The North Dakota House of Representatives on the floor session before the House adopted a series of conference committee reports and voted on multiple bills, approving a mix of appropriations and policy measures and rejecting one proposal for legislative term limits.

The most significant actions included acceptance of a revised funding approach for regional planning councils, approval of a $3 million line of credit and appropriation for a veterans cemetery in Fargo, passage of several agency budgets and program appropriations, adoption of a traffic-related presumptive-fleeing statute, and approval of transgender student accommodation language for school restrooms. One measure to change the effective start date for newly applied legislative term limits failed on final passage.

Why it matters: The votes allocate state funds, alter administrative reporting and procedures, and set policy direction on issues ranging from local planning and higher education aid to veterans services and K-12 student accommodations. Several appropriations include one-time and ongoing funding and will affect agency budgets and local programs across North Dakota.

House action highlights

- House Bill 15-24 (regional planning council grants): The House accepted the Senate amendments and the conference committee report and then passed House Bill 15-24. Representative Munson described the bill as a funding vehicle for the state's eight regional planning councils: "15 24 is a bill to provide funding for the regional planning councils." The conferees noted the House version originally included $2,400,000 in general funds (about $300,000 per region); the Senate consolidated grants into the Department of Commerce and removed the direct general-fund appropriation. The conference committee accepted the Senate amendment after the Department of Commerce indicated it could supply funding through grant programs; the final roll-call showed 78 yeas, 20 nays. (Final vote recorded as 78 yes, 20 no.)

- Senate Bill 22-65 (Veterans cemetery, Fargo): The conference committee report and bill were adopted. Representative T. Brown said the bill provides a $3,000,000 line of credit and related appropriation for a Veterans cemetery in Fargo and noted a last-minute wording change requested by Veterans Affairs that replaced language about "planning and oversight" with "final approval of." Final passage tally was 88 yeas, 1 nay; Senate Bill 22-65 was declared passed.

- House Bill 1,009 (Agriculture commissioner appropriation): The House adopted the conference committee report and then passed House Bill 1,009, which contains appropriations and positions for the Agriculture Commissioner's office, including funding adjustments and one-time items described by Representative Brandenburg. Final vote on the engrossed bill was 76 yeas, 13 nays; the bill and its emergency clause passed.

- House Bill 10-10 (Insurance commissioner budget): The conference committee report was adopted and House Bill 10-10 passed, reflecting the insurance commissioner's budget and organizational changes (including the securities department). Representative Meyer described compromises on attorney and equity pay amounts. Final vote was 81 yeas, 8 nays.

- House Bill 14-48 (Advanced Technology Committee): The House accepted the conference committee report to restore the House version establishing an Advanced Technology Committee to prioritize projects including artificial intelligence, machine learning and quantum computing. Representative Warrie said the committee composition includes state IT and chancellor's office representation and private-sector appointees; the report was adopted (voice vote) and no further roll call was required.

- House Bill 12-29 (presumptive fleeing statute): The House adopted the conference committee report and passed the bill creating a presumptive fleeing offense tied to vehicle owners in certain flight-from-police incidents. Representative Koppelman summarized the measure and its defenses for vehicle owners and said: "This offense is 0 points. It does have a $100 fine the first time and $500 fine for each subsequent offense." Final vote: 75 yeas, 14 nays.

- House Bill 11-44 (school restroom/transgender accommodations): The House adopted the conference committee report and passed the bill with clarifications the committee added, including complaint-process language, a grandfather clause for existing schools, and exemptions for students with developmental disabilities and temporary needs during extracurricular events. Representative Fraley said, "This language now clarifies how the complaint process works." Final vote: 75 yeas, 14 nays; the emergency clause carried.

- House Bill 1,300 (legislative term limits): The conference committee report was adopted earlier, but the engrossed bill failed on final passage; the final vote was 28 yeas, 61 nays and the bill was declared failed.

- Senate Bill 23-70 (prescription drug discount program reporting — 340B study): The House adopted a conference committee report that converted the bill into a legislative management study on reporting for the federal 340B drug discount program. Representative Hendricks explained that the conference committee moved the effort into a "shall study" to identify what data should be collected and how it should be used; final vote on the engrossed study bill was 77 yeas, 12 nays and it passed.

- Senate Bill 21-47 (student financial assistance and scholarships): The conference committee report was adopted and the House passed Senate Bill 21-47, which includes career-builder provisions, a supplemental state grant for low-income students and appropriations. Representative Richter noted adjustments to appropriation levels and that the conference committee restored language so scholarships "may not exceed the cost of education." Final vote: 63 yeas, 26 nays.

- Senate Bill 21-13 (Health and Human Services technical corrections and CCBHC financing): The conference committee report and bill passed; Representative Steeman summarized technical corrections and added study language on non-opioid pain medication. Final vote: 83 yeas, 6 nays.

- Senate Bill 20-20 (NDSU extension, research and related appropriations): The House adopted the conference committee report and passed the bill providing appropriations for NDSU Extension, branch research stations, Northern Crops Institute, the Main Research Center and related items. Representative Brandenburg described multiple line-item adjustments, additions (including a carbon specialist) and carryover funding for building projects; he said, "that's why this position was, created." Final passage recorded 78 yeas, 18 nays.

Votes at a glance (selected final tallies)
- HB 15-24 — Passed, final vote 78 yes, 20 no.
- SB 22-65 — Passed, final vote 88 yes, 1 no.
- HB 1,009 — Passed, final vote 76 yes, 13 no.
- HB 10-10 — Passed, final vote 81 yes, 8 no.
- HB 14-48 — Conference report adopted (voice vote); no additional roll call recorded.
- HB 12-29 — Passed, final vote 75 yes, 14 no.
- HB 11-44 — Passed, final vote 75 yes, 14 no (emergency clause carried).
- HB 1,300 — Failed, final vote 28 yes, 61 no.
- SB 23-70 — Passed (converted to study), final vote 77 yes, 12 no.
- SB 21-47 — Passed, final vote 63 yes, 26 no.
- SB 21-13 — Passed, final vote 83 yes, 6 no.
- SB 20-20 — Passed, final vote 78 yes, 18 no.

Discussion versus decisions
Discussion in the chamber was generally brief and focused on technical amendments, funding sources and program design. Several conferees summarized conference compromises and funding adjustments; a few members raised procedural or conflict-of-interest notes (Representative Satrom was excused from voting on SB 20-20). Where the record shows formal adoption or final roll-call results, those outcomes are reported above. Where the record records only adoption of a conference committee report by voice vote, no roll-call numbers were listed.

What was not decided or not specified
The transcript does not specify subsequent actions required by other bodies (for example, specific executive-branch implementation steps) or, in some cases, where appropriations will be drawn from beyond the stated funds. Where the transcript gave no further procedural detail, next steps are not specified in this report.

Ending
The House recessed after completing the listed floor business; additional conference committee meetings and scheduling announcements were made before the chamber recessed until noon.