Rep. Keith Kempenich

Maddy summaryHCR 3010 is a procedural resolution directing North Dakota's Legislative Management to study whether lawmakers should routinely review existing state and federal laws before drafting new legislation. It specifically aims to prevent duplication of current laws and assess how new proposals might interact with existing regulations. The resolution requires Legislative Management to report findings and any necessary legislation to the next legislative session. This bill does not create new law but directs an internal review process for future lawmaking. The resolution failed to pass during its second reading on April 9, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1602 changes North Dakota's public employee retirement system by closing the traditional defined benefit plan to new hires starting January 1, 2025. Instead, new permanent employees (excluding those in specific exception roles like teachers, law enforcement, or university staff) must join a defined contribution retirement plan. Existing members who joined before 2025 remain in the defined benefit plan, and political subdivisions (like cities or counties) may choose whether to participate in the new defined contribution plan. The bill clarifies that local governments are not required to offer either retirement plan, and no fees apply if they withdraw from the defined contribution system.

Maddy summaryHB 1444 amends North Dakota law to clarify the process for adding local roads to the county road system. It requires county commissioners to notify townships when a road meets criteria under section 24-05-16 and is under township jurisdiction, and to hold a public meeting for community input before making a final decision. This directly affects county commissioners, townships, and residents who use these local roads, ensuring transparency in road system expansion. The bill does not change road maintenance responsibilities but adds a procedural step for community engagement.

Relating to the regulation of conveyances and elevator contractors, mechanics, and inspectors; to amend and reenact sections 43‑09‑01 and 43‑09‑02 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to definitions applicable to conveyance regulation and the membership of the state electrical board; to provide a penalty; and to provide for application.

Relating to conservation easements and leaseholds; and to amend and reenact sections 4.1‑01‑21, 4.1‑01‑21.1, and 49‑22‑09.2 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the federal environmental law impact review fund, the environmental impact mitigation fund, and mitigating environmental impacts; and to declare an emergency.

Maddy summaryThe provided context does not include the specific provisions or policy changes of HB 1094. While the bill's title and abstract reference "discretionary special allocation hunting licenses" and it has been signed into law (Governor signed March 27, 2025), the details of what the amendment actually changes, who it affects, or its key mechanisms are not described in the available information. A full summary cannot be generated without these concrete details. For the actual policy content, the full text of the bill would be required.

Maddy summaryHB 1480 would establish a process for non-legal owners to obtain a certificate of title for a motor vehicle that hasn't been registered for over ten years. To qualify, the requester must send a certified letter to the vehicle's last registered address and advertise the title request in a local newspaper for 14 days. If no response is received within 14 days and proof of compliance is provided, the state department would issue the title. This procedural bill directly affects individuals seeking to claim abandoned or long-unused vehicles. The bill failed to pass the legislature in March 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1381 revises North Dakota's school funding formula to determine state aid for public school districts. It establishes a baseline funding amount using 2017-18 revenue data (including property taxes, tuition, mineral revenue, and other specific income sources) and calculates per-student funding based on this baseline. Starting in the 2023-24 school year, the bill requires a 40% reduction in excess funding for districts exceeding the baseline, with annual reduction increases of 15% until the baseline per student matches the state's fixed payment rate. This affects all North Dakota public school districts by changing how their state aid is calculated and potentially reducing funding for those with higher historical revenue.

Maddy summarySB 2157 mandates a legislative study to examine creating a farm safety insurance discount program. The study will determine if farmers and ranchers could receive insurance premium discounts after completing a safety course, including developing course requirements, discount amounts, and eligibility criteria. It requires input from the insurance commissioner, agriculture commissioner, North Dakota State University extension, and agricultural insurance agencies. The study, to be completed by the 2025-26 interim, will report findings and proposed legislation to the next legislative assembly. This bill does not create the program itself but sets the groundwork for potential future policy.

Maddy summarySB 2139 changes the fee for recording or rerecording livestock brands in North Dakota to $25.50 per application. This bill directly affects livestock owners who need to register or update brand markings on their animals. The key provision amends North Dakota Century Code section 4.1-73-14 to establish this specific fee amount. The bill was signed into law by the Governor on March 25, 2025, and filed with the Secretary of State on March 26, 2025. It represents a straightforward adjustment to administrative fees without altering livestock branding requirements.