fund; and to provide an appropriation.

Maddy summaryHB 1453 would ban North Dakota state and local governments from engaging with "natural asset companies" - businesses that manage natural resources (like forests or water) to generate environmental benefits. The bill prohibits selling or leasing state-owned land to these companies, investing public funds in them, and allows lawsuits to reclaim land if violations occur. It would also prevent natural asset companies from operating in North Dakota by blocking their registration, business licenses, and any contracts with state entities. This directly affects state agencies, political subdivisions, and public fund managers, but does not impact private citizens or non-governmental activities.

Maddy summaryHB 1172 would require a student's home school district to pay fees for distance education courses if the student's regular school doesn't offer the course during the semester or at a time that fits the student's preferred schedule. This directly affects students enrolled in distance education through North Dakota's Center for Distance Education and their home school districts. The bill specifies that districts must cover these fees instead of charging the student or their parent/guardian when course availability conflicts with the student's schedule. The policy change aims to reduce financial barriers for students seeking specific courses not available at their home school.

Maddy summaryHB 1325 proposes to amend North Dakota's wildlife code by requiring the state wildlife director to publicly maintain and make available for four years all positive chronic wasting disease (CWD) test results. This includes specific documentation like microscopic slides of the prion and necropsy reports. The bill directly affects the state wildlife agency, which would be responsible for implementing this public record-keeping requirement. It does not change wildlife management practices but mandates transparency about CWD detections, which are critical for monitoring a fatal neurological disease affecting deer, elk, and moose. The bill failed to pass in the 2025 legislative session.

Maddy summaryHB 1516 would require North Dakota public school boards to include 1-2 non-voting "board observers" who are current educational employees (like teachers or support staff) from the school district. These observers would represent staff interests at board meetings, participate in discussions, and provide summaries of meetings to the district's education association. The bill specifies observers must be appointed annually by the education association and cannot attend meetings about their own employment. This bill directly affects school boards, educational employees, and their associations by creating a formal channel for staff input in school governance.

Maddy summaryHB 1536 allocates $1.5 million to North Dakota's Department of Public Instruction to develop and implement a K-12 Native American history curriculum across all public schools. The funding is divided: $600,000 for curriculum development with tribal collaboration, $300,000 for teacher training, $500,000 for educational materials, and $100,000 for oversight. It requires a tribal advisory committee and mandates equitable resource distribution, especially for rural and underfunded schools. The bill also requires a 2026 progress report to the legislature on implementation and effectiveness.

Maddy summaryHB 1550 would create a program where the Bank of North Dakota guarantees loans for constructing or renovating nursing and basic care facilities. The Bank would administer the program, establish a special reserve fund (using up to $100 million from a state strategic fund), and reimburse lenders if borrowers default. This directly affects nursing and basic care facilities seeking financing for facility upgrades or new construction.

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 1309 would require North Dakota state agencies to verify that companies they contract with do not boycott energy (including fossil fuels), mining, production agriculture, or firearms industries. Companies must confirm they aren’t refusing business with entities in these sectors to penalize them, as defined by the bill. This applies to for-profit businesses with 10+ employees and $100,000+ in value. Exceptions exist if services aren’t commercially available or if the contract conflicts with legal duties. The bill is pending, having failed committee review in January 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1171 creates a scholarship program for dependents of North Dakota law enforcement family members, directly affecting eligible students whose parents or guardians are full-time law enforcement officers (including correctional officers, firefighters, EMS providers, or peace officers) with at least three years of service. The program covers 50% of tuition costs (minus other aid) at state higher education institutions, administered by the State Board of Higher Education. It appropriates $5 million from the general fund for the 2025-2027 biennium to fund these scholarships. The bill defines eligibility through tax dependency exemptions and enrollment at state-controlled colleges or universities.