State Rep. Glenn Bosch, R-Bismarck, speaks during a meeting of the Legislative Management Committee on Nov. 13, 2024. The legislative session begins Jan. 7, 2025. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)
(Michael Achterling – North Dakota Monitor) – If North Dakotans want policies addressed during the legislative session that starts Tuesday, they need to act quickly.
The deadline for House members to introduce new legislation is Jan. 20 while state Senators may introduce bills until Jan. 27.
“If you want someone to introduce something, you need to reach out to your legislator ASAP,” said Amy Jacobson, executive director of Prairie Action ND Institute, an organization advocating for more citizen involvement in state government.
After those deadlines, bills can only be introduced through a delayed bills committee, said John Bjornson, director of the North Dakota Legislative Council.
“They are very judicious about letting things in after those deadlines,” Bjornson said. “And that’s just because we have 80 days.”
Legislative Council, which assists lawmakers in drafting their bills, has already received about 1,000 bill draft requests from legislators, committees and executive branch agencies.
Bjornson said he anticipates another 450 to 500 draft requests before the end of the month.
During the 2023 session, lawmakers introduced 990 bills out of about 1,200 bills that were drafted by legislative staff, he said.
“The numbers are up,” he said.
In the North Dakota Legislature, every bill gets a vote.
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