North Dakota

North Dakota lawmakers throw out resolution against same-sex marriage: What to know

Published

12 months ago

March 14, 2025

North Dakota lawmakers throw out resolution against same-sex marriage: What to know

More than nine years have passed since the U.S. Supreme Court made same-sex marriage legal across the country with its ruling in the Obergefell v. Hodges case.

But a resolution considered – and ultimately rejected – by North Dakota lawmakers would have urged the court to overturn that decision.

The resolution, sponsored by Rep. Bill Tveit, a Republican from Hazen, was passed in February by the North Dakota House on a 52-40 vote, with one member absent or excused.

On Wednesday, a state Senate committee voted 6-1 to send the resolution to the full Senate, the North Dakota Monitor reported. More than 300 people submitted testimony ahead of a public hearing, with the vast majority in opposition.

Sen. Ryan Braunberger, a Democrat from Fargo, was the lone vote against the motion to advance the resolution to a Senate vote.

“I want my constituents to know that I disagree with this wholeheartedly,” he said. “This bill is coming from a place of hate.”

The state Senate spent less than 10 minutes debating the resolution Thursday before striking it down with a 16-31 vote, The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead reported.

Tveit told The Associated Press that the Obergefell ruling “went totally against the Tenth Amendment, went totally against the North Dakota Constitution and North Dakota Century Code (state laws).”

“Why did I introduce it? Every one of us in this building took an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States and the state,” he said.

Here’s what to know about the resolution and the Supreme Court’s nearly decade-old same-sex marriage ruling.

What did the North Dakota same-sex marriage resolution say?

The text of the resolution began by urging the Supreme Court to “restore the definition of marriage to a union between one man and one woman.”

The court’s ruling, it said, requires states to recognize same-sex marriage and issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples in “complete contravention of a state’s own constitution and the will of the state’s voters, thus undermining the civil liberties of those states’ residents and voters.”

It also said the Obergefell decision “arbitrarily and unjustly rejected the definition of marriage as a union between one man and one woman,” calling it an “illegitimate overreach.”

It concluded by urging the Supreme Court to overturn its ruling and restore “the issue of marriage and enforcement of all laws pertaining to marriage back to the states and the people.”

Which North Dakota officials supported of the resolution?

Tveit, the resolution’s sponsor, said Wednesday, “It’s past time for North Dakota citizens to speak their displeasure with this Supreme Court decision and call for restoration of the definition of marriage as only of the legal union between a man and a woman.”

Arthur Schaper, a field director for MassResistance, which was labeled an anti-LGBTQ hate group by the GLAAD Accountability Project, also spoke in support of the resolution on Wednesday. He said, “It is a crime against nature to teach anyone that they are born homosexual or transgender. These patterns of behavior are inherently harmful to individuals and they should not be granted a privileged status in marriage.”

Which North Dakota officials opposed the resolution?

Braunberger, the Democratic state senator from Fargo, said after Thursday’s vote, “Hopefully in the future, we don’t have to do these frivolous things and can work on real issues, like making sure everybody can put food on their table.”

On Wednesday, state Rep. Matt Ruby, a Republican from Minot who supported the resolution when it passed the state House, told the Senate committee he regretted his vote.

“I knew before we were done with that floor session that I had made a mistake,” he said. “I’ve regretted a lot of votes over my four sessions. This is the first time I’ve been disappointed with myself over a vote.”

Bradley King, a Bismarck resident, also testified against the resolution on Wednesday. He held up a picture of his daughter, a middle school teacher, and her wife, and said how proud he was to walk her down the aisle, the North Dakota Monitor reported.

“Right now, you are looking at one angry father,” King said. “I personally feel that this is an attack on my daughter.”

What is the Obergefell decision?

The Supreme Court’s decision is named for Jim Obergefell, who started a lawsuit with 30 other plaintiffs after his husband, John, died from ALS and the state of Ohio refused to allow Obergefell’s name to be on his death certificate, USA TODAY reported at the time.

“No American should have to suffer that indignity, that’s why John and I and the 30 plaintiffs who are a part of this lawsuit decided to fight,” Obergefell said.

The Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision ruled the Constitution does not limit the marriage rights of same-sex couples and effectively legalized same-sex marriages across the country. The decision followed decades of legal battles over the constitutionality of same-sex marriage.

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North Dakota

Today in History, 1943: 2 North Dakota men die in separate Army plane crashes

Published

9 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Today in History, 1943: 2 North Dakota men die in separate Army plane crashes

On this day in 1943, two North Dakota army officers, Second Lieut. Arthur B. Kuntz and First Lieut. Bernard A. Anderson, were killed in separate medium bomber training crashes in Florida and Georgia.

Here is the complete story as it appeared in the paper that day:

Army Plane Crashes Kill Two N. D. Men

Two North Dakota officers in the army air forces were killed Sunday in bomber crashes during training flights, Associated Press dispatches revealed Monday.

Second Lieut. Arthur B. Kuntz of Harvey (Wells county) was killed with 10 others from the Avon Park, Fla., army bomber base when two medium bombers collided during a routine formation flight. Both planes crashed and there were no survivors.

First Lieut. Bernard A. Anderson of Warwick (Benson county) was one of six killed when a medium bomber from MacDill field, Tampa, Fla., crashed near Savannah, Ga. Lieutenant Anderson was co-pilot of the plane.

None of the other victims of either accident was from the Dakotas or Minnesota.

Lieutenant Kuntz, son of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Kuntz of Harvey, was graduated from the army air force navigation school at Hondo, Texas, as a second lieutenant last October, and received his wings as a navigator.

