5 North Dakota Stories to Watch in 2025

Members of Legislative Management meet on Nov. 13, 2024. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)

(North Dakota Monitor) – North Dakota will start the new year with a lot of unfinished business from 2024.

Many of the state’s biggest stories from last year — including those related to taxation, abortion and incarceration — remain unsettled. State leaders could reignite public discussion of these issues as early as the 69th legislative session, which starts Tuesday.

Here are five state government stories to watch this year:

Property taxes

The ballot measure to eliminate property taxes based on assessed value put a spotlight on the property tax issue in 2024. Although it failed in the statewide vote, Measure 4 got the attention of legislators.

Expect several bill drafts related to property taxes in the 2025 legislative session that starts Tuesday. In November, Legislative Council reported it had already received dozens of requests to prepare bill drafts related to property taxes. Gov. Kelly Armstrong has also repeatedly said that property tax reform will be one of his administration’s top priorities.

Abortion

A judge last year struck down North Dakota’s law banning most abortions, declaring it unconstitutional.

In a September order, South Central Judicial District Court Judge Bruce Romanick found that women in North Dakota have a right to seek abortions until the point of fetal viability.

Summit pipeline

In 2024, Summit Carbon Solutions successfully obtained permits for the portion of its carbon dioxide pipeline and storage area planned for North Dakota. But the Iowa-based company still faces appeals from two North Dakota counties and a group of landowners.

Higher education

Bismarck State College, Dickinson State University and Lake Region State College will all be looking for new presidents in 2025, and the North Dakota University System also will be looking for a new leader.

Chancellor Mark Hagerott, who oversees the 11 colleges and their presidents, is stepping down at the end of 2025.

Inmate population

North Dakota’s prison system has been over its capacity for men since July 1, 2023, resorting to using county jails and a waiting list for some prisoners to get into a state facility.