Sen. Kent Weston

Maddy summaryHB 1131 allows North Dakota farms to sell raw milk directly to consumers for personal use but prohibits selling it to wholesalers, retail stores, or donating it. It specifically bans raw milk sales involving interstate commerce or mass distribution, restricting transactions to direct farm-to-consumer sales within the state. The bill exempts these direct sales from other dairy regulations in North Dakota law, including chapters covering dairy product standards and food safety. This law directly affects dairy farms seeking to sell raw milk products while clarifying legal boundaries for such transactions.

Maddy summarySB 2199 would create a new rule in North Dakota law allowing disabled veterans with a 100% service-connected disability (verified by the Department of Veterans' Affairs) to receive a deer hunting license automatically. The bill directly affects qualifying disabled veterans by removing them from the standard lottery system for deer licenses. Under this proposed change, these veterans would be entitled to a license without competing in the annual drawing, streamlining access to hunting opportunities. This is a specific policy change to license eligibility, not a broader hunting regulation.

Maddy summaryHB 1563 is a procedural bill that establishes a legislative study on tribal land taxation in North Dakota. It directs the state's legislative management to analyze issues related to taxing land owned by enrolled tribal members living within tribal reservations, including federal law, court decisions, state property tax exemptions for Native Americans, and tribal sovereignty conflicts. The study, to be completed during the 2025-26 interim, will examine how state and tribal tax authority interact and report findings with policy recommendations to the 70th Legislative Assembly. This bill does not change current tax laws but creates a formal process to review existing policies affecting tribal members and reservations.

Maddy summaryHB 1215 repealed North Dakota's section 24-02-46 in the Century Code, which previously addressed the multistate highway transportation agreement. This bill directly affects state transportation agencies and officials responsible for administering interstate highway agreements. The key mechanism was simply removing the outdated code section from state law. The bill became effective after the governor signed it on March 14, 2025. As a procedural repeal, it does not create new requirements or alter existing transportation policies.

Maddy summaryHB 1135 amends North Dakota law to increase the maximum total loan amount available through the veterans' aid fund from $5,000 to $50,000 for eligible veterans and surviving spouses. The bill directly affects North Dakota veterans and their unremarried surviving spouses who are state residents and citizens, allowing them to receive multiple loans totaling up to $50,000. Key provisions clarify that additional loans may be issued if the applicant meets ongoing eligibility criteria, with all loans consolidated into a single payment. The changes streamline access to financial assistance for qualifying veterans while maintaining the fund's purpose of providing aid through the Department of Veterans' Affairs.

Relating to motor vehicle fuel tax, special fuels tax, and aviation fuel tax refunds for fuels purchased by fire departments; and to provide an effective date.

Relating to designating the bridge on state highway 18 as the Specialist 4 Richard W. Orsund Vietnam bridge; to provide a continuing appropriation; and to declare an emergency.

Maddy summaryHB 1257 amends North Dakota's legislative code to set specific timing, duration, and agenda requirements for the organizational session of the state legislature. It requires all newly elected and continuing legislators to meet in Bismarck during the first two weeks of December in even-numbered years for a session lasting at least five business days. The bill mandates that the organizational session agenda include mandatory items like new legislator orientation, committee reports, party caucus discussions, budget presentations, and procedural reviews. This procedural bill directly affects all North Dakota state legislators by standardizing how the legislature prepares for its annual regular session. The changes aim to ensure the legislature is fully organized and ready to begin substantive work by the start of the regular session.

Maddy summaryHB 1183 requires North Dakota's state treasurer to invest at least 1% of general fund money in gold or silver bullion, coins, or approved investment instruments, held directly or through a qualified custodian. It mandates the treasurer to develop management policies for these investments and conduct a study on their costs and benefits - including inflation and economic stability impacts - reporting findings to lawmakers by June 2026. The investment rule would take effect on July 1, 2027, while the study must be completed during the 2025-26 legislative interim. The bill directly affects how the state treasurer manages state funds and requires specific reporting on gold/silver investments.

Maddy summaryHCR 3013 is a non-binding resolution passed by North Dakota's legislature urging the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn its 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision, which established same-sex marriage as legal nationwide. The resolution argues that Obergefell conflicts with the U.S. Constitution and traditional marriage definitions, and it requests the Court restore marriage to "a union between one man and one woman." It failed to pass in the legislature on March 13, 2025, and has no legal effect on marriage laws. This resolution expresses legislative opinion only and does not alter any existing marriage statutes or court rulings.