See more history at Newspapers.com

An ad featured in The Forum on March 2, 1943. Newspapers.com

Kate Almquist is the social media manager for InForum. After working as an intern, she joined The Forum full time starting in January 2022. Readers can reach her at kalmquist@forumcomm.com.

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North Dakota

Presidential Searches at 3 North Dakota Colleges Narrowing

Published

21 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Presidential Searches at 3 North Dakota Colleges Narrowing

(Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)

(North Dakota Monitor) – Two North Dakotans are semifinalists for the Bismarck State College president’s job as North Dakota State University narrows its presidential candidate list.

Valley City State University also is searching for a new president, with an application period closing this month..

Kevin Black, chair of the State Board of Higher Education and co-chair of the North Dakota State University Presidential Search Committee, said the committee reviewed over 60 applications. The committee is planning off-site interviews with candidates March 9-10 and campus visits with semifinal candidates March 23-27.

“We’re really excited about taking the next step and there’s some very quality people in there,” Black said.

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North Dakota

After falling short a year ago, West Fargo United wins ND girls hockey state title

Published

1 day ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

After falling short a year ago, West Fargo United wins ND girls hockey state title

FARGO — One season ago, a Cinderella run for the West Fargo United girls hockey team came up just short in the state championship game.

United, the No. 7 seed, fell to Legacy/Bismarck in the 2025 final.

This time around, the team had momentum swaying in its favor, riding nine consecutive wins into Saturday’s title game against Grand Forks at Scheels Arena.

Led by goals from a pair of senior captains, United capped its redemption season with a 10th straight victory, fending off the KnightRiders 2-1 to claim the North Dakota girls hockey state tournament championship.

“It just means everything,” said United’s Payton Stocker, whose goal at the 12:31 mark of the second period gave her team a 1-0 lead. “We’ve worked so hard and throughout the season, it’s just been such a battle. Winning and coming out on top is just such a great feeling.”

West Fargo United captains react as they are presented the team’s 2026 state championship hockey trophy after defeating Grand Forks on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, at Scheels Arena in Fargo.

Eric Hylden / Grand Forks Herald

Stocker was followed up in scoring by United captain Rachel Spanier. The defenseman fired a slap shot from the left point that beat Grand Forks goaltender Kylie Schmaltz to make it 2-0 with 35 seconds remaining in the middle frame.

Reagan Wilson locked things down in net for United, finishing with 23 saves and picking up an all-tournament team nod.

“This is my first year of high school hockey,” the sophomore goaltender said. “I can’t believe coming in here and winning a state title with all of these girls. I just love them so much.”

While it was the senior duo of Stocker and Spanier finding the net for United on Saturday, contributions were seen across the board.

Sophomore Emma Hassler also put forth an all-tournament campaign with five goals and an assist for six points over the three-day stretch.

030226 WFGOUnited3.jpg — Grand Forks’ Dustee Balek’s shot is blocked by West Fargo United goalie Reagan Wilson in the North Dakota girls hockey state championship game on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, at Scheels Arena.

Freshman Kaylee Augdahl finished the tournament with four points — including

a double-overtime winner

over Fargo North/South in Friday’s semifinals — and junior Liana Williamson added three assists.

“It wasn’t just us (seniors),” said Stocker, who joined Hassler and Wilson on the all-tourney team. “It was everyone collectively. Being seniors, it feels a lot better. It was a great feeling.”

United, the No. 5 seed this year, capped its season with a record of 17-9-0.

“These girls are awesome,” first-year United head coach Kennedy Blair said. “They’ve worked super, super hard since last April. Wake up early in the mornings, go into off-ice training, on-ice training and all that.

“This group of girls is really special. They’re a really close-knit group, and they trusted our coaching staff coming in as a first-year group.”

030226 WFGOUnited2.jpg — West Fargo United players pose for the camera as they wait for the 2026 state championship hockey trophy after defeating Grand Forks on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, at Scheels Arena.

Blair knows a thing or two about winning championships. She was a North Dakota state champion goaltender with the former Bismarck Blizzard co-op and also won an NCAA Division I national title with the Wisconsin women’s program in 2021.

Yet, she never imagined ending her first year as a high school varsity coach with a state championship.

“No, I didn’t,” said Blair, who also won North Dakota High School Coaches Association Coach of the Year honors. “But I had belief in these girls that we could get to the state championship again.”

It’s the United co-op’s first-ever state title — which consists of West Fargo, West Fargo Sheyenne and West Fargo Horace high schools.

Prior to Saturday, the last time a West Fargo girls program won the state title was in 2014 when it was still a standalone program competing as the Packers.

“It’s amazing considering United hockey has never won a championship game,” Wilson said.

Grand Forks, the tournament’s No. 2 seed, ended its campaign with a 21-5-0 record.

Ella Yahna’s fourth goal of the tournament — which came on a 2-on-1 rush with the assist from teammate Reese Meagher, put the KnightRiders within one shot with 8:17 remaining in the third.

Grand Forks, however, was unable to find the equalizer as its bid for a first state championship came up just short.

“I thought we came out in the first and we had a tough time,” Grand Forks head coach Kelly Kilgore said. “I felt we battled some nerves. I really liked our second period … We carried the play and tilted the ice a little bit back in our favor. The shots kind of started to really turn in our favor.”

Stocker said she wouldn’t have wanted to win a state title as a senior with any other group of teammates.

“(They mean) everything,” Stocker said. “We’re so tight and they’re all my friends. Leaving them is going to be hard. But they mean everything to me. We’re all so close and I love them a lot.”