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During the 69th Legislative Assembly, North Dakota Democratic-NPL Insider will provide updates and calls to action each day of the regular session. If you would like to have something added to the newsletter, email us at laura.dronen@demnpl.com. Spread the word of our newsletter by sharing our sign-up link today: https://demnpl.com/join-our-newsletter/.
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What happened today?
Rep. Jayme Davis' (D-9) bill HB 1535 passed the Senate! It would create a new “Feather Alert” that provides public notice of a missing Indigenous person just like current Silver and Amber Alerts already provide notice of a missing senior citizen or child. It will now head back to the House for them to review the Senate Amendments.
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Sen. Keith Boehm's book-banning bill was vetoed!
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We can't stop fighting to protect Public Schools!
Rep. Ben Koppleman's (R-16) bill (HB 1540) that would send your public tax dollars to private schools was vetoed by the governor! That is a big victory, but we're not done!
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Private schools don’t have to accept every student, and they’re not accountable to taxpayers! This isn't great, but the bill will still have to be voted on again in the House because the Senate added some amendments.
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What's coming up?
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Rep. Michelle Axtman's bill (SB 2400), which also seeks to use public funds to subsidize private schools, should be up for a vote tomorrow in the House. Tell your Representative to vote no!
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Follow Along!
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Did you know you can watch along with these hearings or watch them later on your own time?
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Help us spread our message—share these recent posts!
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Private School Voucher Bill is on its way to Governor Armstrong
HB 1540 was passed by the North Dakota Leglislature and is heading to Governor Armstrong. Erin Oban, North Dakotans for Public Schools, joins Afternoons Live with Tyler Axness to discuss how this might impact learners in our state.
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Is the North Dakota Legislature Putting Local Control at Risk?
Dustin Gawrylow, ND Watchdog Network, joins Afternoons Live with Tyler Axness to take a look at the 2025 session in North Dakota and some potential major changes to local control and limited government.
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Lawmakers approve earlier deadline for North Dakota absentee ballots to align with Trump order
“Eligible North Dakota voters should be able to mail their absentee ballot without fear that their ballot will be tossed out,” Barbara Headrick, the organization’s president, said in a statement to the North Dakota Monitor. She said the bill would create obstacles for groups like rural and Native voters, seniors and people with disabilities.
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National Insecurity
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The DHS access badge and the passport in Noem’s purse should have aroused her attention as well. Couldn’t those small items have been on her body somewhere? She has all those extra pockets for lip liner and other tactical gear in her ICE-raid Paramilitary-Barbie outfit. Isn’t that what DHS secretaries wear to dinner? If not, she must have at least had some flex cuffs nearby. (Does she go anywhere without them?) She could have used them to attach her bag to her ankle or to the leg of her chair.
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I’m not so sure security is Kristi Noem’s thing. She would be a better fit as Secretary of Instagram. She could keep her ICE-commando gear and add a utility belt with a selfie-stick holster. Instead of sending USAID to feed hungry children or run AIDS clinics, the United States could send Kristi Noem to pose in front of them. Those kids would still be hungry, but they would also be immortalized on Noem’s official “Insta.” Maybe Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. could accompany Noem and tell the children how lucky they were to have fluoride-free drinking water and not be at risk for obesity. Also, he might add, none of you have seen a doctor and your reported rates of autism are very low. That cannot be a coincidence.
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Pressure Mounting for Governor Armstrong to Veto Private School Voucher Bill
Nick Archuleta, ND United, joins Afternoons Live with Tyler Axness to discuss the next steps as HB 1540 makes it's way to the Governor's office.
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The Humanities aren't political — their personal
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Recently, Humanities North Dakota faced a significant challenge when all federal grant funding was abruptly terminated. This decision stemmed from an executive order issued by President Donald Trump, which led to the elimination of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the rescission of grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). As a result, HND lost a $900,000 grant that was crucial for covering core operational costs.
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This sudden loss of funding has placed HND in a precarious position, threatening our ability to continue offering the programs and events that have become integral to our statewide community. The gap created by these cuts is substantial and the future of our organization hangs in the balance. This is an attack not just on education, but on our shared identity, our creativity and our culture.
National Insecurity
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North Dakota governor vetoes ESA bill, saying it 'falls short' of true school choice
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Armstrong said his administration “strongly supports” expanding school choice in the state but said House Bill 1540 “falls short” of truly expanding choice because it impacts only one sector of the population.
