Legislative Management Prioritizes Studies for Interim

The Legislative Management Committee met Wednesday to consider and prioritize the legislative studies to be addressed this interim. The Legislature passed 13 studies that are “required” by the language to be included in the study process. Additionally, they passed 72 “optional” studies that they were to “consider studying.” From this group, the Committee ultimately prioritized those to actually be studied. With the studies prioritized, the interim committees will now be formed around similar topics, and we will start to see committee assignments, and ultimately, committee meeting dates.

 

In the Required category, there are several of county interest, including:

• HB1209, to develop a plan for new hires under the NDPERS retirement system to participate in a defined contribution plan and to close the defined benefit plan.
• HB1380, to study potential uses of the legacy fund earnings, including tax relief, research, economic growth, and workforce development.
• HB1397, to develop a legislative redistricting plan (This will of course impact county election precinct development).
• SB2036, to continue the previous interim study of access to public and private lands for hunting, trapping, fishing, and related issues.
• SB2086, to study issues related to DHS and human service zone employee compensation.
• HB1012, in depth study related to mental health and the State Hospital future. 

Of the “optional” studies, the following “county related” studies were selected:

• HB1036, to study the juvenile justice process.
• SB2161, to study expanded behavioral health services, capacity and utilization of the State Hospital and a behavioral health bed management system. 
• HB1470, to study behavioral health needs of incarcerated adults. 
• HB1494, to study the recruitment, retention, turnover, and training of law enforcement and correctional officers.
• SB2021, to study the costs incurred by NDIT to deliver core technology and cybersecurity services to state agencies and political subdivisions.
• SB2208, to study North Dakota water laws.
• HCR3014, to study solutions to access and utilization of telehealth services. 
• HCR3015, to study the implementation of a community health worker certification program.

The full list of studies discussed can be viewed here: Legislative Management Interim Studies