HB 1497 amends North Dakota law to adjust age requirements for four-year-old early childhood programs and update eligibility for the "Best in Class" program. It allows school districts to enroll children who turn four by December 1st (instead of August 1st) based on developmental assessments, directly affecting preschool programs and families of young children. To qualify for "Best in Class" designation, programs must meet specific standards including 400+ hours over 32 weeks, 10+ hours of family engagement, and quality benchmarks. The law affects school districts, early childhood providers, and families seeking program access or state-funded recognition.
SB 2190 would expand North Dakota's medical assistance program to cover five specific services: family training for behavioral therapy support, dental screenings and assessments, dental case management for special populations (like children, elderly, and medically fragile individuals), asynchronous teledentistry to improve access, and applied behavioral analysis (ABA) therapy for behavioral issues. These services would directly affect medical assistance recipients, particularly those with special healthcare needs or in underserved communities. The bill explicitly states these new benefits would not apply to Medicaid expansion programs. The provisions aim to integrate oral health care with general health services and reduce barriers to dental and behavioral support.
SCR 4027 proposes a constitutional amendment to North Dakota's Constitution, specifically amending Section 25 of Article XI. It would prohibit using proceeds from charitable gaming (like raffles or lotteries run by nonprofits) or state lotteries to fund political campaigns, candidates, ballot measures, or political organizations. This directly affects nonprofit groups - such as charities, veterans' organizations, schools, and religious groups - that currently operate games of chance to raise funds for public-spirited causes. The amendment requires voter approval in the 2026 general election to take effect.
SB 2084 updates North Dakota's reimbursement rates for state employees' travel expenses and lodging. It amends specific sections of the North Dakota Century Code to adjust the authorized rates used when employees travel on official state business. The bill directly affects state employees who incur travel costs while performing duties for the state government. These changes ensure reimbursement rates align with current market costs for lodging and travel expenses. The bill was enacted in March 2025 after approval by the legislature and governor.
HB 1213 establishes a new "Jail Improvement Revolving Loan Fund" administered by the Bank of North Dakota to provide low-interest loans for jail infrastructure projects. It directly affects counties and regional correctional authorities, enabling them to apply for loans (up to $40 million at 2% interest over 30 years) to renovate, expand, or replace aging jail facilities meeting specific cost and capacity criteria. The bill creates a committee to review applications based on factors like inmate occupancy, structure age, and community support, and mandates a $200 million transfer from the Strategic Investment and Improvements Fund to seed the new loan program for the 2025-2027 biennium. The fund operates as a revolving loan program, with principal and interest repayments replenishing the fund for future projects.
SB 2231 would require North Dakota's medical assistance program to cover specific dental and behavioral services, directly affecting recipients of medical assistance who need these services. The bill mandates coverage for family adaptive behavioral treatment guidance, dental screenings, dental case management for special populations (including children, elderly, and medically fragile individuals), and asynchronous teledentistry to improve access. It explicitly states these new coverage requirements do not apply to Medicaid expansion programs for children and adults. The bill failed to pass in the Senate on March 27, 2025, with 33 votes in favor and 59 against.
SB 2205 creates a dedicated "charitable gaming operating fund" in North Dakota's state treasury to manage all taxes, fines, and penalties collected from charitable gaming activities (like bingo or raffles run by nonprofits). The bill requires quarterly allocations: $75,000 to the gambling disorder prevention and treatment fund, and 5% of total funds to cities and counties based on taxes collected from local games (with a minimum $200 threshold for payments). It also mandates that any excess funds remaining after covering administrative costs be transferred to the state's general fund every odd-numbered year. This bill directly affects how charitable gaming revenue is distributed to state programs and local governments.
HB 1458 would have required North Dakota's legislative management to conduct a study on limiting the development and release of self-spreading viruses and bacteria. The study would have examined who is involved in such work, health impacts and data on adverse effects, potential enforcement measures, and possible exceptions. It was not a law but a procedural request for analysis, intended to inform future legislation. The bill failed to pass in the March 2025 legislative session (16 yeas, 29 nays) and remains inactive. No policy changes were enacted.
HB 1067 amends specific sections of North Dakota's Medicaid law to update medical assistance benefit rules and Medicaid waiver procedures. It directly affects Medicaid recipients by changing how benefits are managed under state law. The bill modifies administrative processes for Medicaid programs but does not specify new benefit levels or eligibility criteria. Signed into law on March 19, 2025, it takes effect upon filing with the Secretary of State. The changes focus on procedural updates to existing Medicaid operations.
Relating to the definition of a children's advocacy center and the confidentiality of communications and records in the possession of a children's advocacy center.
This bill proposes amending North Dakota's Constitution to allow $300 million annually from the common schools trust fund for statewide school construction over 10 years ($3 billion total). It modifies how distributions are calculated, requiring annual payments based on trust fund value while adding a fixed $600 million biennial allocation (split yearly) specifically for school construction under state programs. The change would directly affect public schools by providing dedicated funding for new buildings and renovations. The amendment must be voted on by North Dakota voters in 2026 after failing to pass the legislature (15 yeas, 77 nays) in March 2025.
HB 1161 creates a state-funded pool to cover salaries for vacant full-time staff positions at North Dakota's public colleges and universities. Institutions must transfer unused funding for vacant positions (as of December 1 of the prior even year) to a central pool annually. Institutions can then request allocations from this pool to fill vacancies or hire temporary staff, but only if they prove no other federal or external funds are available. The bill requires the state board to report on vacancy rates, fund usage, and savings from unfilled positions.
