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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 [email protected]. 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 in the ND legislature?
The House passed a bill (HB 1408) to have the legislative assembly meet annually.
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Unfortunately, Sen. Michelle Axtman's (R-7) bill (SB 2400) narrowly passed the Senate. This is another attempt to establish an education savings account program—diverting public funds to private schools.
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What's coming up?
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School Meals for All
Democrats have continued the fight to feed all school children in North Dakota. While Rep. LaurieBeth Hager's (D-21) bill failed, Rep. Patrick Hatelstead's (R-1) bill (HB 1475) hasn't received a vote yet. Today, the House Appropriations Committee’s decision to issue a DO NOT PASS recommendation on HB 1475, the free school meals bill, with a 14-8-1 vote.
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Stand up for school meals and tell your Representatives to VOTE YES on HB 1475—especially if you have Republican lawmakers!
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Marriage Equality
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Rep. Bill Tviet's (R-33) resolution (HCR 3013) to urge the United States Supreme Court to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges, to change the definition of marriage to a union between one man and one woman was scheduled for today but has been laid over again!
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Cass County Dem-NPL Re-organization meeting
Saturday, February 22, 2025 – 10:00 AM
Carl Ben Eielson School
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All Dem-NPL districts will meet on Saturday, February 22nd at Carl Ben Eielson school, 1601 S 13th Ave. Fargo from 10:00-12:30 pm. Coffee & Rolls will be served. We will meet in the lunchroom for the kickoff before each district moves to their assigned room to elect, Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary & Treasurer and any additional leadership that the district membership deems necessary.
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The District with the most members will be awarded a prize!
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Please join your neighbors from all 11 districts in Cass County and help plan the next two years to be successful ones.
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Northern Valley Dem-NPL Reorganization
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Saturday, March 1, 2025 – 10:00 AM
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Ramada Inn Grand Forks
1205 N 43rd St, Grand Forks
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Save the Date!
We’re excited to announce the Northern Valley Dem-NPL (NVD) Re-Organization event!
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Please mark your calendar and join us for this important gathering:
When: Saturday, March 1, 2025
Time: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Where: Ramada by Wyndham Grand Forks
This is a great opportunity to connect with fellow Democrats, engage in meaningful discussions, and plan for the future. Spread the word and bring your friends along!
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District 6 – 2025 Reorganizational Meeting
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Sunday, March 2, 2025 – 2:30 PM
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Velva Senior Citizens
122 Main St., Velva
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Learn what is happening both locally and at the national level. Meet and greet friends from across the state. Establish the District Leadership we need for the next election cycle. Join in and make a difference. Change begins at the District level. Get involved!
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District 15 Reorganization Meeting
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Saturday, March 15, 2025 – 10:00 AM
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Lake Region Public Library
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423 7th Street Northeast, Devils Lake
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District 15 Democratic-NPL Party District Reorganization Meeting
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Dist 29 Dem-NPL Reorganization Meeting
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Sunday, March 16, 2025 – 2:00 PM
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District 29 Democratic-NPL will host their Re-Organization meeting March 16 2pm at the Pekin Community Center.
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District 28 Dem - NPL Reorganization Meeting
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Sunday, March 16, 2025 – 2:00 PM
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District 28 Dem-NPL will be hosting their Reorganization meeting at Growing Small Towns in Oakes, ND on Sunday, March 16th starting at 2pm.
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Bismarck-Mandan Dem-NPL Reorganization Meeting
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Saturday, March 22, 2025 – 10:00 AM
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If you have concerns about the future of our democracy, then it is time for you to get involved in civic engagement. You are invited to join the Bismarck/Mandan Democratic-NPL party and participate in our reorganization meeting in March! No dues, no litmus test. Know that your views, suggestions, and concerns are welcome.
Mark your calendar. More details to follow!
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D12 Reorg
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Sunday, March 23, 2025 – 11:30 AM
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the club room
210 3rd St SW Jamestown
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Join the District 12 DEM-NPL to elect the District Leadership we need for the next election cycle. Want to help organize positive community events? Don’t want public dollars going to private schools? Join in and make a difference. Change begins at the District level. The reorganization meeting will be March 23rd, 2024 at 11:30 am to 2 pm. Join us for a potluck to start and stay for the Jamestown Trivia at the end. We will meet at The Club Room 210 3rd St SW, Jamestown, ND
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District 1 and 23 Reorganizing Meeting
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Saturday, March 29, 2025 – 2:00 PM
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Williston State College
1410 University Avenue Williston
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Come join the District 1 and 23 Dem-NPL at our reorganizing meeting! We will be meeting on March 29th at the Ready Room at Frontier Hall on the campus of Williston State College Meeting will start at 2PM.
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Help us spread our message—share these recent posts!
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Bill targeting library content passes North Dakota Senate
“State’s attorneys prosecute crimes. They don’t manage book collections,” Cleary said. “Dragging them into this wastes resources, turns library disputes into legal battles and invites government overreach into what should be local decisions.”
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Sen. Ryan Braunberger, D-Fargo, said he opposes the bill because it sets a precedent of North Dakotans taking their grievances directly to the state’s attorneys for investigation, bypassing law enforcement.
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“This bill would actually give individuals access to the state’s attorney that’s not currently done today,” Braunberger said.
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Letter: This is not about choice
Few children in North Dakota have access to private schools, and private schools will not be required to accept all children. Children with learning disabilities or low income will not have a choice where to attend school. It will also increase social and religious class segregation.
