Sen. Bob Paulson

Relating to move‑in and post move‑out inspections of leased property; and to amend and reenact section 47‑16‑07.1 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to tenant security deposits.

Maddy summarySB 2170 would create a North Dakota scholarship program for military reserve members attending college. It would cover full tuition at state-funded institutions or the average tuition at private schools for eligible applicants who are active reserve members (army, navy, marine corps, air force, coast guard, or space force), enrolled full-time in degree programs, without a bachelor's degree, and not previously receiving certain other military education benefits. The scholarship would be awarded regardless of financial need, with recipients limited to 48 eligibility units (equivalent to 4 years of full-time study). Applicants would need to apply for federal military education aid first, and the program would allow military call-ups to pause studies without academic penalty.

Maddy summaryHB 1585 requires North Dakota peace officers (such as police and sheriffs) to report individuals they reasonably believe are in the U.S. illegally to U.S. immigration authorities. Officers must use a designated tip line or online form as soon as possible after forming this belief. Violating this requirement would be classified as an infraction, not a criminal offense. The bill failed to pass in the legislature on February 7, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1502 would limit North Dakota's state general fund budget growth to a maximum of 3% per two-year budget cycle, unless a two-thirds vote of both legislative chambers approves a higher increase. The bill allows unused portions of the 3% allowance to be carried forward for up to three budget cycles to exceed the limit later. It directly affects the state budget process by imposing a spending cap on the legislature's annual budget decisions. This procedural bill, if enacted, would establish a new rule in the state code governing how much the state can spend from its general fund each biennium.

Maddy summaryHB 1405 would require defendants in civil court cases to serve their written responses (answers) to complaints within 60 days of being served with the complaint. This procedural change would directly affect defendants in North Dakota civil lawsuits by establishing a uniform deadline for responses, overriding any existing time limits under other laws.

Maddy summarySB 2182 streamlines how North Dakota state agencies can amend or repeal administrative rules by allowing direct agreement between the agency and the Administrative Rules Committee, bypassing standard public comment and review processes. It directly affects state agencies that create rules and the committee responsible for reviewing them. The key provision (Section 6) permits agencies to change rules through committee agreement without following full adoption requirements, though the committee must reconsider the change at a future meeting if requested by the agency or public. This bill does not change the rules themselves but alters the process for modifying them.

Maddy summaryHB 1184 would allow North Dakota's Board of University and School Lands, State Investment Board, and State Treasurer to invest up to 10% of their managed funds in specific digital assets (like stablecoins or cryptocurrencies with a $500 billion+ average market cap) or precious metals (gold, platinum, or silver). The bill requires all digital asset investments to be held securely through approved custodians or exchange-traded products, with strict rules for staking or lending digital assets to avoid increasing state financial risk. It defines key terms like "stablecoin" (dollar-backed digital currency) and "secure custody solution" (requiring multi-location hardware storage and regular security audits). The policy directly affects how state investment entities manage public funds, but the bill failed to pass in January 2025 after committee review.

Relating to evaluation of economic development tax incentives and the use tax exemption for raw materials, single‑use product contact systems, and reagents used for biologic manufacturing; to repeal section 57‑39.2‑04.19 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the sales tax exemption for raw materials, single‑use product contact systems, and reagents used for biologic manufacturing; and to provide an effective date.

Relating to the implementation of operational guidelines and training for law enforcement officers and state's attorneys addressing the crimes of human trafficking, prostitution, and the commercial exploitation of children.

Maddy summaryHB 1406 would require state agencies and the judiciary to wait until after the first legislative filing deadline to submit bills to the North Dakota legislature. Specifically, it mandates that executive branch agencies and the judicial branch cannot introduce bills before the deadline set for legislators to file their own proposals, with the legislative council notifying them of this December deadline each even-numbered year. This bill directly affects state agencies and courts by changing the timing for when they can propose new legislation. It is a procedural rule change with no direct impact on citizens or policy outcomes.