Labor & Employment

passed · North Dakota · Senate Feb 5, 2025

SB 2206: A BILL for an Act to amend and reenact section 28-01-17, of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to civil actions having three-year limitations.

SB 2206 changes North Dakota law regarding civil lawsuits involving commercial motor carriers (like trucking companies) and safety belt usage. It reduces the statute of limitations for certain injury or death claims from three years to two years and caps non-economic damages (like pain and suffering) at $500,000 per case against these carriers. The bill also clarifies that failing to wear a safety belt in a vehicle, as required by law, cannot be used as direct evidence of negligence in court but may reduce awarded damages by up to 1% if proven to have contributed to the injury. These changes apply specifically to civil actions arising from commercial motor vehicle operations.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentCaps non-economic damages at $500k and shortens statute of limitations for injury claims against carriers, restricting workers' legal remedies for workplace injuries.85% confidence

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passed both · North Dakota · Senate Apr 8, 2025

SB 2239: A BILL for an Act to create and enact a new section to chapter 54-60 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to an apprenticeship grant program; and to provide an appropriation.

SB 2239 establishes a state-funded apprenticeship grant program in North Dakota. The program would provide financial assistance to both apprentices and employers participating in approved apprenticeship training. This bill creates a new funding mechanism within the state code and includes a specific appropriation to support the program's implementation.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill creates new state appropriation for apprenticeship grants, directly funding a public program per Budget & Taxes topic definition.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentFunds state apprenticeship grants for workforce development, advancing employment standards and worker training opportunities per bill's appropriation and program creation.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Apprenticeships

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passed · North Dakota · House Feb 13, 2025

HB 1284: A BILL for an Act to create and enact a new section to chapter 54-52.1 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to public employee fertility preservation health benefits; to provide for a report to the legislative assembly; to provide for application; and to provide an expiration date.

Relating to public employee fertility preservation health benefits; to provide for a report to the legislative assembly; to provide for application; and to provide an expiration date.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProvides public employees with fertility preservation health benefits, expanding workplace benefits and worker protections.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Employees

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failed · North Dakota · House Feb 19, 2025

HB 1516: A BILL for an Act to create and enact a new section to chapter 15.1-09 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the requirement for an educational employee to be an observer of the board of a public school.

HB 1516 would require North Dakota public school boards to include 1-2 non-voting "board observers" who are current educational employees (like teachers or support staff) from the school district. These observers would represent staff interests at board meetings, participate in discussions, and provide summaries of meetings to the district's education association. The bill specifies observers must be appointed annually by the education association and cannot attend meetings about their own employment. This bill directly affects school boards, educational employees, and their associations by creating a formal channel for staff input in school governance.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires school board observers from staff to represent educator interests, strengthening teacher involvement in decision-making processes.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRequires school boards to include staff observers to represent employee interests, enhancing workplace voice and aligning with workers' rights protection via formal representation channels.85% confidence

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signed · North Dakota · Senate Jun 11, 2025

SB 2019: AN ACT to provide an appropriation for defraying the expenses of the department of career and technical education; to provide an exemption; and to declare an emergency.

SB 2019 appropriates $51.3 million from North Dakota's general fund for the Department of Career and Technical Education during the 2025-2027 biennium. The funding covers salaries, operating expenses, grants for secondary education, and specific programs like workforce training and STEM initiatives. It directly affects the department and regional organizations receiving $500,000 in workforce training grants, distributed as $230,000 to northwest, $40,000 to northeast, $120,000 to southwest, and $110,000 to southeast organizations. The bill provides no new policy changes but allocates existing funds for operational and program expenses.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill appropriates $51.3M from general fund for career education programs, directly funding essential state services and strengthening budget allocation for workforce training.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAppropriates $51.3M for career/technical education funding, covering salaries, STEM programs, and workforce grants - directly advancing educational programs.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentFunds workforce training and STEM initiatives through $500k grants, directly enhancing job skills and employment opportunities under labor & employment standards.85% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget Career & Technical Education Workforce Development

signed · North Dakota · Senate Apr 21, 2025

SB 2198: AN ACT to amend and reenact section 37-01-25, subsection 1 of section 37-01-40, and section 37-14-01.1 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to national guard or federal service leave of absence for state and political subdivision employees and the definition of veteran; and to declare an emergency.

