North Dakota Statutory Committees

Various statutes provide for legislative membership on boards, committees, and commissions other than legislative standing or procedural committees and Legislative Council interim committees. The following information identifies the statutory entity, its general responsibility, and the authority for legislative membership.

The commission confers with the Council on the Arts with respect to the artistic value of any monument, memorial, or work of art to be constructed on the Capitol grounds; approves the basic style and exterior construction of, and site for, any building, facility, monument, memorial, or work of art to be constructed on the Capitol grounds; and advises the director of the Office of Management and Budget and the Legislative Council on matters relating to the physical and aesthetic features of the interior of every building on the Capitol grounds. Under North Dakota Century Code (NDCC) Section 48-10-01, the President of the Senate appoints two members of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives appoints two members of the House to the nine-member commission. Current legislative members of the commission are Senators Pete Naaden and Carolyn Nelson and Representatives James Boehm and Serenus Hoffner.

North Dakota Century Code Section 14-09-09.7 required the Department of Human Services to initiate a rulemaking proceeding in 1998 to ensure that the application of its child support guidelines results in the determination of appropriate child support award amounts. Subsequent proceedings must be commenced at least once every four years. Before commencing a proceeding, the department is to convene a drafting advisory committee that includes two members of the Legislative Assembly appointed by the chairman of the Legislative Council. Current appointees are Senator John T. Traynor and Representative Eliot Glassheim.

The commission promotes uniformity in state laws on those subjects where uniformity may be deemed desirable and practicable. Under NDCC Section 54-55-01, the Legislative Council appoints one member of each house to the 11-member commission. Current legislative members of the commission are Senator Wayne Stenehjem and Representative Lawrence R. Klemin.

Information on the activities of the commission and uniform laws commissioners is available from the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws.

The committee supervises and directs the Protection and Advocacy Project, which provides advocacy and protective services for individuals with developmental disabilities and individuals with mental illnesses. Under NDCC Section 25-01.3-02, the Legislative Council appoints one member of each house to serve on the seven-member committee. Current legislative members of the committee are Senator Rod St. Aubyn and Representative Amy N. Kliniske.

Information on the project is available from the Protection and Advocacy Project.

The association offers health benefit plans to eligible state residents who have been rejected for accident and health insurance or have substantially reduced coverage due to restrictive riders or a preexisting conditions limitation. Under NDCC Section 26.1-08-03, the President of the Senate appoints one member of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives appoints one member of the House to the eight-member board of directors of the association. Current legislative members of the board are Senator Judy Lee and Representative Clara Sue Price.

The North Dakota Department of Insurance provides additional information on the Comprehensive Health Association of North Dakota.

Under NDCC Section 15.1-04-01, this state entered the Compact for Education to encourage and promote local and state initiatives in the development, maintenance, improvement, and administration of education systems and institutions in a manner that will accord with the needs and advantages of diversity among localities and states. The commission consists of seven members representing each party state. Under the compact, the membership of the Senate selects one member of the Senate and the membership of the House of Representatives selects one member of the House as two of the seven members representing this state. Current legislative members of the commission are Senator Ray Holmberg and Representative RaeAnn G. Kelsch.

The commission has authority to authorize state officers to expend amounts in excess of appropriated sums, to authorize a transfer of spending authority from the state contingency appropriation, to authorize a transfer of money or spending authority between funds or line items, and to authorize the expenditure of federal funds or other moneys. Under NDCC Section 54-16-01, the chairman of the Legislative Council and the chairmen of the Senate and House Appropriations Committees are members of the five-member commission. Current legislative members of the commission are Senators Gary J. Nelson and David E. Nething and Representative Jack Dalrymple.

The office of North Dakota Secretary of State provides additional information with respect to the Emergency Commission.

The council advises, consults with, and makes recommendations to the University of North Dakota and to the several agencies represented on the council concerning the program of the North Dakota Medical Center. Under NDCC Section 15-52-03, the President of the Senate appoints one member of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives appoints one member of the House to the 14-member council. Current legislative members of the council are Senator Ralph Kilzer and Representative Ken Svedjan.

North Dakota Century Code Section 15-10.2-01 adopts the Midwestern Regional Higher Education Compact to provide greater higher education opportunities and services in the midwestern region, with the aim of furthering regional access to, research in, and choice of higher education for the citizens residing in the states that are parties to the compact. The commission, which provides for the programs of the compact, consists of five resident members from each party state. Under NDCC Section 15-10.2-02, the chairman of the Legislative Council appoints one member of the Senate and one member of the House of Representatives as two of the five members representing this state. Current legislative members of the commission are Senator Tony Grindberg and Representative Janet Wentz.

Under NDCC Section 54-35-20, the chairman of the Legislative Council, in consultation with the Insurance Commissioner, appoints two members of each house to represent this state at functions of the National Conference of Insurance Legislators. Current legislative members are Senators Jerry Klein and Harvey D. Tallackson and Representatives George J. Keiser and Francis J. Wald.

The committee reviews requests for funding from the special road fund and decides which project requests will receive funding. Under NDCC Section 24-02-37.2, the chairman of the Legislative Council appoints one member of each house to the five-member committee. Current legislative members of the committee are Senator Bob Stenehjem and Representative Keith A. Kempenich.

The commission makes recommendations on appropriate levels of state employee compensation and fringe benefits. Under NDCC Section 54-06-25, the chairman of the Legislative Council appoints four members of the Legislative Assembly to the nine-member commission. Current legislative members of the commission are Senators Ralph Kilzer and Steve Tomac and Representatives Jeff Delzer and Lyle Hanson.

Under NDCC Section 25-02-01.1, the Department of Human Services, in consultation with the State Hospital, is to create the State Hospital Governing Body and describe the powers and duties of the governing body. The Legislative Council selects a legislator as one member of the seven-member body. The current legislative member of the body is Senator David E. Nething.