701-566-9300Murphy’s Law Blog 2019 | #23
After the fireworks yesterday on the hearing for 2346 (grain inspection and licensing), the Senate Ag Chair stated that they would not work on 1467 (shifting the enforcement of grain inspection and licensing from the PSC to the Ag Dept.) today to let emotions settle down. Then they promptly began to work on it. The […]hi
After the fireworks yesterday on the hearing for 2346 (grain inspection and licensing), the Senate Ag Chair stated that they would not work on 1467 (shifting the enforcement of grain inspection and licensing from the PSC to the Ag Dept.) today to let emotions settle down. Then they promptly began to work on it. The upshot is that a) they really want to do the best they can to modernize...
Murphy’s Law Blog 2019 | #22
Thursday, the 50th day of the session and things are getting heated in some regards as choices get made. People watching the House floor today said legislators were getting rather contentious with each other at one point. And just now in the continued hearing for 2346 – the bill that would affect changes in grain […]hi
Thursday, the 50th day of the session and things are getting heated in some regards as choices get made. People watching the House floor today said legislators were getting rather contentious with each other at one point. And just now in the continued hearing for 2346 – the bill that would affect changes in grain licensing and inspection – some emotions were at the boiling point. The Chairman...
Murphy’s Law Blog 2019 | #21
There was a residual amount of luck from St. Patty’s Day that landed on 2360 today. It passed 74 to 18 and if nothing tampers with it, North Dakota farmers will have a new farm home exemption formula. Chief sponsors were Senators Dotzenrod, Wanzek, Erbele with Representatives Holman and John Nelson. So now if 66% […]hi
There was a residual amount of luck from St. Patty’s Day that landed on 2360 today. It passed 74 to 18 and if nothing tampers with it, North Dakota farmers will have a new farm home exemption formula. Chief sponsors were Senators Dotzenrod, Wanzek, Erbele with Representatives Holman and John Nelson. So now if 66% of your gross income is from the farm, you qualify. It is in line now with the...
Murphy’s Law Blog 2019 | #20
Looks like I-94 opened up just in time to let the lawmakers go home for the weekend. 1066, the gigantic infrastructure bill coined “Operation Prairie Dog” passed both houses and is heading for the Governor. It will distribute oil tax monies to several funds and eventually end up filling counties and township buckets after some […]hi
Looks like I-94 opened up just in time to let the lawmakers go home for the weekend. 1066, the gigantic infrastructure bill coined “Operation Prairie Dog” passed both houses and is heading for the Governor. It will distribute oil tax monies to several funds and eventually end up filling counties and township buckets after some larger cities and everyone else (over one thousand in pop.) get...
Murphy’s Law Blog 2019 | #19
The last couple of days have seen a lot of activity with the farm home exemption (2360) as we try to get a feeling for the floor vote by speaking to as many House members as possible. Right now I would say it has a fighting chance. The bill has been held in committee while […]hi
The last couple of days have seen a lot of activity with the farm home exemption (2360) as we try to get a feeling for the floor vote by speaking to as many House members as possible. Right now I would say it has a fighting chance. The bill has been held in committee while hoping for a result better than the 7-7 vote we had last week. The House Finance and Tax committee passed out the Farm...
Murphy’s Law Blog 2019 | #18
This morning was spent listening to the back and forth on 1467 which is about transferring grain licensing duties from the PSC to the Agriculture Department. A frustrated PSC Commissioner Randy Christmann maintains that his agency has been hamstrung when it comes to looking at financial records –a key part of evaluating licensing – even […]hi
This morning was spent listening to the back and forth on 1467 which is about transferring grain licensing duties from the PSC to the Agriculture Department. A frustrated PSC Commissioner Randy Christmann maintains that his agency has been hamstrung when it comes to looking at financial records –a key part of evaluating licensing – even though he has been asking for the ability to...
Murphy’s Law Blog 2019 | #17
Yesterday, we spent a couple of hours in the afternoon at the Public Service Commission office discussing grain inspection and licensing. I would typify it as an excellent meeting and the Commissioner thanked us for engaging. He also mentioned that he wished other commodity groups would get involved at the same level. Then we hustled […]hi
Yesterday, we spent a couple of hours in the afternoon at the Public Service Commission office discussing grain inspection and licensing. I would typify it as an excellent meeting and the Commissioner thanked us for engaging. He also mentioned that he wished other commodity groups would get involved at the same level.
Then we hustled down to House Finance and Tax where the committee was...
Murphy’s Law Blog 2019 | #16
There is nothing like a Monday drive to Bismarck through alternating whiteouts to make one appreciate being back in the Capitol. These last two days for your legislative crew has centered around the farm home exemption bills which, having passed the Senate, were up for their House hearing Wednesday in Finance and Tax committee. There […]hi
There is nothing like a Monday drive to Bismarck through alternating whiteouts to make one appreciate being back in the Capitol. These last two days for your legislative crew has centered around the farm home exemption bills which, having passed the Senate, were up for their House hearing Wednesday in Finance and Tax committee.
There are two bills appearing back to back in that hearing which...
Murphy’s Law Blog 2019 | #15
Welcome to March 1. This was a short week as the session grinds back into action like a semi-frozen combine in December. Today I spent all morning in House Energy and Natural Resources listening and eventually testifying on 2139 which seeks to reinstate the State Water Commission cost-share for snagging and clearing. That bill is […]hi
Welcome to March 1. This was a short week as the session grinds back into action like a semi-frozen combine in December. Today I spent all morning in House Energy and Natural Resources listening and eventually testifying on 2139 which seeks to reinstate the State Water Commission cost-share for snagging and clearing. That bill is all about roads and bridges and I testified in relation to the...
Murphy’s Law Blog 2019 | #14
Legislative sessions in our state are comprised of two halves and overtime. We just finished the first half on the 33rd day and rather than turnovers, it is Crossover. We will start again Wednesday of next week, probably go another 33 or so and the last possible or 80th day is April 30. How long […]hi
Legislative sessions in our state are comprised of two halves and overtime. We just finished the first half on the 33rd day and rather than turnovers, it is Crossover. We will start again Wednesday of next week, probably go another 33 or so and the last possible or 80th day is April 30. How long the Conference Committee (overtime) goes is something many people get into a betting pool for.
So...