Relating to national guard or federal service leave of absence for state and political subdivision employees and the definition of veteran; and to declare an emergency.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill ensures state employees can take leave for National Guard/federal service without job loss, protecting employment rights and aligning with military service leave protections.90% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransAmends leave policies for national guard/federal service employees and redefines veteran, supporting employment protections for veterans.85% confidence

Sub-Topics National Guard & Reserve

signed · North Dakota · Senate Apr 21, 2025

SB 2120: AN ACT to provide for a transfer to the highway patrol troopers' retirement system fund.

SB 2120 transfers $35.7 million from North Dakota's Strategic Investment and Improvements Fund to the Highway Patrol Troopers' Retirement System Fund. This transfer directly benefits highway patrol troopers by increasing the retirement fund's financial coverage to 90% of its required liability by January 2026. The funds will be used during the 2025-2027 biennium to strengthen the retirement system's financial stability. The bill is a straightforward financial adjustment with no new policy provisions.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill transfers $35.7M to strengthen highway patrol troopers' retirement benefits, directly supporting employment benefits for a specific worker group.85% confidence

signed · North Dakota · Senate Mar 20, 2025

SB 2135: AN ACT to amend and reenact subsection 2 of section 18-04-05 and section 18-05.1-02 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the firefighters death benefits fund.

SB 2135 amends North Dakota law to increase the biennial funding transfer to the firefighters' death benefits fund from $50,125 to $50,125 (correcting a typo in the bill text) and sets a $10,025 payment for survivors of firefighters who died while performing duties. The bill requires fire department chiefs or their designees to verify line-of-duty deaths before payments are made. It directly affects surviving family members of deceased firefighters and the state insurance commissioner who manages the fund. The changes became law after being signed by the governor on March 17, 2025.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentIncreases funding and sets survivor payments for firefighters' line-of-duty deaths, directly expanding worker benefit protections for high-risk public safety personnel.95% confidence

signed · North Dakota · Senate Apr 18, 2025

SB 2016: AN ACT to provide an appropriation for defraying the expenses of job service North Dakota; and to provide an exemption.

SB 2016 appropriates $6.7 million from North Dakota's general fund for Job Service North Dakota to cover salaries, operations, and other expenses during the 2025-2027 biennium. The bill also includes $76 million in total funding (from general, federal, and other sources) to support job services, including $10.9 million specifically for modernizing the state's unemployment insurance computer system. This funding directly affects Job Service North Dakota's operations, enabling it to maintain staff, cover daily costs, and upgrade its unemployment claims processing technology. The bill does not create new policies but provides financial resources for existing services and infrastructure.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates $6.7M from general fund for Job Service operations, directly funding essential state employment services per budget allocation.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentAppropriates $6.7M for Job Service operations and $10.9M for unemployment system modernization, directly funding employment services and worker benefits.90% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill allocates $10.9M specifically for modernizing unemployment insurance computer system, directly funding technology infrastructure upgrade.80% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget Unemployment

failed · North Dakota · House Feb 11, 2025

HB 1495: A BILL for an Act to amend and reenact section 54-03-27 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to leaves of absence from employment for members of the legislative assembly.

HB 1495 amends North Dakota law to require state and local government employers (including agencies, departments, and political subdivisions) to grant unpaid leave to employees serving as legislators during legislative sessions or committee meetings. The bill ensures that employees returning from this leave retain their original position, seniority, pay, and benefits, and prohibits employers from terminating or discriminating against employees due to their legislative service or candidacy. It directly affects legislative members who are employed by government entities, protecting their jobs while they serve in the legislature.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentGuarantees job protection, seniority, pay, and benefits for legislative employees during service, directly protecting workers' employment rights under employment standards.95% confidence

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