The North Dakota Senate on a voice vote and roll call sustained the governor’s veto of Senate Bill 2160, a measure that would move state health coverage from a grandfathered plan to a non‑grandfathered plan intended to expand preventive and maternity benefits.

Senator Davison, the bill sponsor, told colleagues the bill is meant to increase preventive care and long‑term savings and said the measure “is not about increasing premiums. Never never has been, mister mister president.” He cited data reviewed by a health care task force and figures he described as part of a $25,800,000 cost noted in the governor’s veto letter.

The bill drew questions about recruitment and premiums from senators who opposed overriding the veto. Senator Mathern said public employees are “the guardian for their efforts” and expressed concern the change could increase premiums for some workers and harm recruiting. Senator Lee and Senator Gerhardt urged more outreach to affected employees before a statutory change.

Senate procedure began when the secretary read a letter from the Office of the Governor invoking Article V, Section 9 of the North Dakota Constitution to veto the bill. After floor debate, senators voted on whether to override the veto. The secretary recorded a final tally of 31 ayes and 15 nays; the presiding officer announced the bill was lost and the governor’s veto sustained.

Supporters argued the move to a non‑grandfathered plan would cover preventive visits and prenatal care, potentially lowering longer‑term state spending on co‑pay accumulator issues and other outlays. Davison said task‑force reviews of PERS data showed opportunities to reduce spending by increasing preventive care and that the insurance commissioner and NDPERS had testified neutrally on the change.

Opponents said state employers rely on current benefits for recruitment and retention, and several senators said affected employees had not received adequate explanation of how the new plan would operate in practice. Senator Mathern and Senator Lee both urged interim stakeholder meetings and further education for employees prior to any change.

No additional direction to staff or interim study was adopted during the floor vote; the formal action taken on the override vote left the veto intact. The secretary’s reading of the governor’s veto and the subsequent roll call are the official record of action on SB2160.