Legislative Update for 4-11

Next week will be very busy with conference committee action. As this schedule is very fluid, it is difficult to plan ahead. Below is the schedule for Friday and Monday. You will notice two of our priority bills are listed. HB 1435 - SIRN funding will have it's first hearing at 11:00 Friday. HB 1286 - Asset Forfeiture Reform will be heard for the first time in conference committee 9:30 Monday morning.  See updates on other action below the schedule...

The House Thursday afternoon divided SB 2315 which relates to private property and posting. All private land is automatically posted unless you are hunting. Because this version is different from the Senate version, we expect it to go to conference committee.

The House also passed SB 2172 - which they amended to allow for a new class 1 exempt firearms license to allow those individuals to carry in public buildings and public events including courthouses, schools and churches. This bill will go to conference committee.

This week, the House Appropriations began a discussion of the extraordinary road costs incurred by some local governments due to heavier than normal snowfall. Struggling with an appropriate means to address the concern, the Adjutant General/DES Budget (SB2016) was amended to include a $5,000 allocation out of the Disaster Relief Fund for each non-oil township. As with such past allocations, we understand that the amounts for unorganized townships would be granted to the county. We suspect there will be much more discussion of this in conference.

Also this week, the Senate Appropriations Committee amended the Industrial Commission Budget (HB1014) to add Sen. Wardner’s local government infrastructure loan program that was killed as SB2275 in the House. Obviously a big conference committee debate to follow.

House Appropriations passed out SB2012, the DHS Budget, with a new section segregating the funding for county social service for the first time. The bill now contains $173.7 million as appeared to the $161 million allocated for the current biennium. This correlated with the fiscal note approved with SB2124, the Redesign bill.

SB2124 has not made it to the Senate floor with the house amendments, but there are indications that the Senate is likely to “concur” and not take it into conference.

On the other hand the Senate has decided to Not Concur with the House changes to SB2345, regarding feedlot zoning. Amendments are being drafted to restore the 50% variance on setbacks allowed to counties and township zoning authorities. The role of the Ag Commissioner in reviewing and mediating zoning conflicts is expected to also change. This may take a rapid response if changes aren’t made as hoped.

The House passed its amended version of SB 2139 which clearly restores eligibility for state cost share for snagging and clearing of watercourses. Supporters are urging the Senate to concur with the House version.