Rep. Gretchen Dobervich

Maddy summaryHB 1275 proposes a one-time $5 million appropriation from North Dakota's strategic investment fund to create a natural gas infrastructure grant program administered by the Industrial Commission. The program would provide grants exclusively to cities with populations under 10,000 for installing natural gas pipelines and related infrastructure. Funds are limited to the 2025-2027 biennium and cannot be used for other purposes, with the Industrial Commission responsible for setting eligibility rules and maximum grant amounts. The bill does not affect individuals or larger municipalities outside the specified population threshold.

Maddy summaryHCR 3023 is a symbolic resolution (not a law) passed by the North Dakota legislature to affirm its commitment to maintaining essential state services like education, law enforcement, and public health regardless of federal funding changes. It urges state agencies to assess risks from federal funding shifts and seek solutions, while also calling for collaboration with tribal nations and advocacy with federal partners. The resolution does not create new funding or alter existing laws - it is a non-binding statement of legislative intent. It was introduced in January 2025, advanced through committee, but ultimately failed to pass on February 20, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1339 amends North Dakota law to clarify which licensed ambulance services are exempt from forming rural ambulance service districts. It specifically exempts county-owned, city-owned, jointly operated (with cities/counties), tribal/federal government-owned, hospital-owned, and existing rural ambulance service districts from these requirements. The bill directly affects local ambulance providers by removing a regulatory burden for these specific service types. This is a procedural change to existing code, not a new policy requiring public funding or service expansion.

Maddy summaryHB 1606 amends North Dakota's state employee sick leave policy to set a minimum of ten hours (one working day) and a maximum of one and one-half working days per month for sick leave, based on an employee's tenure. It also requires that employees with at least ten years of continuous state service receive a lump sum payment equal to one-tenth of their final salary for unused sick leave. The bill mandates that state agencies develop and submit their own sick leave policies to the Office of Management and Budget for approval, ensuring consistency across departments.

Maddy summarySB 2389 would direct North Dakota's legislative management to study the state's child care infrastructure during the 2025-26 interim. The study would examine child care availability, affordability, public funding (including reimbursement rates and grant programs), and licensing processes across all counties. It aims to identify strengths, challenges, and policy improvements to inform future legislation. The bill failed to pass in February 2025, so no study has been conducted.

Maddy summaryHB 1433 would create North Dakota's dementia response program within the Department of Health, administered by a dedicated state dementia coordinator. The program requires developing and updating an Alzheimer's/dementia state plan every three years through a work group including people living with dementia, caregivers, healthcare professionals, and advocacy organizations. It also mandates collecting dementia-related data via existing state systems and launching a statewide public awareness campaign to reduce stigma and promote early detection. The bill allocates $250,000 for the program and coordinator position over the 2025-2027 biennium.

Maddy summaryHB 1321 amends North Dakota's medical marijuana laws to adjust possession and purchase limits for registered patients and caregivers. It increases the standard monthly purchase limit from 2.5 ounces to 3 ounces (85.05 grams) of smokable cannabis and raises the maximum possession limit from 3 ounces to 4.5 ounces (127.57 grams), with higher "enhanced" limits of 9 ounces (255.15 grams) for patients with cancer-related conditions. The bill also updates registry identification cards to include designations for enhanced limits and requires THC concentration limits of 9,000 milligrams per month for all products. Additionally, it modifies renewal fees for compassion centers, capping them at $90,000 for dispensaries and $110,000 for manufacturing facilities.

Maddy summarySB 2284 would amend North Dakota adoption laws to improve access to birth records for adopted individuals and their biological relatives. It allows adopted adults aged 18+ to request identifying information about their biological parents or siblings, and permits biological parents (once the adopted person turns 21) or biological siblings to request information about the adopted person. Agencies must make reasonable efforts to notify relevant parties and handle requests within 90 days, requiring consent before disclosing identifying information. Nonidentifying information, such as medical history, would also be available to adoptive parents, adopted adults, and birth parents upon written request and payment of a reasonable fee.

Maddy summarySB 2264 amends multiple sections of North Dakota's Century Code to update the legal definition of marriage from "one man and one woman" to "two individuals married to each other." It directly affects all residents by changing how marriage is defined in statutes covering marital rights, divorce procedures, spousal obligations, and recognition of foreign marriages. Key provisions include revising Section 14-03-01 (defining marriage), Section 14-03-08 (recognizing foreign marriages), and Sections 14-07-01 through 14-07-08 (spousal duties and property rights) to use gender-neutral language. The bill does not create new policies but standardizes marriage terminology across the code to reflect a two-person definition. The bill failed to pass in the legislature on January 31, 2025, with 7 votes in favor and 37 against.

Relating to the consolidation of the board of hearing aid specialists and the board of examiners on audiology and speech-language pathology; and to repeal sections 43‑33‑15 and 43‑33‑17 related to the board of hearing aid specialists.