Sen. Kathy Hogan

Maddy summarySB 2389 would direct North Dakota's legislative management to study the state's child care infrastructure during the 2025-26 interim. The study would examine child care availability, affordability, public funding (including reimbursement rates and grant programs), and licensing processes across all counties. It aims to identify strengths, challenges, and policy improvements to inform future legislation. The bill failed to pass in February 2025, so no study has been conducted.

Maddy summarySB 2192 would provide $240,000 in state funds to reimburse community health and social service providers for costs associated with meeting state accreditation requirements. It directly affects community-based organizations that need accreditation to operate, such as clinics, shelters, or support programs. The bill authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services to distribute grants covering these accreditation expenses for the 2025-2027 biennium. This is a funding measure, not a policy change to accreditation standards themselves.

Relating to public employee fertility health benefits; to provide for a report to the legislative assembly; to provide for application; and to provide an expiration date.

Relating to public employee fertility preservation health benefits; to provide for a report to the legislative assembly; to provide for application; and to provide an expiration date.

Maddy summaryHB 1478, if enacted, would create new protections in North Dakota law for access to contraceptives. It defines contraceptives broadly (including pills, IUDs, condoms, and patches) while excluding abortion drugs, and guarantees individuals the right to receive, purchase, or use contraception under evidence-based medical guidelines. The bill also protects health care providers who decline to provide contraception based on religious or moral objections, and ensures health insurers cover contraceptive care. It allows lawsuits against state entities that restrict these rights, with penalties including court-ordered relief and attorney fees for successful plaintiffs.

Maddy summaryHB 1477 would create new legal protections for fertility care access in North Dakota. It guarantees individuals the right to receive fertility treatments and make decisions about reproductive genetic material, while also protecting health care providers, insurers, and manufacturers from state restrictions on these services. The bill prohibits state agencies or subdivisions from implementing policies that limit access to fertility treatments, except for health/safety regulations that follow established medical guidelines. Violations could trigger civil lawsuits by affected individuals or the attorney general, with courts able to block the restrictive policy and award legal fees to the winning party. This bill directly affects patients seeking fertility care, clinics providing those services, health insurers, and manufacturers of fertility-related products.

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 1221 proposes allocating $24 million from North Dakota's general fund to the state board of higher education for workforce education innovation funds, to be distributed to eligible institutions during the 2025-2027 biennium. The bill provides direct funding for programs aimed at enhancing workforce training and education initiatives, primarily affecting community colleges and vocational schools eligible to receive these grants. It does not create new programs but establishes a funding mechanism for existing or planned workforce development efforts. The bill failed to pass in the legislature on February 11, 2025, with no support (0 yeas, 91 nays).

Maddy summarySB 2306 proposes a program to address child care staffing shortages by providing monthly payments to licensed early childhood providers in North Dakota. The bill would require the state to pay providers $50 per infant, $30 per toddler, and $15 per school-aged child enrolled, based on quarterly reports of average enrollment. To qualify, providers must not have received a corrective action order in the past three months and must submit annual reports detailing how funds were used to improve staff salaries and benefits. This bill directly affects licensed child care centers and family child care homes by offering financial incentives tied to enrollment levels. The program aims to retain and recruit child care workers through direct support for provider compensation needs.

Maddy summarySB 2194 requires North Dakota's Bureau of Criminal Investigation to accept digital fingerprints for background checks and deliver results within four business days to requesting agencies (like employers or licensing boards). It appropriates $5 million to cover equipment and costs for this system during the 2025-2027 biennium. The bill applies to background check requests received after its effective date of February 1, 2026. This changes how criminal history checks are processed by making digital submissions and faster turnaround mandatory for state agencies conducting these checks.