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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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The North Dakota Legislative Session is fast-paced and every bill gets a vote unless it's withdrawn. Are there bills you want to know more about or bills that you are following that you think should get more attention? Please let us know!
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Attempts to divert public dollars to private schools
Many of the "ESA" bills were heard today. Sen. Michelle Axtman (R-7) presented SB 2400 to establish an education savings account (ESA) program. Rep. Ben Koppleman (R-16) presented his version of the bill HB 1540. Rep. Pat Heinert (R-32) presented a bill (HB 1590) has a bill for an ESA pilot program. Rep. Matthew Heilman (R-7) presented HB 1607 to establish an educational empowerment account program. We believe that public dollars should stay in public schools!
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Reproductive Freedom
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Rep. Lori VanWinkle (R-3) presented a bill that redefines criminal offenses, including murder, to apply to fertilized eggs. This would be a huge threat to fertility treatments North Dakotans rely on to start their families. If it passes, IVF and abortion would be considered murder under North Dakota Law. It could even go as far as criminalizing women who have miscarriages.
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Democratic-NPL Bills
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What's coming up?
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A number of bills relating to North Dakota’s election laws will be heard tomorrow. Rep. Andrew Marschall (R-16) has a bill (HB 1616) to allow ANY PERSON to buy North Dakota’s Central Voter File.
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Rep. Ben Koppleman (R-16) has a bill (HB 1424) that would change the law regarding certificates of endorsement and prescribes a process in which an individual may challenge the certificate of endorsement if they believe the proper rules and bylaws were not followed during the endorsing meeting.
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Rep. Dick Anderson’s (R- 6) bill (HB 1463) would make it so districts must host their endorsing caucus (district convention) within the boundaries of their district. There is an exception for cities with multiple districts, but endorsing meetings would still need to be held within the geographical boundaries of that incorporated city. That would impact Cass County Dems, Bismarck-Mandan Dems, and Northern Valley Dems.
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Democratic-NPL Bills
Sen. Kathy Hogan (D-21) will present SB 2306, which would establish a child care workforce recruitment and retention program.
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Sen. Josh Boschee (D-44) will present a resolution (SCR 4006) to urge Congress to enact legislation establishing federal protections for the wild horse herd of Theodore Roosevelt National Park to ensure the long-term health and preservation of the herd for generations to come
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Sen. Richard Marcellais (D-9) will present SB 2343, which would change the laws about the placement of beehives.
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Rep. LaurieBeth Hager (D-21) will present HB 1518 which would allow a driver to exit a roundabout or rotary traffic island without signaling.
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Rep. Mary Schneider (D-21) will present HB 1529, which would qualify former Peace Corps volunteers for in-state tuition at North Dakota’s colleges and universities
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Rep. Austin Foss (D-44) will present HB 1496, which provides clarification in our landlord obligation laws regarding reasonable heat standards.
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Help us spread our message—share these recent posts!
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North Dakota, Minnesota go head-to-head in Trump's birthright citizenship legal battle
“For more than 125 years, the Supreme Court has clearly interpreted the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution to eliminate any doubt or confusion that anyone born in the U.S. is automatically a U.S. citizen,” Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said in a Jan. 21 statement. “Duly passed federal laws that the president and his advisors are well aware of clearly spell this out as well.”
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District 23 Representative Sparks Outrage, Once Again
North Dakota Democratic-NPL Chair Adam Goldwyn released a statement on the incident saying, “As a Jew myself, I’m not personally hurt by Nico Rios’ bigoted comments about Mexico’s Jewish President Claudia Scheinbaum. Time after time after time, he shows us that he does not believe in North Dakota values of individual liberty, loving your neighbors, or the rule of law.
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We know Nico Rios is a lawbreaker and a bigot. We learned that when we called on him to resign last year when he insulted a police officer in a drunken tirade. Now we will find out who the people of Williston are. As a Fargoan, I could not be more proud of the Dem-NPL legislators who represent me; are the people of Williston proud of theirs? Is the Republican Party proud? Is this who they are? If not, what will they do about it?”
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North Dakota Senate overwhelmingly rejects trio of renters protection bills
Senate Bills 2235, 2236 and 2237 aimed to pass regulations on rental business practices to help prevent a “snowball effect” where fees can start building up, becoming unmanageable for North Dakota renters and threatening them with homelessness, according to Sen. Ryan Braunberger, D-Fargo, the primary sponsor of the three bills.
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Women, medical officials clash over ‘personhood’ definition
Opponents argue this threatens the state’s fertility operations, such as In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). Dr. Christina Broadwell, a reproductive endocrinologist with Sanford Health Fargo, explains the process of IVF could be seen as a crime based on the wording of the bill.
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“Even if fertilized eggs or a zygote develop into an embryo, not all embryos implant to create a pregnancy,” said Broadw
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Small group protests Trump, Musk outside North Dakota Capitol during national movement
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Taylor Abler of Bismarck made a sign rejecting what he sees as an oligarchy of billionaires taking over large swaths of the American economy and government.
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“I dislike that a lot and I think the Congress and the Senate need to do a better job of standing up to the executive orders being passed,” Abler said. “It starts with us. People need to let their voices be heard.”
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North Dakota lawmaker introduces bill to invalidate certain out-of-state driver's licenses
There were questions raised about the bill’s constitutionality, with legislators concerned that it may violate the Interstate Commerce Clause. Kempenich said the clause only refers to citizens but recognized that the bill may spark a conversation about how to interpret the clause.
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Bill offers immunity from conflict crimes to North Dakota lawmakers if they follow ethics rules
But Deputy Attorney General Claire Ness testified against the bill, saying it strips away some protections for those accused, gives the Ethics Commission too much leeway in rulemaking and takes away enforcement authority from the Legislature.
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Check out these posts from the national Democratic Party
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Government unions sue over DOGE access to Labor Department
“DOGE seeks to gain access to sensitive systems before courts can stop them, dismantle agencies before Congress can assert its prerogatives in the federal budget, and intimidate and threaten employees who stand in their way, worrying about the consequences later,” the complaint reads.
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Nicolle Wallace reacts to judge blocking Trump's birthright order: 'A stinging rebuke'
Puck News chief political columnist John Heilemann and The Bulwark publisher Sarah Longwell join Nicolle Wallace to react to the second judge blocking President Trump’s attempt to end birthright citizenship.
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The Oligarchs Want Their Throne Back—but They Can Be Stopped
In Poland, Andrzej Duda’s Law and Justice Party failed to destroy the independent media, even though it succeeded in seizing the judiciary and rigged election rules in its favor. Because roughly 70 percent of Poland’s media stayed in independent hands, his party lost power in the 2023 elections, and Poland is now returning to democracy.
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Similarly, in South Korea, right-wing President Yoon Suk Yeol tried to declare a state of emergency and outlaw his opposition, the Democratic Party of Korea, or DPK. He’d failed, however, to first seize control of South Korea’s independent media, so people showed up in the streets demanding his arrest; he sits in prison today.
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Trump Is Pushing the World Right Into China’s Arms
President Donald Trump agreed on Monday to delay his planned tariff increases on Canadian and Mexican imports by another month—but the very fact that he’d intended to kick off a new continental trade war this week left behind some international wreckage. Both Canada and Mexico are signatories to the free trade agreement that Trump himself negotiated and implemented during his first term, which made a few updates to the original NAFTA framework
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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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