February 16, 2023
Murphy’s Law 2023 | #13
Zoning, Transportation, NDSU Research and Extension
The day started by attending two full House Appropriations final budget hearings on HB 1012 (DOT), and NDSU Research and Extension HB 1020. One interesting facet of the $2.4 billion DOT bill is a new $115 million in flexible funding whereby the department can spend that on projects off the state system (such as county or township roads or bridges they deem of importance)....
February 16, 2023
Murphy’s Law Blog 2023 | #12
Legislative Day 30 of ??
In a week or so we will be up against Crossover, the time when bills originating in one house go to the other signifying the end of the first period. If they survived, of course. Most of the bills have been heard in policy committees so they need now to get them to the floor for voting. The committees that are backlogged are usually Appropriations because they deal with...
February 10, 2023
NDSGA | Legislative Report
February 10, 2023
North Dakota Grain Growers Association Executive Director Dan Wogsland explains that the North Dakota Legislature is quickly nearing crossover. He also highlighted the Ag Research and Extension bill.
February 9, 2023
Murphy’s Law Blog 2023 | #11
Prairie Dog or SIIF
Today saw a hearing for SB 2367 which discusses how the state allocates its share of oil and gas taxes. In 2019, Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute (UGPTI – the authority in transportation research) estimated North Dakota needed $440 million per year for 20 years to maintain our roads and bridges. This year the study says the need per year is $525 million....
February 7, 2023
Murphy’s Law 2023 | #10
Architects, Bioscience, Drainage, Zoning
Good afternoon. The title of the blog shows a few of the topics and bills of yesterday and today. Architects and engineers need to look at and sign off on public buildings that are built in North Dakota. This includes buildings built for NDSU Research and Extension such as machine sheds and the like at their stations. SB 2347 is the number and had a hearing today....
February 3, 2023
NDSGA | Legislative Report
February 3, 2023
House Agriculture Committee Chair Paul Thomas introduced HB 1423. “The emphasis with this bill is to improve upon relationships between counties, townships and private landowners.”
February 1, 2023
Murphy’s Law 2023 | #9
There is a lot happening in Bismarck
This week saw NDSU’s Research and Extension budget hearing by the House Appropriations subcommittee which dives deeper into the details. It seems from the discussion on this bill, HB 1020, that the number one priority coming in is going to be fully funded. Now called the Ag Field Lab, this $97 million facility would be a victory for plant breeding and combatting pathology...
January 27, 2023
NDSGA | Legislative Report
January 27, 2023
HB 1437 is one of the bills being debated in this session to enhance animal agriculture in the state. NDSGA Executive Director Nancy Johnson and Representative Mike Beltz are featured.
January 26, 2023
Murphy’s Law 2023 | #8
Grain Bin and Zoning Bills
After testifying on HB 1370, which would allow a sales tax exemption on the construction of grain bins for the next two years, it came to the floor. The committee vote was 8 to 5. We expected it to be close and it turned out the ratio was kind of similar as it passed on the floor 55-36. So now it will crossover to the Senate for trial there.
Today, I introduced NDSGA...
January 24, 2023
Murphy’s Law 2023 | #7
County and Township funding bills
This morning your NDSGA testified on two bills that would help rural road funding.
The first was SB 2275 and it would move a $400 million bucket called the SIIF –Strategic Investment and Improvement Fund- which fills from the Prairie Dog formula (oil tax is the fountain that fills these buckets). City, County and Township Infrastructure are the next bucket if enough...
January 21, 2023
Murphy’s Law Blog 2023 | #6
Getting Somewhere
Today, I was able to join Representative Paul Thomas and the North Dakota Ag Commissioner in testifying favorably on HB 1148. The bill establishes a $15 million Ag Infrastructure Fund whereby political subdivisions could access up to $2.5 million to help with costs associated with value added projects. As an example, NDSGA used the $25 million re-do of Stutsman County...
January 20, 2023
NDSGA | Legislative Report
January 20, 2023
North Dakota Farm Bureau Director of Public Policy Pete Hanebutt discusses the proposed carbon capture pipeline.
January 18, 2023
Murphy’s Law Blog | #5
Bills Still Pouring In
Today, Rep. Thomas presented HB 1147. It asks for $100 million/year for the next 10 years for county and township bridges. The Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute states that we need about $95 million a year for the next 20 years to get our bridges up to snuff.
Earlier, I brought support for Senator Wanzek’s bill which would allow monies to counties and...
