Labor & Employment (Workforce Development)

HB 1524 creates a formal grant program allowing North Dakota's Department of Commerce to fund regional planning councils. The bill directs the department to award grants supporting local implementation of state programs like housing, workforce development, rural economic initiatives, and local food systems, subject to annual legislative funding. These grants can cover program execution, resource development, and efforts to attract public or private investment in communities. The law, signed by the governor in May 2025, directly affects regional planning councils and the local communities they serve.

SB 2131 would change how North Dakota distributes state funds to workforce training centers. It requires the state board to allocate 60% of funding equally among all centers, 20% based on each center's average annual training hours over the prior three years, and 20% based on each center's average number of unique participants over the same period. The bill directly affects all designated workforce training centers in the state by altering their funding formula. The bill was introduced in 2025 but failed to pass the legislature on February 17, 2025, with 16 votes in favor and 29 against.

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.