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The bill sought to create an Education Savings Account program that would have been limited to private school students. The program would have provided $1,107 to $3,900 to nonpublic or homeschool families for educational expenses -- mostly tuition -- based on income.
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Check out these posts from the national Democratic Party
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Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro says Trump called him a week after arson attack
The six days between the April 13 arson attack and Trump's call contrasted sharply with Shapiro's efforts in the immediate aftermath of attempt on Trump's life at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July.
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Shapiro swiftly condemned the assassination attempt, calling violence against any political party or leader “absolutely unacceptable” on social media the day of the shooting. He also worked with law enforcement and called the Trump campaign, though he did not speak with Trump directly.
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Shapiro’s home sustained significant damage this month after a man allegedly broke into the governor’s residence while Shapiro and his family were inside and used Molotov cocktails to start multiple fires.
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Trump did not forcefully condemn the attack, even as others in his administration and prominent Republicans publicly commented on it.
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Ron Johnson Has Gone Full 9/11 Conspiracy Nut
Senator Ron Johnson just floated a shocking 9/11 conspiracy theory, claiming the government might have been involved. Sam Stein, Sarah Longwell, and Will Sommer dive into this alarming trend of politicians promoting dangerous conspiracies, why these ideas keep spreading, and how they're impacting American politics.
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America’s National Parks Are in Some Very Serious Trouble
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Last Thursday, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum issued a nighttime order mandating a drastic overhaul of the organization of his expansive department, which oversees everything from national parks to energy permits to Native American reservations to fire management. The move effectively centralizes control over the entire department’s operations—putting the power to shape staffing, spending, and priorities for the department’s thousands of duties into the hands of a single office.
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Burgum announced that the internal administrative functions necessary for running all aspects of the Department of the Interior—that is, for individual staffing and budgetary decisions at 11 different bureaus—will be consolidated into the overarching office. What’s more, Burgum would be transferring all of his authority on those matters to one of his top-ranked deputies: the assistant secretary for policy, management, and budget.
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'I don't know what Bible folks are reading': Warnock slams Trump cuts to poor
"I think we are in a moment where Jesus is a victim of identity theft. I don't know what Bible folks are reading—attacking the poor in the name of the faith," says Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock.
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Committees
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Every bill is voted on in the North Dakota legislature, but first, it must go through a committee hearing. The committee will vote to give the bill a "Do Pass" or a "Do Not Pass" recommendation. Below is a list of Standing Committees this legislative session.
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Senate Standing Committee Members
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Meets Thursday and Friday
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Meets Monday through Friday
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Meets Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
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Meets Thursday and Friday
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Desiree Van Oosting (R-36)
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Meets Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
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Meets Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
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Desiree Van Oosting (R-36)
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Meets Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
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Meets Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
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Meets Thursday and Friday
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Meets Thursday and Friday
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Meets Thursday and Friday
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House Standing Committee Members
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Meets Thursday and Friday
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Gretchen Dobervich (D-11)
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Cynthia Schreiber-Beck (R-25)
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Meets Monday through Friday
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Meets Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
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Cynthia Schreiber-Beck (R-25)
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Patrick R. Hatlestad (R-1)
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Meets Thursday and Friday
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Meets Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
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Mike Motschenbacher (R-47)
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Meets Thursday and Friday
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Gretchen Dobervich (D-11)
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Meets Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
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Lisa Finley-DeVille (D-4A)
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Meets Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
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Lawrence R. Klemin (R-47)
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Meets Thursday and Friday
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Patrick R. Hatlestad (R-1)
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Lawrence R. Klemin (R-47)
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Mike Motschenbacher (R-47)
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Meets Thursday and Friday
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Lisa Finley-DeVille (D-4A)
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The Century Club supports our year-round work to build party infrastructure supporting candidate recruitment, local district and regional leadership, issue-based education, and tools for Dem-NPL success.
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Help us elect great Democrats up and down the ballot!
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The North Dakota Democratic-NPL is launching a new grassroots program called “Neighbor to Neighbor” where volunteers will connect with voters in your community to elect Democrats up and down the ballot. As a volunteer, you will be responsible for connecting with voters in 25 homes in your neighborhood or friends and family to help elect Democrats up and down the ballot about 3-4 times this year.
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Grassroots organizers are the lifeblood of the Dem-NPL! Sign up to volunteer with the Dem-NPL!
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