Senator Joan Heckaman introduced SB 2276 that would have dedicated 5% of the investments made on behalf of the Legacy Fund to the Bank of North Dakota for a revolving loan fund to address community needs. These funds could have been used to support many community services including childcare centers. For the biennium, it would have generated an estimated $200M. The bill passed comfortably in the Senate, but Republicans killed the bill in the House.

In 2016 the eligibility rate of the child care assistance program was reduced from 85 percent to 60 percent. This change removed 850 children from the program. This session, Representative Ruth Buffalo introduced HB 1540 that would have reinstated the eligibility to 85 percent of the state median income level. This would have provided much needed financial relief for working families across the state, but unfortunately, the bill was killed by Republicans in the house.

Access to essential health care services is critical for the life of both the child and mother, especially in the first trimester of pregnancy. Dem-NPL legislator Alisa Mitskog understood this and sponsored HB 1515. Previously the law allowed for up to 152% of the poverty level; however, this legislation expands medical assistance coverage for pregnant women with income below 162% of the federal poverty level, which increases prenatal coverage that may reduce abortions while also helping to reduce complications that result in costly neonatal care.

HB 1515 passed with bipartisan support, but not without sharp opposition from some Republicans. On the Senate floor, Oley Larson (R-Minot) called it the “shack up bill.” Dave Clemens (R-Fargo) claimed the bill would “incentivize people to not seek work.”

“This should be seen as a truly pro-life bill, sending the message to vulnerable women that North Dakota wants to help them,” said Alison Jones, Communications Director for the North Dakota Democratic-NPL. “It’s backward to want women to bring life to the world, but refuse to help them while pregnant, or after the child is born.”

According to ProAg, USDA officials claimed they do not want to influence planting decisions, but just announcing the MFP caught farmers at the wrong time. Most farmers have no idea what to do because it is unclear whether or not Prevent Plant (PP) acres will be eligible for MFP payments. If weather forces planting past the crop insurance prevent date and a farmer wanted to plant corn but could not, they may not receive the payment on PP corn acres. The USDA’s intent was to ensure acreage mixes are not altered by MFP payments, but the details are murky.

“While the aid package will assist farmers in the short term, the fact that they released a package that is so unclear, and leaves so many unanswered questions is unacceptable,” said Alison Jones, Communications Director for the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party. “Farmers have been assured multiple times that an agreement will be reached by key trading partners, but instead of that actually happening they get a bailout that creates more uncertainty than the weather.

During a special session in 2016, the Legislature passed a budget that made deep cuts to child care assistance. Senator Tim Mathern, (D-District 11) and state then-Representative Kathy Hogan, (D-District 21) tried unsuccessfully to make amendments on the bill. These amendments would have restored funding from the first allotment cuts then-Governor Dalrymple ordered earlier that year to the child care assistance program.

Representative Buffalo understood that “access to childcare means access to the workforce,” and sponsored HB 1540. This bill would have expanded access to childcare assistance for working families in North Dakota. Unfortunately, this bill failed in the House. In legislative sessions going forward, she hopes that both parties can work together to pass legislation that builds safer, stronger communities and bring forth an economy that works for all North Dakotans.

Listen to her entire interview with Jack Sunday here.

Although federal legislation was passed to confront the opioid epidemic, it did not result in much more money or resources going to the opioid crisis. Dem-NPL legislators noticed this deficiency and helped to steward bills related to mental health and substance in the State Senate and 10 similarly focused bills in the state House. HB 1103, which passed both chambers, supports opioid treatment programs. Medication units can now be established as part of, but geographically separate from, an opioid treatment program. This new law will allow increased access to treatment in rural and tribal areas.

The lack of these services was deemed the state’s most critical problem by the House Majority Leader during the 2017 session, but little funding or support was dedicated to alleviating it. This session, the unmet need was taken seriously by Dem-NPL legislators who fought for a much-needed infusion of funding and made necessary changes to state law to better serves those with behavioral health needs. With the leadership of the Dem-NPL caucuses, programs were funded for people of all ages, with services spanning prevention, treatment, peer support, and recovery.

Read the letter here