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He knows everything
Let me give you an example: If he now knows you gave money to the humane society, does he know your politics? If he knows you support the Heritage Foundation, is it fair to assume you might be a conservative? Of course he would.
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He’s going to abuse that power. He’ll use every platform he can to make sure you see the posts that he wants you to see. And if you doubt his access to those platforms, I would encourage you to look at who he was hanging out with at the Inauguration
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Keeping Rural Grocery Stores Alive
Laura Lacher, Executive Director of Economic Development Association of ND, joins Afternoons Live with Tyler Axness to SB 2228 aimed at helping rural grocery stores in North Dakota.
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North Dakota Senate passes ESA bill with school choice, mental health funding
Opponents of this bill say it is not a school choice bill, it is “simply a bill to provide additional educational services to students at a cost of $58 million.”
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Friday Federal New Round Up - 21 February 2025
The barrage of bad is still coming at us people. The itemized list of ways this administration is breaking our form of government, and worse, hurting the very people it is supposed to protect and serve is lengthy… again. Rather than enumerate them for you this week, know that I counted 222 fresh hells enacted since last Friday by POTUS and his minions that make us less safe, less well off, and more divided and alone as a nation than ever. And we know he loves to drop the worst on Friday afternoons in an effort to hide from the repercussions (because POTUS is weak).
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The gist of this week’s efforts were more layoffs - forest service staff (potentially meaning our national parks may not open this summer), IRS potentially impacting our tax returns, FEMA so that disaster response and mitigation will be dramatically impeded; the POTUS takeover of the Kennedy Center and and censorship of the arts to return American to a “golden age” with him as chairman according to POTUS; diminished national security with Hegseth on Ukraine, a total pivot away from support for Ukraine and ramping up the lies about Russia’s aggression; a looming constitutional crisis as POTUS is not abiding by court rulings and insinuating he will run for a 3rd term; and finally the complete capitulation to MAGA with the Kash Patel confirmation.
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The Republican party is dead and MAGA reigns (literally if you believe the WH press). We need to understand 3 things as we navigate the next 2 years: 1) it is not going to be easy and we will take hits that will be painful, 2) we must adopt a resistance posture and figure out what that looks like (hint, it starts with organizing and we know how to do that), and 3) MAGA will not withstand a sustained and organized resistance - it is within our power to hang onto our democracy long enough to elect actual leaders and not the complete governing failures that are Hoeven, Cramer, Fedorchak, and the silly lot that sit across the isle from our amazing caucus in Bismarck. As a party, we don’t have all the answers yet, or a detailed plan for a path forward. We are working on that plan so watch for more, and as our new DNC chair Ken Martin likes to say, none of us are as smart as all of us. So let’s get together, be the wise ones we need to work our way out of the MAGA pickle we find ourselves in. Find your local reorg meeting and join the resistance.
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-Cheryl Biller, Democratic-NPL Executive Director
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Trump and Musk Keep Spouting Bogus Numbers to Hide Their Real Agenda
Far as I know, Musk has not apologized for a single incorrect fact that he has spouted over the past month; he’s hardly even acknowledged being wrong. The closest he came was after the media thoroughly debunked one of his more laughable claims—that the U.S. has spent $50 million for condoms for Hamas (which Trump later upped to $100 million). Confronted with the truth by a reporter during his Oval Office playdate with Trump, Musk said, “Some of the things that I say will be incorrect, and should be corrected.”
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EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Garcia Criticized Elon Musk — Then The DOJ Threatened Him
Rep. Robert Garcia joins Tim Miller to discuss the letter sent from Trump's DOJ after he publicly criticized Elon Musk.
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Arrest Me, Trump (w/ Adam Kinzinger)
Boos at a Republican town hall in Fulton County, and boos at the White House: We're beginning to see signs of people refusing to be ruled by unelected billionaires, oligarchs and CEOs. This may be the time for Democrats with some heterodox views to run for office. Meanwhile, the supposedly free speech president and his shadow are trying to intimidate people from criticizing them—including a member of Congress and one of Elon's baby mamas. Plus, Trump's advisers seem more worried about Zelensky saying mean things about him than the fact that he wants to hand the spoils to the losing side of the war. Rep. Adam Kinzinger joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.
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Senators Raise Concerns With ICE Harassing, Detaining Native Americans
“These incidents have stoked fear and panic for many Tribal citizens living on and off reservation, resulting in at least one Tribal government issuing its own guidance and standing up a citizen hotline to report incidents and receive assistance,” reads a Tuesday letter to Noem signed by 13 senators.
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“Whether it is simple ignorance or worse – outright disrespect for and harassment of Tribal citizens – ICE’s law enforcement tactics reflect an abdication of U.S. trust and treaty responsibility with Tribal nations and their citizens, and cannot stand,” the letter says.
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Gas, Groceries, and Rent (with Paul Begala)
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Veteran political strategist Paul Begala joins the Hot Dish to discuss how the Democratic Party can reconnect with rural Americans. He offers straightforward actions each of us can take to respond to the challenges of chaos in Washington and State Capitals and to help our neighbors get past the misinformation and propaganda to see the truth about the dangerous impacts of the Donald Trump / Elon Musk administration on rural and small-town values.
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But first, Joel speaks with Isaac Wright, founder of the Rural Voter Institute, about Democrats' communication challenges and the need to speak about values like personal faith.
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This episode is packed with political strategies, insights into rural issues, and suggestions on how to make political messaging that resonates with middle America. Listen for a deeper understanding of our country's current political dynamics and practical suggestions for making an impact.
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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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