Legislative Overview ~ April 14, 2025
During today’s House floor session, lawmakers considered and took final action on a variety of House and Senate measures, many of which centered on agriculture, appropriations, and judiciary-related bills. A notable portion of the session was dedicated to SB2004 (an appropriations bill), which passed with a narrow margin after extended debate and SB2307 (pornography in school libraries) received extensive floor discussion before a passing by a vote of 49-45.
The Senate passed a number of House bills with strong majorities, reflecting support for initiatives involving government operations and workforce-related issues. One of the more debated measures, HB1318 (labeling of pesticides), narrowly passed with a 29–18 vote after extended discussion.
Appropriations bills saw mixed outcomes — despite lengthy floor remarks from multiple senators. However, other funding bills passed by a narrow margin, indicating split sentiment among senators. Overall, the Senate made significant progress finalizing fiscal and policy matters, with growing attention to contentious budget measures as the session advances.
Here is a summary of what took place during today’s floor sessions:
7 Bills Passed in the Senate and awaiting Governor’s Signature: HB1119, HB1130, HB1165, HB1307, HB1318, HB1425, & HB1580. Those which were failed include: HB1408.
6 Bills Passed in the House and awaiting Governor’s Signature: SB2004, HB1004, HB166, HB1351, HB1386, & HB1489. Those which were failed include: SB2289 & SB2326.
The Bills we are tracking regarding the business world include:
HB1318: https://ndlegis.gov/assembly/69-2025/regular/documents/25-0622-03000.pdf
This Bill states that if a pesticide is registered with the North Dakota agriculture commissioner or the U.S. EPA and carries an EPA-approved label, it meets all state health and safety warning requirements. This would prevent additional state-level labeling rules or failure-to-warn claims under state law, effectively preempting local lawsuits based on labeling adequacy.
The bill primarily benefits pesticide manufacturers, distributors, and agricultural businesses by reducing compliance burdens and potential liability. It simplifies requirements for farmers and applicators by ensuring that following federal labeling guidelines is sufficient under state law. However, some consumer and environmental groups argue it weakens state oversight and limits the ability to address local health or environmental concerns.
~ It appears that many of the hot topic bills (ones with heated support and opposition from the voters) have been left until the end of this session. Today was no exception, as lengthy deliberations took place on pornographic material in school libraries, placing truth in labeling bills on pesticides, changing legislative sessions from every two years to every year & whether or not to provide appropriations (your money) for the Ethics Commission.
All of the bill numbers are listed in the results above and you can check to see how your representatives voted. Do you agree with the results? If so, let the results move through to the Governor’s office. If not, you can still impact the future of those bills by contacting the Governor’s office with your opinion on whether he should or veto them. You can do that right here: https://www.governor.nd.gov/contact
Jan Wangler, Executive Director 