After 75 days and 990 bills, the 2023 Legislative Session has come to an end in North Dakota.
The 2023 Legislature was memorable. How it’ll be remembered probably depends on your political leanings. Maybe you’ll remember it as the session where lawmakers finally did away with abortion, or the session where the majority of North Dakotans got a tax cut. Or maybe you’ll remember the bills aimed at banning books and barring trans girls from playing girls’ sports. Either way, you’ll probably remember it.
Half a billion dollars in tax cuts.
“Retirees on social security, workers with second jobs to make ends meet, and countless others benefit from this plan,” said Tax Commissioner Brian Kroshus.
And $5.5 billion to shut down the pension plan for future state employees.
“The defined contribution plan that we’ve put together is outstanding,” said Representative Mike Lefor, R-Dickinson.
Non-relatives can co-own animal agriculture operations for the first time in 90 years.
“With these animal ag operations coming into this state, we’re going to add that value back into our local communities,” said Representative Paul Thomas, R-Velva.
The state passed $66 million to address the childcare shortage and $6 million to expand free student lunches, despite some controversy getting there.
“Yes, I can understand kids going hungry, but is that really the problem of the school district? Is that the problem of the state of North Dakota? It’s really the problem of parents being negligent with their kids,” said Senator Michael Wobbema, R-Valley City.
Speaking of controversy, two lawmakers turned their back on the chaplain during the daily prayer, which they felt had been politicized.
“My first reaction was, ‘Oh, that looks really ugly,’” said Rev. Dr. Leanne Simmons, pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Bismarck.
Then there were the social issues. Like an outright ban on abortion.
“This is a life state, it has promoted the life of the unborn and mothers from before statehood,” said Senator Janne Myrdal, R-Edinburg.
“No matter what states do to try to restrict women’s access to reproductive healthcare, those laws are going to end up before state and federal courts,” said Representative Zac Ista, D-Grand Forks.
And two bills relating to banning books. Both passed, one was vetoed.
“It used to be that libraries and schools were safe zones for minors in our towns and communities, this is no longer the case,” said Senator Keith Boehm, R-Mandan.
“It’s an insult to librarians and it’s an insult to our citizens,” said Christine Kujawa, library director at Bismarck Veterans Memorial Public Library.
About a dozen bills relating to transgender people passed, including banning trans girls from girls’ bathrooms.
“I have nine granddaughters, and I sure hope that as the oldest one goes to middle school, that she’s not confronted in a locker room by biological males at the age of 11 or 12,” said Representative SuAnn Olson, R-Baldwin.
Source: kfyrtv.com
Photo Credit: North Dakota
Categories: North Dakota, Government & Policy