Latest news with #HouseBill1408
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
North Dakota Senate defeats plan for legislative sessions every year
North Dakota Senate chambers. (Kyle Martin/For the North Dakota Monitor) The North Dakota Legislature will continue to meet every other year after the Senate on Monday defeated a bill to meet annually. House Bill 1408 called for shorter legislative sessions every year. It was seen by advocates as a way for North Dakota to be more nimble and to make it easier for more people to run for the Legislature, especially as the effects of the state's term limits is expected to result in more turnover in the Legislature. Sen. Robert Erbele, R-Lehr, said he felt some legislators were overreacting to the effect of a term limits law passed in 2022. 'Let's see how it plays out,' Erbele said. Sen. Brad Bekkedahl, R-Williston, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, noted that much of North Dakota's tax revenue is reliant on ag and energy commodities that are influenced by global events. He said annual sessions would allow legislators to react to fluctuations more quickly. North Dakota is one of just four states where the Legislature does not meet every year. The House of Representatives passed the bill in February. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Proposal to change North Dakota sessions to every year debated in Senate committee
Mar. 28—BISMARCK — Grand Forks legislator Landon Bahl believes a proposal that would end the Legislature's traditional biennial schedule would modernize the state's lawmaking process while preserving the integrity of the current system. Bahl, a Republican member of the state House of Representatives, testified in favor of House Bill 1408 during a Friday morning meeting of the Senate State and Local Government Committee. As chief sponsor of the plan, he believes its approval will strengthen the legislative process, improve decision-making and ensure "long term efficiency in government." North Dakota's Legislature is one of just four states that still meet every other year. Fifty years ago, more than 40 states followed the every-other-year schedule. Technically, HB 1408 seeks to amend and reenact a section of the North Dakota Century Code, "relating to annual reconvened sessions of the legislative assembly." If passed in its current form, HB 1408 would maintain the 80-day limit but would instead distribute them over two years, starting in 2027. The bill passed the House 64-26 and is working its way through the Senate process. The goal, Bahl said, is to improve responsiveness and allow for more timely decision-making. Additionally, according to his written testimony, it could better attract "high-quality legislative candidates by making public service more accessible. Annual sessions would allow more North Dakotans, especially those unable to commit to four months at a time, to serve, fostering a more experienced, diverse and representative Legislature." He also believes the change would improve the effectiveness of interim legislative committees. "Don't get me wrong. I think we all enjoy our interim committees, but I think we can all agree that they may not be the most effective — not because of who is leading them, but just simply because of how the process unfolds for those committees," Bahl said during Friday's hearing. He was pressed on that. Committee member Sen. Judy Lee, R-West Fargo, said "I respectfully take umbrage that you think interim committees are not effective. ..." Bahl clarified: "I never said interim committees are not effective. I said they could become more effective." Lee called the proposal a "big fruit basket upset." Opponents believe annual sessions could give too much power to or put too much work on the shoulders of Legislative Management, a body that works between sessions to provide services to lawmakers. Scott Hanebutt, director of public policy for the North Dakota Farm Bureau, believes it could increase state spending and limit farmers from being in the Legislature. During testimony against SB 1408 on Friday, Hanebutt said he has worked as a lobbyist elsewhere and said "I wouldn't mess with a good system, which is what we have here. "Every state is a little bit different so I am sure we can find examples on both sides of the argument," he said. "Our (Farm Bureau) members have certainly always believed that increasing to an annual session would increase budgets and would make it harder to get farmers to run for the Legislature. So we feel this isn't a good idea for our state, and for the rural people of our state." Rep. Scott Louser, R-Minot, testified in favor, saying he has previously been against all proposals to change to annual sessions. He said this year's proposal prompts creative ideas and "outside-the-box" thinking. Further, he said, the length of the state's current single sessions comes with a certain level of tedium. "I want to be careful how I say this, but we all get mental fatigue in April. When the most important decisions are being made for North Dakota, we are tired," he said. "... I think there is a lot of benefit in doing (the change to annual sessions)." Among those who testified Friday was Jim Mehlhaff, the majority leader in the South Dakota Senate. He gave neutral testimony, providing an outline of the work that is done in that state's annual schedule.
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
North Dakota House votes for annual legislative session
Members of the North Dakota House of Representatives hold a floor session on Feb. 18, 2025. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor) North Dakota is one of just four states where the Legislature does not meet every year, but that could change starting in 2027 if the state Senate follows the lead of the House. The House of Representatives on Friday voted 64-26 to pass House Bill 1408, to meet and pass a budget every year. Bill sponsor Rep. Landon Bahl, R-Grand Forks, and other advocates of annual sessions said the change should lead to fewer, better quality bills, a bigger pool of legislative candidates and a more responsive and effective Legislature. The state constitution limits the Legislature to being in session for 80 days over two years. The bill would comply with that, using annual 40-day sessions. 'Employees can now ask their employer for only two months of leave instead of a third of a year,' Bahl said. Rep. Scott Louser, R-Minot, said committees of the Legislature could continue to meet year-round, giving lawmakers more time to collaborate and work on bills. He said it would allow for more public input from the public. He said when the Legislature does meet, it could have bills ready to pass much earlier in the session. Rep. Brandy Pyle, R-Casselton, noted that the House Appropriations Committee that she is on has been putting in 13-hour days this session trying to keep up with the number of bills being considered. Some critics predicted there would not be fewer bills and it would not reduce the workload for part-time legislators. Rep. Jeff Hoverson, R-Minot, said the change would grow government and would rob legislators from getting a break from state government in off years. The fiscal note for the bill predicts a savings of nearly $3 million in the 2025-2027 biennium and an additional cost of $2.3 million in the biennium starting in 2027, when the annual session begins. One reason why Bahl said the time is right to go to annual sessions is because of a term-limits measure passed in 2022. With more inexperienced lawmakers coming into the Legislature, he said more committee meetings outside of the session will help them get up to speed instead of trying to learn during a frantic 80-day session. Bahl said the Legislature is dominated by three employment categories — farmer and rancher, self-employed and retirees. He said more people would be able to serve in shorter annual sessions, making for a more diverse Legislature. The bill will go to the Senate for consideration. If North Dakota approves annual legislative sessions, it would leave Montana, Nevada and Texas as the only states that meet every two years. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
