Bismarck — The North Dakota Senate on the floor approved a package of bills that reshaped tax allocations for oil-impacted cities, created a Missing Indigenous People Task Force and enacted a contested opt-out procedure for required vaccines, while also passing multiple appropriation measures for state agencies.

The package includes a bill to direct additional production-tax revenue to Dickinson, Minot and Williston to help repay oil-related debt; a new task force and data changes to address missing Indigenous people; a temporary moratorium and study on how certain water-conveyance projects are assessed; and a law that creates an opt-out process for some vaccine requirements. Lawmakers also passed budget bills covering the state treasurer, the Retirement and Investment Office and an increase to the personal-needs allowance for Medicaid beneficiaries in long-term care facilities.

Senate Bill 2323: oil-impact debt relief
Senate Bill 2323, carried in the Senate by Senator Robert Weber, adjusts how oil-and-gas production tax revenue is allocated so the three Bakken hub cities receive targeted debt relief. Weber said the conference version moves the allocation from the 1% state share of gross production tax to a distribution tied to the 4% share and limits the program with a sunset date. "This amendment is a good compromise to what we have previously passed and it does help relieve the hub city's debt obligations," Senator Weber said. The Senate gave final passage to SB2323, 46 yeas, 1 nay.

House Bill 1199: missing Indigenous people task force
House Bill 1199 creates a Missing Indigenous People Task Force and changes data collection for missing persons in state systems; the bill includes an emergency clause so appointments can begin immediately. "This is an appropriate targeted solution tackling a growing urgent crisis," said Senator Kyle Axman, the conference committee chair. The Senate approved final passage, 46 yeas, 1 nay; the emergency clause also carried.

House Bill 1454: opt-out procedure for required vaccines
House Bill 1454 establishes a state-code opt-out process for required vaccines, allowing opt-outs for health, religious or philosophical reasons in many government settings. Sponsor Senator Van Oosten said the bill "simply requires offering reasonable opt outs for health, religious, or philosophical reasons" and does not bar public-health action. Opponents raised concerns about conflicts with federal standards and emergency response flexibility. Senator Kathy Hogan, who recorded a no vote on the conference report, warned lawmakers the provisions could limit the state's ability to respond in a public-health emergency; Senator Rohrs said he could not support the bill "in this version" because he believes it reduces emergency response authority. The bill passed on final passage, 30 yeas, 17 nays.

House Bill 1485: increase to Medicaid personal-needs allowance
House Bill 1485 raises the personal-needs allowance for certain Medicaid beneficiaries in nursing facilities, basic care, intermediate care and psychiatric residential treatment facilities. Conference committee chair Senator Sarah Cleary said the increase brings some beneficiaries' monthly allowance up by $15 and that the fiscal note shows an estimated $1,500,000 impact split roughly evenly between federal and general funds. The Senate passed the bill, 46 yeas, 1 nay.

House Bill 1005: state treasurer budget and amendments
House Bill 1005, the appropriation for the state treasurer, advanced with Senate amendments. Senator Jason Burkhart noted several adjustments adopted by the appropriations committee: a small equity salary adjustment (the committee discussed data showing treasurer staff average tenure of seven years and a reported average monthly pay gap of about $1,400 compared with comparable positions in other agencies), a $185,000 one-time IT appropriation from the SIP fund, and a $1,000,000 reduction in a CO2 payment-in-lieu-of-taxes appropriation that the committee judged higher than needed for the biennium. The committee also removed a proposed transfer of unclaimed property from trust lands to the treasurer that would have added four FTEs and several hundred thousand dollars in special funds and operating costs. The Senate gave final passage to House Bill 1005, 47 yeas, 6 nays.

House Bill 1022: Retirement and Investment Office and infrastructure loans
House Bill 1022, relating to the Retirement and Investment Office (RIO) and associated appropriations, passed after the conference committee removed a proposed increase to the infrastructure loan fund. Senators discussed that the infrastructure loan fund is a revolving program and that outstanding loans are being repaid; Senator Sarah Powers asked whether the program is fully utilized and the interest rate, and was told the loans carry a 2% interest rate and the fund has loans outstanding and repayments returning to the fund. The Senate gave final passage to House Bill 1022, 41 yeas, 6 nays.

House Bill 1218: temporary moratorium and study on water conveyance economic analysis
House Bill 1218 sets a moratorium on conducting certain economic analyses for water-conveyance projects while directing a legislative study and keeping a $1,000,000 threshold for analyses tied to flooding and municipalities. Senator Mike Kessel said stakeholders — including the governor's office and water interests — were at the table and agreed a reassessment and two-year pause for some conveyance projects was appropriate. The Senate passed the bill, 41 yeas, 6 nays.

Votes at a glance
- HB1005 (state treasurer appropriation, as amended): Passed, 47 yea, 6 nay, 0 absent.
- SB2323 (oil-and-gas production tax allocation; hub-city debt relief): Passed, 46 yea, 1 nay, 0 absent.
- HB1022 (Retirement and Investment Office appropriations; infrastructure loan fund amendments): Passed, 41 yea, 6 nay, 0 absent.
- HB1199 (Missing Indigenous People Task Force; data collection changes; emergency clause): Passed, 46 yea, 1 nay, 0 absent; emergency clause carried.
- HB1218 (temporary moratorium/study on water-conveyance economic analysis): Passed, 41 yea, 6 nay, 0 absent.
- HB1454 (opt-out procedure for required vaccines): Passed, 30 yea, 17 nay, 0 absent.
- HB1485 (increase personal-needs allowance for Medicaid beneficiaries; appropriation): Passed, 46 yea, 1 nay, 0 absent.

The Senate recessed until noon after the votes and committee meeting announcements.