701-566-9300Murphy’s Law Bog 2023 | #28 — Hurry Up and Wait.
At this point in the session, it is all conference committees with the House vs. Senate versions of bills. Sometimes they decide the other house amendments were fine and the agreement takes five minutes. Other times they dig in and it takes a lot of meetings. There are three legislators from each side and if […]hi
At this point in the session, it is all conference committees with the House vs. Senate versions of bills. Sometimes they decide the other house amendments were fine and the agreement takes five minutes. Other times they dig in and it takes a lot of meetings. There are three legislators from each side and if they cannot make any headway, leadership may replace some members to get a fresh...
Murphy’s Law Blog 2023 | #27 — Conference Committees
This is the time in a session when one is busy and then idle for long stretches. Almost all committees, other than Appropriations, have kicked their bills to the floor or are in conference committees that meet to finalize language into an agreement and enforceable form. I believe this is Day 67, and we have […]hi
This is the time in a session when one is busy and then idle for long stretches. Almost all committees, other than Appropriations, have kicked their bills to the floor or are in conference committees that meet to finalize language into an agreement and enforceable form. I believe this is Day 67, and we have about two weeks left unless it takes three. Unofficial pools for picking the date and...
Murphy’s Law Blog 2023 | #17 — Auditor Bill
SB 2259 has passed both houses. It sets North Dakota State agency commodity group fees for the State Auditor. North Dakota Soybean Council (NDSC) was set at $6,000 dollars and most other groups at $4,000. NDSC’s latest fee was around $17,200 and unlike other commodities, is audited every year due to its status as a […]hi
SB 2259 has passed both houses. It sets North Dakota State agency commodity group fees for the State Auditor. North Dakota Soybean Council (NDSC) was set at $6,000 dollars and most other groups at $4,000. NDSC’s latest fee was around $17,200 and unlike other commodities, is audited every year due to its status as a federal checkoff entity. Most other commodities are audited every other year....
Murphy’s Law Blog 2023 | #16 — Back to Hearings
Today started with the weekly Thursday Ag Coalition Zoom call at 7:00 a.m. Then the hearings started with most legislators back after a few had been delayed by the latest blizzard. These are the eight hearings I have attended today, all in person, most with written testimony submitted online and many standing up at the […]hi
Today started with the weekly Thursday Ag Coalition Zoom call at 7:00 a.m. Then the hearings started with most legislators back after a few had been delayed by the latest blizzard. These are the eight hearings I have attended today, all in person, most with written testimony submitted online and many standing up at the podium:
8:30 a.m. – SB 2259 – which sets commodity group...
Murphy’s Law Blog 2022 | #6 — Spiritwood Roads
On Wednesday, there was a meeting with about 30 folks at Spiritwood concerning road conditions and needs once the ADM soybean crush plant is in operation. Attendees included North Dakota Soybean Growers Association members (with Executive Director Nancy Johnson chairing the meeting), North Dakota Soybean Council directors and North Dakota Corn Grower members. There were […]hi
On Wednesday, there was a meeting with about 30 folks at Spiritwood concerning road conditions and needs once the ADM soybean crush plant is in operation. Attendees included North Dakota Soybean Growers Association members (with Executive Director Nancy Johnson chairing the meeting), North Dakota Soybean Council directors and North Dakota Corn Grower members. There were also four North...
Murphy’s Law Blog 2022 | #5 — Water Drainage and Township Money
Last weekend while out in western North Dakota, the newborn calves were scampering around while some were seeing their first day in relatively decent weather. Hopefully those ranchers were able to offer some shelter from the whiteout conditions that is now going on while I type now that I’m back in the eastern side of […]hi
Last weekend while out in western North Dakota, the newborn calves were scampering around while some were seeing their first day in relatively decent weather. Hopefully those ranchers were able to offer some shelter from the whiteout conditions that is now going on while I type now that I’m back in the eastern side of the state. Like soybean farmers seeing the fields sprout anew,...
Murphy’s Law Blog 2021 | #55 — Money to Infrastructure
This special session is still going but I left Bismarck on Thursday because those issues central to agriculture were resolved and to what I see as a satisfactory end. From ARPA dollars that this session was to distribute, at least $200 million must be used for highway roads and bridges. $24.6 million is designated for […]hi
This special session is still going but I left Bismarck on Thursday because those issues central to agriculture were resolved and to what I see as a satisfactory end. From ARPA dollars that this session was to distribute, at least $200 million must be used for highway roads and bridges. $24.6 million is designated for grants to counties for their bridge projects based on an application...