House Bill 1079, which would change the names of two divisions inside the North Dakota Department of Emergency Services, moved forward after a brief hearing and unanimous committee approval.

Darren Hansen, Homeland Security Division director at the Department of Emergency Services, told the Senate Agriculture and Veterans Affairs Committee that the measure simply replaces existing division names throughout the North Dakota Century Code. "What we're looking to do in the intent of this bill is simply to change the name of the Division of Homeland Security to the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and then the Division of State Radio to the State Emergency Communication Center," Hansen said.

Hansen said the change reflects the agency’s current work: of roughly 57 full‑time permanent employees in the division, only a small number perform what people traditionally consider homeland‑security intelligence work; most perform emergency‑management functions such as disaster response. He also said ‘‘State Radio’’ underrepresents modern technology and that federal and national naming conventions increasingly use terms such as emergency communication center to recognize dispatchers as first responders.

Hansen said the language was drafted to match national naming conventions and that the Department coordinated the wording to make clear the agency’s role and to align with federal references. He said there is no fiscal note for the bill.

Senator Weber moved a due‑pass recommendation; Senator Marsalais seconded. The clerk recorded four yes votes and the motion carried.

The committee closed the hearing without opposition testimony. The bill now proceeds with a due‑pass recommendation from the committee.