January 13, 2023
Murphy’s Law 2023 | #4
Some New Ag Bills Dropped
Today, we saw several bills concerning your industry. Bill numbers and a short summary follow if you would care to look them up:
HB 1356 is about farmland purchased by foreigners (aliens in the bill)
HB 1369 concerns funding fertilizer plant startups.
HB 1370 is on sales tax exemption for on-farm grain bin/storage.
HB 1371 is a description changing some definitions...
January 11, 2023
NDSGA | Legislative Report
January 6, 2023
The appetite to incentivize animal agriculture in the state is high. North Dakota Corn Growers Association Executive Director Brenda Elmer outlines the options available to lawmakers.
January 11, 2023
NDSGA | Legislative Report
December 30, 2022
The North Dakota legislative session begins Tuesday. In the first update for this session, House Agriculture Committee Chair Paul Thomas discusses the opportunities to expand animal agriculture in the state.
January 10, 2023
Murphy’s Law 2023 | #3
Bills Are Starting to Be Introduced
This is the fourth official legislative day and the sixth day of people meeting to make laws. So far, 441 bills have been put into the system for review and most expect there to be somewhere between 1,200 and 1,400, eventually. Last session there were approximately 900. There are a couple of weeks left to introduce, so rumors abound as to what is going to appear, and...
January 6, 2023
Murphy’s Law 2023 | #2
Session Begins
Today is the third day of the session but still the first official legislative day (we get 80). This is because they only count as an official day if the House and Senate convene in their respective chambers. They did so on Tuesday to kick it off, but they don’t have enough bills that have made it through committees to act on together. So tomorrow, Friday, they will...
December 9, 2022
Murphy’s Law 2023 | #1
Legislative Ag Committees Chosen
Your legislators know what committees they are on as of yesterday. Senate Agriculture has a wrinkle in that Veterans Affairs committee was blended into it. Same Chairman in is Senator Luick, with member Senators Myrdal, Lemm, Weber, Weston and Hogan filling it out. Moving the Veterans Affairs committee made room for a brand-new committee called Workforce, although the...
November 8, 2022
Murphy’s Law Blog 2022 | #14
Lateral Effects on Drainage
Okay, this is a continuation of reporting from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) meeting that I spoke of in Murphy’s Law Blog 2022 – #13 NRCS Meeting. It just got too long for a blog. Anyway, I understand that when producers are dealing with wetlands that there are times when they will call NRCS or some authority asking where/what they can/cannot...
November 7, 2022
Murphy’s Law Blog 2022 | #13
NRCS Meeting
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a division many of you are familiar with known as the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Their Technical Committee met for the first-time face to face this past week since the pandemic began in 2020. The head of the NRCS in North Dakota is Mary Podoll. Mary has held that position for the last 11...
September 29, 2022
Murphy’s Law 2022 | #12
Taxation Changes?
This month we saw the final meeting of the Interim Taxation Committee of our state legislature. They are expertly led by Senator Dale Patten of Williston, a former banker and county commissioner.
At issue are breaks or reformulations of our state income tax and property tax, but probably not both. The Governor has joined a proposal for a 1.5% flat...
September 8, 2022
Murphy’s Law Blog 2022 | #11
Last Ag and Natural Resources Meeting
The last Ag and Natural Resources Committee meeting lasted about 90 minutes in Fargo and was kicked off by the new president of NDSU, Dr. David Cook. He discussed his past experience in higher education in both Iowa and Kansas and gave an update on how he has hit the ground running by going around the state visiting each of the eight NDSU Research stations. I was...
July 23, 2022
Murphy’s Law Blog 2022 | #10
Ag Coalition Meeting
A two-fold mission was played out this week in BisMan. One, was to attend portions of the International Legislators Forum (ILF) followed and capped by the Ag Coalition meeting. The ILF is made up of legislators from North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Manitoba. It was founded more than twenty years ago with the intent of working on mutual water issues, especially...
July 14, 2022
Murphy’s Law Blog 2022 | #9
North Dakota Joint Summer Water Meeting
The North Dakota Joint Summer Water Meeting is considered a joint meeting because during parts of the three days they meet, Garrison Diversion and Water Resource Districts hang out and do business, sometimes independently, at other times together. This week it was at the Holiday Inn of Fargo, and I will report briefly on my jumping around to cover both organizations:...
July 13, 2022
Murphy’s Law Blog 2022 | #8
Upper Red River Basin Hearing
Each of North Dakota’s State Water Commissioners is hosting their basin meetings this July to hear what occupants have to offer for discussion. The hot topic has been changing the magnitudes of state cost share. Rural water advocates were lined up to speak to Commissioner April Walker but was not in attendance. Subbed in was Director of the Department of Water Resources...