North Dakota Update

The House and Senate reconvened after a midsession break and are taking up each other’s passed bills. On Wednesday, the Senate sent the first batch of legislation of the 2021 Legislature, which totaled 15 bills, to Gov. Doug Burgum for his signature. Before the midsession break, the House passed 363 of 549 bills and resolutions; the Senate passed 262 of 349 bills and resolutions. Friday marked the Legislature’s 38th official day.

The House Industry, Business and Labor Committee heard Senate Bill 2287, sponsored by Senator Rich Wardner, R-Dickinson. The bill provides the legislative authority for the insurance commissioner to study the availability, cost and risk associated with insurance coverage in the lignite coal industry and to implement any necessary recommendations by June 1, 2022. The study would direct the Insurance Commissioner to determine whether a program or mechanism could be implemented that could provide an alternative for North Dakota’s lignite industry to seek market-based rates that are not skewed against the fossil fuel industry.

The bill is one of the top legislative priorities for the Lignite Energy Council this session and received a “Do-Pass” recommendation and passed the House IBL committee 11-0. The bill was then taken up on the House floor on Friday and passed 87-3. The bill now heads to Governor Burgum’s desk.

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee heard, House Concurrent Resolution 3025, sponsored by Representative Dave Nehring, R-Bismarck. The resolution that urges “the federal government to refrain from enacting regulations that threaten the reliability and affordability of electric power in North Dakota and to increase support for research, development, and deployment for next generation carbon-based energy generation.”

The bill received a “Do-Pass” recommendation and passed the committee 5-1.