BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) 鈥 North Dakota's Republican-controlled Legislature adjourned Wednesday after rewriting provisions of a major budget bill that was voided by the state Supreme Court, resolving a mess that had threatened to stymie government operations.
The Legislature completed in three days, less than a month after the that rejected the bill, which was signed into law in May, as unconstitutional for violating a single-subject requirement.
Fourteen bills were passed to reconstruct the voided legislation. Those bills covered: transfers from state government funds; K-12 education funding; a $125 million incentive program for the development of a fertilizer plant; a criminal penalty for supplying drugs resulting in overdose deaths and injuries; and effective dates for transitioning the state's public employee pension plan to a 401(k)-style plan for new hires.
Additionally, the Senate rejected an unrelated, expanded Republican Gov. who was off trail during the special session. Burgum called the rejection a 鈥渕issed opportunity鈥 for more tax relief amid years of inflation and flush state revenue.
鈥淭he proposed bill that was voted today was an up-or-down vote: Do we want to give people in our state dollars back that they've paid in?鈥 Burgum told reporters. 鈥淭hat's what it was about. It wasn't about procedure. It wasn't about policy. It wasn't about 鈥榠s this the right time?鈥欌
The tax proposal, which would have used $46 million of excess state tax revenue in the 2024 tax year and $91 million every two years thereafter, sailed through the state House of Representatives on Tuesday. Senate opponents said the bill needed more vetting and input and wasn鈥檛 鈥渕eaningful鈥 tax relief, and cited constituents鈥 greater interest in property tax cuts.
Lawmakers drank coffee, munched brownies and mingled in the Senate chamber while waiting for final votes, with on the state. They quickly left the state Capitol after adjourning around noon.
The passed legislation also included a modified bill to appoint more legislators to serve on the state's public employee retirement board. The special session was sparked by a that challenged that provision of the voided legislation.
The bill the court struck down has traditionally been used as a catchall or cleanup bill passed at the end of the Legislature's biennial session. Republican legislative majority leaders told reporters that the Legislature will need a way to correct mistakes that occur late in future sessions.
The Legislature's next regular session is scheduled for January 2025.
