Sen. Robert Erbele

Maddy summaryHB 1311 directs North Dakota's legislative management to conduct a study during the 2025-26 interim on challenges facing volunteer emergency responders, including firefighters, disaster volunteers, and community emergency response teams. The study must identify recruitment and retention strategies and gather input from stakeholders like emergency medical services, law enforcement, and state agencies. It will produce findings and recommendations, including potential legislation, for the 70th legislative assembly. This is a procedural bill focused solely on research, not new policy.

Maddy summarySB 2135 amends North Dakota law to increase the biennial funding transfer to the firefighters' death benefits fund from $50,125 to $50,125 (correcting a typo in the bill text) and sets a $10,025 payment for survivors of firefighters who died while performing duties. The bill requires fire department chiefs or their designees to verify line-of-duty deaths before payments are made. It directly affects surviving family members of deceased firefighters and the state insurance commissioner who manages the fund. The changes became law after being signed by the governor on March 17, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 2141 amends North Dakota law to allow water permit holders to change the purpose of their permit (e.g., from agriculture to livestock or recreation) without losing their original water rights priority date, provided the Department of Water Resources approves the change. The bill requires applications to be processed like new conditional permits and restricts changes to two scenarios: shifting to a higher-priority water use or converting to livestock, fish, wildlife, or recreational use in a reservoir with no water withdrawal. This directly affects agricultural and water users who hold existing permits seeking to repurpose their water rights. The law aims to provide flexibility while protecting other water users' rights through departmental review.

Maddy summaryThis bill consolidates and updates the fee schedule for North Dakota driver's licenses and related services into a single section (39-06-49) of the Century Code. It directly affects all drivers applying for, renewing, or modifying licenses, including commercial drivers and those seeking endorsements. Key provisions include standardizing fees for commercial license applications ($15), endorsements ($3 each), nonresident commercial licenses ($20), and driving record requests ($3 for employers). The bill does not change the actual fee amounts but reorganizes where these fees are referenced in state law for clarity and administrative efficiency.

Maddy summaryHB 1232 amends North Dakota's definition of "residential property" for tax purposes. It specifically includes mobile homes (three or fewer) on a tract and vacant platted lots within city limits zoned for residential use. The bill excludes hotels/motels, buildings with four or more separate family units, and lots with four or more mobile homes. These changes would directly affect property tax assessments for affected properties and local assessors. The bill would take effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024.

Relating to the determination of state aid payments, state aid minimum local effort, the protection of taxpayers and taxing districts, voter approval of excess levies in school districts, school district levies, and contents of the property tax statement; and to provide an effective date.

Relating to the state share of oil and gas tax revenue allocations, the municipal infrastructure fund, and the county and township infrastructure fund.

Relating to the definition of a pre-engineered structure and the threshold for procuring plans, drawings, and specifications from an architect or engineer for construction of a public improvement.

Relating to a life science research council; to repeal section 4.1‑01‑20.1 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the bioscience innovation grant program; to provide a report; to provide a continuing appropriation; to provide an appropriation; to provide for a transfer; and to declare an emergency.

Maddy summaryHB 1256 would allocate $75,000 from North Dakota's general fund as one-time funding for the Parks and Recreation Department to provide grants for walking trail expansion projects. The bill specifically targets rural communities experiencing significant population growth during the 2025-2027 biennium. It directs the department to award grants for trail projects that improve recreational access in these growing areas. This is a procedural funding bill with no other substantive policy changes.