HB 1249 North Dakota House · 69th Legislative Assembly (2025-26)

A BILL for an Act to provide appropriations to the attorney general, the department of career and technical education, the department of health and human services, and the agriculture commissioner for autonomous technology grants; to provide for a legislative management study; and to provide a report.

HB 1249 allocates one-time state funds for autonomous technology grants to four state agencies: $250,000 to the Attorney General for law enforcement tools (like drones for missing persons searches), $500,000 to Career and Technical Education for workforce training in oil/gas, $250,000 to Health and Human Services for rural emergency response, and $500,000 to the Agriculture Commissioner for farm technology. Each agency must establish application guidelines requiring grant recipients to certify their use of autonomous tech (e.g., drones, vehicles) aligns with the agency’s mission and provide a 1:4 matching fund ratio. Recipients must report grant usage to lawmakers during the 2025-2026 interim. The bill covers a two-year period starting July 2025, with all funding designated as one-time.

Issues: ✓ Technology

Bill status passed 2 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Feb 2025

House Failed

Feb 2025

Governor

Introduced Jan 13, 2025 Last action Feb 24, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

FIRST ENGROSSMENT → SECOND ENGROSSMENT · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was reengrossed with significant funding reductions across three grant programs. The attorney general's autonomous technology grant was reduced from $750,000 to $250,000, the department of career and technical education grant was reduced from $750,000 to $500,000, and the department of health and human services grant was reduced from $750,000 to $250,000. These changes represent a total reduction of $1 million in one-time appropriations while maintaining the same program purposes.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains the same in terms of which agencies receive grants and what those grants fund, but the funding amounts available to each agency have been substantially reduced.

FISCAL

Attorney general autonomous technology grant funding reduced from $750,000 to $250,000 for missing person searches and crime scene reconstruction support.

Department of career and technical education autonomous technology grant funding reduced from $750,000 to $500,000 for workforce training in the northwest area of the state.

Department of health and human services autonomous technology grant funding reduced from $750,000 to $250,000 for rural emergency response and disaster mitigation support.

TECHNICAL

Bill section numbers changed from 25.0756.02000 to 25.0756.03000 and designation changed from 'ENGROSSED' to 'REENGROSSED' indicating legislative amendment process.

Floor votes · House Feb 24, 2025

How they voted

41–49

Failed · 1 other

Total votes 91

Feb 24, 2025

D Democratic11

6 Yea 5 Nay

54% Yea

R Republican80

35 Yea 44 Nay 1

55% Nay

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 24, 2025

Vote failed

House Vote: fail (41-49-1)

house

Feb 21, 2025

Lower · Passed

Amendment adopted, placed on calendar

lower

Feb 20, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported back amended, do not pass, placed on calendar 15 8 0

lower

Jan 31, 2025

Committee

Rereferred to Appropriations

lower

Jan 31, 2025

Lower · Passed

Amendment adopted

lower

Jan 30, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported back amended, do pass, amendment placed on calendar 13 0 1

lower

Jan 29, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee Hearing 02:15

lower

Jan 22, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee Hearing 10:30

lower

Jan 13, 2025

Introduced

Introduced, first reading, referred Industry, Business and Labor Committee

lower

1 primary · 11 co-sponsors