The Water Topics Overview Committee met in Bismarck to review statutory rules that govern interim committees and to discuss new duties added by the 2025 legislative session.

Dustin, identified in committee materials as staff supporting the committee, walked members through the committee rules that govern meeting time and remote attendance, roll-call voting, the committee’s authority to prepare bill drafts, limits on committee expansion and subcommittee formation, and the requirement to submit findings and draft bills to Legislative Management in November. He said the rules require that "a bill that is introduced, must contain a project, must be accompanied by a report from the water topics overview committee," adding the committee may need to reconvene during session to produce such reports if a statutorily required report is missing.

Levi, Legislative Council staff, summarized the statutory basis for the committee. He cited Section 54-35-02.7 of the North Dakota Century Code and summarized language in House Bill 1020 and related 2025 bills that expand the committee’s duties. Under the new requirements added in the 2025 session, the committee must receive and review by May 31 in each even‑numbered year any request that will be submitted to the State Water Commission or the next Legislative Assembly for which the state cost-share is estimated at $10,000,000 or more. Levi said the committee must issue a report on each such project and forward that report to the Appropriations Committees of both houses; if a bill is introduced without a committee report, the committee must meet and prepare a report for the Appropriations Committees.

Committee members discussed practical implications: the committee will meet quarterly as required by statute, coordinate with the State Water Commission and Department of Water Resources, and may be asked to review substantial program and project requests. The committee chair noted the expanded duties mean this interim committee is unlikely to simply adjourn sine die and may need to act during session to meet statutory reporting requirements.