Rep. Jason Dockter

Maddy summaryHCR 3033 is a concurrent resolution directing North Dakota's Legislative Management to study whether legislators should be allowed to hire personal legislative staff. It would examine the potential benefits of this practice, including comparing it to other states' approaches, and assess how it might support legislators during term limit transitions. The resolution requires Legislative Management to report findings and any needed legislation to the next legislative session. This resolution directly affects current and future legislators by exploring a potential change to their staffing resources.

Maddy summaryHB 1522 allows North Dakota cities to permit golf carts on city streets through local ordinances, directly affecting city residents and golf cart owners. The law restricts operation to daytime travel between a resident's home and a golf course, prohibits use on federal/state/county highways (except perpendicular crossings), and exempts compliant golf carts from standard vehicle registration, title, and equipment requirements. This policy change gives cities flexibility to regulate low-speed vehicle use while maintaining safety standards on local roads.

Maddy summaryHB 1177 amends North Dakota's public employees retirement system definition to include correctional officers who are enrolled in, but have not yet completed, a state-approved training course. This change directly affects correctional facility workers in North Dakota who are currently in training for their roles. The key provision expands eligibility for retirement benefits to these trainees by adding them to the official definition of "correctional officer" under the retirement system code. The bill does not change benefit amounts or eligibility for already certified officers.

Maddy summaryHB 1246 amends North Dakota law to clarify who can handle coroner duties when a coroner is unavailable in a county. It specifies that in such cases, the sheriff, state highway patrol, or a special agent from the Bureau of Criminal Investigation must perform coroner duties. The bill requires these officials to contact the nearest coroner or deputy coroner from an adjacent county for death investigations, and if distance or weather prevents this, they must instead request the state forensic examiner or their designee to certify the cause of death. This change directly affects county law enforcement and state forensic services in areas without a resident coroner.

Maddy summaryHB 1153 clarifies what counts as "excavation" under North Dakota's one-call notice system, specifically adding detailed exclusions to the definition. It exempts certain activities from requiring the notice, including most agricultural work (like plowing under 18 inches deep), cemetery grave openings, and routine road maintenance (like gravel road repairs not involving ditches). This directly affects construction crews, utility workers, farmers, and landscapers who perform ground-disturbing work but fall under these exemptions. The bill changes compliance requirements by removing the need for one-call notices for these specific, low-risk activities.

Relating to military sacrifice number plates; and to amend and reenact section 39‑04‑10.3 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to personalized plates.

Maddy summaryHB 1235 amends North Dakota's agriculture infrastructure grant program to specifically fund road and bridge improvements needed for value-added agriculture businesses. It directs the agriculture commissioner (with transportation department input) to award grants to counties, cities, and townships for projects like corridor upgrades on local roads or access road/bridge repairs serving these businesses. The bill directly affects local governments managing infrastructure and businesses processing agricultural products (like food manufacturing or packaging). Key provisions require grants to target infrastructure directly supporting value-added agriculture operations, not general road maintenance. This law, signed by the governor on March 24, 2025, clarifies and expands the program's focus.

Maddy summaryHB 1253 amends North Dakota law to clarify the attorney general's authority to impose fines for gaming violations. It directly affects licensed gaming organizations (including charities operating as agents), distributors, manufacturers, and authorized site owners who fail to comply with gaming rules. The bill establishes specific fine tiers: minimum $25 (up to 2% of quarterly revenue) for organizations, $100 for distributors, $500 for manufacturers, and $250 for site owners, with fines potentially replacing license suspensions or revocations. These provisions create clear, structured penalties instead of vague prior language.

Maddy summaryHB 1471 requires dental benefit plans in North Dakota to offer payment methods other than credit cards to dentists, preventing plans from requiring credit card payments only. It mandates that plans notify dentists about any fees for specific payment methods, explain available options, and provide clear instructions for selecting fee-free alternatives. The bill also prohibits charging transmission fees for electronic payments unless the dentist consents, and restricts plans from sharing credit card company profits to cover claim payments. This directly affects dental benefit plans, their vendors, and health maintenance organizations when paying dentists in North Dakota.

Maddy summaryHCR 3017 is a symbolic resolution designating December 6th as "Miner's Day" in North Dakota to honor coal miners. It recognizes coal miners' contributions to providing reliable, affordable energy (supplying 55% of the state's electricity) and supporting the economy ($5.5 billion in business activity, 12,000 jobs). The resolution urges the federal government to repeal the 2009 Endangerment Finding and revise regulations it claims disadvantage coal, while promoting carbon capture and coal-based technologies. This is a non-binding resolution with no legal effect, solely intended to publicly acknowledge coal miners' work and advocate for federal policy changes.