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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?
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Keep Public Dollars in Public Schools!
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Sen. Michelle Axtman's (R-7) bill (SB 2400) had a hearing today in the House Education Committee.
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Along with Rep. Ben Koppelman's (R-16) bill (HB 1540) these would divert public funds to private schools.
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Stop Book Bans!
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Sen. Keith Boehm's bill (SB 2307) is about censorship full stop. Our librarians shouldn't have to worry about facing CRIMINAL CHARGES because one patron doesn't like a book. North Dakotans could also lose access to e-book/audiobook apps like Hoopla and Libby and our students could lose access to academic journals. This bill had a hearing today.
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Democratic-NPL Bills
The House agreed to the Senate’s amendments on Rep. Zac Ista’s (D-43) bill (HB 1238) to shorten the number of years a teacher needs to teach to qualify for a lifetime license. It now will head to the governor’s desk to be signed!
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Rep. Mary Schneider's (D-21) bill (HB 1567) proposing a legislative management study to improve access to dental and oral health care for low-income children, Native American children, and individuals with disabilities had a hearing in the Senate Human Services.
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Sen. Kathy Hogan’s (D-21) bill (SB 2200) to establish a 988 Suicide Hotline Stabilization fund was heard in the House Human Services Committee.
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Sen. Josh Boschee's (D-44) bill (SB 2239) to create a grant program to support apprenticeship programs throughout the state had a hearing in the House Industry, Business and Labor.
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What's Coming Up?
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Democratic-NPL Bills
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Rep. Austin Foss' (D-44) bill (HB 1496) defining "reasonable heat" to protect North Dakota renters has a hearing in the Senate Industry and Business Committee at 9:45 AM.
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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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Adam Goldwyn elaborates on decision to run for re-election for State Party Chair of the ND Democratic-NPL
Jamie Selzler is North Dakota's DNC Committeeman and is filling in for Joel Heitkamp on "News and Views," and is joined in the KFGO studio by Adam Goldwyn. Adam serves as the State Party Chair of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL, and is running for re-election.
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What Happens when The Executive Ignores the Judicial?
Dakota Rudesill, Associate Professor of Law at Ohio State University, joins Afternoons Live with Tyler Axness to discuss the Trump Administration's actions surrounding flights to El Salvador and if they ignored a judge's order.
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Alteration to term limits narrowly passes North Dakota Senate
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If Senate Concurrent Resolution 4008 is approved by the House, term limits could be back for a statewide vote in 2026, though lawmakers have indicated they expect the resolution to be challenged in court.
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While the Legislature can usually pass resolutions to put changes to the constitution to a statewide vote, term limits appear to be an exception.
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Letter: Legislators need to invest in public schools
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Combined with uncertain federal funding, our state’s most vulnerable students risk losing the most. As we follow these bills, we wonder if legislators are genuinely representing their constituents. We urge community members to contact their representatives and speak to administrators and teachers in their local public schools to learn how these bills will impact students around our state.
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We appreciate the dedication of our legislators and urge them to invest in our thriving public schools—the backbone of our communities—rather than funding systems that do not serve all children.
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Childcare Costs Mounting for North Dakota Families
Erica Bullis, Child Care Aware ND, joins Afternoons Live with Tyler Axness to discuss why it has been so difficult to get meaningful childcare support through the ND Legislature.
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North Dakota Farmers Facing Uncertain Future with Trade and Tariffs
Frayne Olson, NDSU Extension, is in studio on Afternoons Live with Tyler Axness to help us better understand this everchanging landscape of trade and tariffs.
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North Dakota lawmakers hear extensive testimony on controversial library bill
"I understand that some books deal with difficult topics, but I believe that removing them from schools and libraries will do more harm than good," LeBaron said. "For some students, reading a certain book might be the first time they feel understood."
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Letter: The Fargo VA and employees need our support
VA employees are under enough stress already! Sending DOGE the five things they accomplished each week, wondering if they have a job tomorrow, being demeaned by community members and national media is ridiculous and appalling. Many in our state stand with the VA workers as they face these attacks. Actually, Fargo has one of the very best VAs in the country and we need to show our support for the staff and the incredible work they do!
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Check out these posts from the national Democratic Party
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Trump administration poised to ‘strand rural America with worse internet’ to help Musk, official warns
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Small town USA is facing a “significant risk” that the Trump administration is going to abandon key elements of a $42.45bn Biden-era plan to connect rural communities to high-speed internet so that Elon Musk can get even richer, a top departing commerce department official warned in an email.
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Evan Feinman, who headed up the so-called Bead program for the last three years, urged governors across the country to lobby their congressional delegates in Washington to stop the Trump administration from implementing plans he said could have “deeply negative outcomes” for American homes and businesses.
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DOGE staff entered the U.S. Institute of Peace with D.C. police help
Moose, like many of the employees at USIP, is a retired diplomat. He spent much of his career in Africa and says he's shocked by the way the Trump administration has been dismantling the U.S. aid agency and other parts of America's soft power.
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“Chilling”: Trump Press Sec Hints Darkly at More Lawlessness to Come
At Monday’s briefing, press secretary Karoline Leavitt spun madly about all this, but her lack of clarity strongly hinted that Trump is on the precipice of a new level of lawbreaking. We talked to legal scholar Matthew Seligman, a skilled decoder of complicated legal messes.
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Top broadband official exits Commerce Department with sharp Musk warning
Feinman’s lengthy email, totaling more than 1,100 words and shared with POLITICO, is a sign of deep discomfort about the changes underway that will likely transform the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick recently pledged a vigorous review of BEAD, with an aim to rip out what he sees as extraneous requirements and remove any preference for particular broadband technologies like fiber.
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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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