Latest news with #NorthDakotaHouseofRepresentatives
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Term limits bill reconsidered, headed to North Dakota conference committee
The North Dakota House of Representatives hold a floor session. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor) The North Dakota House on Tuesday reconsidered its actions on a bill that seeks to clarify the start date for legislative term limits. The House on Monday concurred with Senate amendments to House Bill 1300 but ultimately defeated the legislation. On Tuesday, the House revived the bill and instead rejected the Senate amendments, sending the bill to a conference committee. North Dakota voters in 2022 approved a ballot measure that limits lawmakers to serving up to eight years in each chamber. It's caused some confusion related to how it applies to lawmakers in even-numbered districts who were halfway through a term when the measure passed. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Ben Koppelman, R-West Fargo, clarified that the clock starts on term limits on Nov. 7, 2022. The impact of that change would mean lawmakers in even-numbered districts elected in 2020 and reelected in 2024 could be eligible to serve up to 10 years in one chamber. Without the change, they'd only be able to serve six years. Term limits changes revived for possible statewide vote in North Dakota The Senate version, however, starts the clock on Jan. 1, 2023. That means lawmakers in odd-numbered districts elected in 2022 could potentially serve up to 12 years in one chamber. The bill will now head to a conference committee made up of Senate and House members to resolve the differences between the two versions of the bill. Separately, Senate Resolution 4008 passed both chambers of the Legislature and could be put on the 2026 general election ballot, if approved by the Secretary of State's Office as a valid resolution. If approved by voters, the resolution would allow lawmakers to serve four terms, up to 16 years, in a single legislative chamber. It also clarifies that a partial term does not count against the limit. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
North Dakota House approves legislation ending daylight saving time
The North Dakota House of Representatives passed a bill Tuesday that would eliminate daylight saving time and keep the state on standard time throughout the year. The House voted 55-37 to pass the bill, but it still needs approval from the Senate and governor before it becomes law. The bill does not affect time zones. Proponents of the bill argue that daylight saving time disrupts people's sleep patterns and say abolishing it would alleviate the inconvenience of adjusting clocks twice a year. During the House floor discussion, state Rep. Desiree Morton (R), said legislators heard testimony indicating that changing clocks twice a year has negative health effects, according to Fargo's KFGO radio. She argued the bill would help workers in the construction industry by giving them an extra hour of daylight in the morning, which would lead to safer working conditions. But opponents said the bill would make things difficult for farmers in the state's counties that follow the Mountain Time Zone by removing an hour of sunlight during summer evenings. State Rep. Mike Schatz (R) said he mixed up his committee vote due but opposed it on final passage after speaking with constituents, according to KFGO. 'What they said was, 'The sun will go down out west at 8 o'clock [p.m.].' Then it's going to come up earlier, and it's going to be harder for him, as a farmer, to get his people to come to work at 6 o'clock rather than 7 o'clock. … So I'm going to vote no,' he said during Tuesday's session. Arizona and Hawaii are the only two states in the U.S. that do not participate in daylight saving time. The Canadian province of Saskatchewan, located just north of North Dakota, also observes standard time year-round. President Trump and Republicans in the Congress have also talked about eliminating the twice-yearly clock changes, but a bill proposed by Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) would make daylight time year-round, rather than permanent standard time. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
