North Dakota

North Dakota lawmakers set table for 2023 Legislature; Rep. Johnson is new House speaker

Published

3 years ago

December 5, 2022

North Dakota lawmakers set table for 2023 Legislature; Rep. Johnson is new House speaker

North Dakota lawmakers on Monday started placing the items in place for the legislative session that begins subsequent month.

Lawmakers are in Bismarck for his or her three-day organizational session, which concludes Wednesday, when Gov. Doug Burgum will give his price range tackle describing his priorities and proposals.

Supreme Court docket Chief Justice Jon Jensen and Justice Jerod Tufte on Monday afternoon administered the oath of workplace to new and reelected lawmakers. Legislators’ family members watched from the Home and Senate galleries, some recording movies on their smartphones.

The Home elected a brand new speaker, Rep. Dennis Johnson, R-Devils Lake, a farmer first elected to the Home in 1992. His was the one nomination. The speaker presides over the Home.

Rep. Bob Martinson, R-Bismarck, stuffed in as appearing speaker beforehand, as earlier Speaker Kim Koppelman, R-West Fargo, didn’t not search reelection; his time period ended final Wednesday.

New legislators sworn in on Monday included, from left, Rep. Eric Murphy, R-Grand Forks; Rep. Jorin Johnson, R-Fargo; Rep. Josh Christy, R-Fargo; and Rep. Donna Henderson, R-Calvin.

Tom Stromme

Lawmakers on Monday additionally elected workers similar to sergeants-at-arms and journal reporters, and selected their seats. New members underwent orientation coaching; 41 of 141 members are new, although some have served beforehand.

Three of 4 legislative leaders are also new, as will probably be a number of committee chairs, together with for the highly effective Home and Senate appropriations committees, which write state budgets. Earlier Republican majority leaders selected to not search reelection, and the previous Senate minority chief misplaced her seat because of redistricting.

New North Dakota lawmakers include young dairy farmer, likely 1st Muslim, family members

North Dakota Legislature's new GOP majority leaders tout collaboration amid turnover, as session nears

Rules to take effect for North Dakota K-12 critical race theory ban

The organizational session continues Tuesday with shows on the Legislature’s office harassment and ethics insurance policies.

Legislative leaders this 12 months added extra coaching for flooring leaders who act as contact individuals dealing with harassment complaints; retaliation additionally will probably be a spotlight of lawmakers’ coaching in opposition to harassment. A panel of leaders superior the adjustments following the Home expulsion final 12 months of then-Rep. Luke Simons, R-Dickinson, for documented office and sexual harassment.

Republicans management the Senate 43-4 and the Home of Representatives 82-12.

The 2023 Legislature convenes Jan. 3 and can last as long as 80 days. The 2021 Legislature used 76 days.

Attain Jack Dura at 701-250-8225 or jack.dura@bismarcktribune.com.

Source link

Click to comment

North Dakota

Trump approves disaster declaration for Aug. 7-8 storm damage in North Dakota

Published

8 minutes ago

October 24, 2025

Press Room

Trump approves disaster declaration for Aug. 7-8 storm damage in North Dakota

BISMARCK — President Donald Trump approved a presidential disaster declaration for severe storms on Aug. 7-8 that caused significant damage to mostly electrical infrastructure in the state.

The presidential declaration makes public assistance available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which notified the North Dakota Department of Emergency Services that the request had been granted.

Gov. Kelly Armstrong submitted the declaration

request

on Sept. 4.

“We appreciate President Trump and FEMA again granting our request and aiding our recovery from this summer’s extraordinary storms, which tested the capacity of our first responders, emergency managers, utility providers and citizens,” Armstrong said. “This assistance will especially help our utility providers by defraying their recovery costs and helping them hold down rates for the North Dakota residents they serve, who showed incredible grit and resiliency in quickly recovering from these severe storms.”

The Aug. 7-8 storms brought damaging straight-line winds, large hail and numerous tornadoes.

The declaration, approved Wednesday, Oct. 22, covers Barnes, Grand Forks, Griggs, Kidder, Nelson, Steele and Stutsman counties.

Straight-line winds up to 100 mph caused damage in Jamestown and to a farm north of Courtenay. The storm also caused power outages to some Jamestown residents after straight-line winds downed power lines in the area.

In Jamestown, the storm took a roof off the west side of an apartment building at 713 14th St. SE, displacing residents. The roof landed on vehicles outside the apartment building.

At the farmstead surveyed north of Courtenay, the National Weather Service in Bismarck said significant damage occurred to buildings and grain handling equipment.

The weather service also said significant damage, primarily to trees, occurred over the southern part of Jamestown.

Winds up to 90 mph caused severe damage to a grain elevator in Thompson, power outages for some Grand Forks residents and downed trees.

It was the second time this year that Trump granted Armstrong’s request for a presidential disaster declaration. In September, Trump declared a disaster for the June 20 storms.

In September, Trump

approved

Armstrong’s request for a 19-county presidential major disaster declaration covering damage from June 20-21 storms that spawned more than 20 tornadoes, resulting in four storm-related deaths and causing more than $11 million in damage to public infrastructure as well as significant damage to utilities, grain bins, homes and other private property.

For more information about storm recovery, including the Grain Storage & Facility Rebuilder Program created in response to the June storms, visit

www.ndresponse.gov

Masaki Ova joined The Jamestown Sun in August 2021 as a reporter. He grew up on a farm near Pingree, N.D. He majored in communications at the University of Jamestown, N.D.

Source link

North Dakota

Trump approves federal disaster aid for August storms in North Dakota

Published

18 hours ago

October 23, 2025

Press Room

Trump approves federal disaster aid for August storms in North Dakota

President Donald Trump has approved a disaster declaration for North Dakota communities affected by August storms, but federal disaster aid is not expected to be released until the government reopens. Aug. 7-8 storms with straight-line winds, large hail and multiple tornadoes caused about $6 million in damage, primarily to electrical infrastructure. Trump’s disaster declaration will […]

Source link