The House Move on Income Taxes May Have Just Extended the Legislative Session

The North Dakota Senate sent a clear message they do not support using the Legacy Fund to eliminate the state income tax when they defeated HB 1530 41-4. The bill had passed the House earlier in this session as the sponsor, Rep. Craig Headland rushed it through the Finance and Tax Committee which he chairs. […]

Fargo Faces More Than Funding Fatigue From Legislature

The legislative session is about to enter its last stage with the appointment of conference committees to work out the differences between the chambers. This is when the battle over budgets usually intensifies. One of those repeated battles is the Fargo Diversion along with other Fargo related appropriations like long overdue upgrades at NDSU. Commentary […]

House Committee Reconsiders and Removes Koppelman Exemption on Parental Rights Following Sexual Assault

Following a weekend of bad press and public outrage, the House Judiciary reconsidered and removed the exemption to SB 2158 offered by the committee’s Chair, Kim Koppelman. The amendment would have exempted spouses from a bill allowing judges to terminate a rapist’s parental rights. Following the reconsideration, the committee gave the bill a “DO PASS” recommendation. […]

Koppelman Pushes Exemption on Parental Rights following Sexual Assault

Senate Bill 2185 making its way through the North Dakota Legislature is intended to allow the Court to terminate the parental rights of a parent if the child is a result of a rape. The bill unanimously passed the Senate on January 16th. Yesterday, the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Kim Koppelman, offered an […]

Lawmakers Caught Discussing Public Work Behind Locked Door. Prove Voters Were Right to Create Ethics Commission

North Dakota lawmakers were caught holding a meeting about the Department of Human Services budget behind a locked door in Bismarck. The meeting was exposed by Forum Communications’ John Hageman and the Associated Press’ James McPherson. You can read Hageman’s account of what took place here. Local journalists, covering the Capitol and it is important […]