What to Know About North Dakota’s Special Legislative Session

(Photo by Kyle Martin/For the North Dakota Monitor)

(North Dakota Monitor) – North Dakota lawmakers plan to hold a three-day special session starting Wednesday, but it’s still unclear if they’ll discuss any bills other than five focused on the federal Rural Health Transformation Program.

Legislative leaders will decide Tuesday afternoon if additional bills will be allowed. That means the public will have a tight window to provide input on potential legislation. Gov. Kelly Armstrong will deliver a State of the State address at 10 a.m. Wednesday.

At least five bills will be introduced, focused on the federal rural health care funding, the reason Armstrong called the special session. One is an appropriations bill to approve spending $199 million of federal funding this year and authorizing $200 million anticipated for next year. A hearing is set for 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Four health policy bills also will be introduced. The one likely to get the most debate would expand the prescriptive authority of pharmacists, which proponents say could make it easier for rural North Dakotans to get treated for common conditions. A hearing for that bill is scheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesday.

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