North Dakota State Laws
✅ Law #1: HB 1066 — Minimum Wage for Senior Community Service Employment Program
Statute / Bill: HB 1066 (2025) — a new section added to ND Century Code chapter 50-06.1. (North Dakota Legislative Branch)
Effective: (Within limits of appropriation) once the administrative rule is set by the Department. Not clearly dated in sources. (North Dakota Legislative Branch)
📝 What it does
Sets a minimum hourly wage of $12/hour (or whatever higher amount the department sets via rule) for people working under the Senior Community Service Employment Program in ND. (North Dakota Legislative Branch)
The rule-making and funding depend on legislative appropriation. (North Dakota Legislative Branch)
💰 Cost to taxpayers / state budget
Some cost for state (or federal/other funding) to pay older adults in the program more.
Depends on how many people are in the program and how much is appropriated.
👥 Who it helps / affects
Helps: Older adults participating in the Senior Community Service Employment Program—they’ll earn more per hour now.
Affects: State department overseeing the program; budget office; funding sources.
🧑⚖️ Who sponsored / initiated & who opposed
Sponsored in the legislature (HB 1066). Specific sponsor(s) not in summary I found.
Likely supported by aging & workforce advocacy; opposition (if any) likely from budget hawks or those concerned about cost.
✅ Pros & ❌ Cons
✅ Pros:
Improves pay for seniors in service roles; more fairness.
Helps reduce poverty / supplement incomes for older adults who volunteer or work in community service.
❌ Cons:
Needs funding; if not appropriated fully, implementation may lag.
Might increase cost of program or reduce number of slots if budget constrained.
🗳️ The Ballot Beacon Takeaway
ND’s HB 1066 ensures people in the Senior Community Service Employment Program get at least $12/hr (or more via rule), boosting pay for seniors—but it depends on funding and rulemaking to roll out.
✅ Law #2: HB 1285 — State Employee Compensation Adjustments for Biennium 2025-27
Statute / Bill: HB 1285 (2025) — compensation adjustment bill for permanent state employees. (North Dakota Legislative Branch)
Effective: July 2025 for first year, to be paid in August 2025; second year starts July 2026 with pay in August 2026. (North Dakota Legislative Branch)
📝 What it does
Gives an average 3% raise in the first fiscal year (starting July 2025) for eligible permanent state employees. (North Dakota Legislative Branch)
Then a smaller average raise of 2% in the second fiscal year (starting July 2026). (North Dakota Legislative Branch)
💰 Cost to taxpayers / state budget
Increased state payroll costs spread over two years.
Likely significant total dollar cost depending on number of employees.
👥 Who it helps / affects
Helps: Permanent state employees—raises increase incomes.
Affects: State budget; possibly leads to trade-offs elsewhere.
🧑⚖️ Who sponsored / initiated & who opposed
Sponsored by ND legislature as part of the state budget / appropriation process.
Opposition could come from those concerned about state spending or taxpayer burden.
✅ Pros & ❌ Cons
✅ Pros:
Helps state workers keep pace with inflation / cost of living.
Boosts morale, retention among state workforce.
❌ Cons:
Adds to state expenses; depending on revenue, could stress budget.
If inflation remains high, raises may not keep up fully.
🗳️ The Ballot Beacon Takeaway
As of July 2025, ND state government employees get a 3% raise, with another 2% raise in July 2026 — good news for public workers, but it adds pressure to the state’s budget.
✅ Law #3: HB 1214 — School District Transportation Payments Reform
Statute / Bill: HB 1214 (2025), North Dakota 69th Legislative Assembly. “Payments for school district transportation of students, special education students, and career & technical education students …” (LegiScan)
Effective: The bill text provides an effective date (in statute) but I couldn’t find a public-source summary confirming when exactly it starts. It’s in 2025. (LegiScan)
📝 What it does (5th-grade level)
Changes how much money the state gives to school districts for transporting students, including regular students, special education students, and those in career/technical education. (LegiScan)
Updates the “transportation weighted student unit equivalents” (that’s a formula used to figure out payment amounts) so districts are paid differently based on how far kids travel, safety, etc. (LegiScan)
Repeals some older sections of the transportation payment code related to school district closure and distribution of funds when districts close. (LegiScan)
💰 Cost to taxpayers / state budget
Likely an increase (or reallocation) of state education budget payments to reflect updated formulas. Depends on how much extra funding districts need under new rules. (LegiScan)
Some administrative cost for state and school districts to update reporting, payments, highway/travel cost calculations.
👥 Who it helps / affects
Helps: School districts with students who travel long distances or have more expensive transport needs (special education, CTE).
Affects: Districts with lower transport costs may lose relative advantage; possibly taxpayers if state increases funding or changes taxation or allocations.
⚙️ Who sponsored / initiated & who opposed
Initiated by ND Legislature (bill HB 1214). (LegiScan)
Support probably from rural/distance school officials and transportation advocates. Opposition (if any) might come from districts that see reduced payments or from budget hawks worried about state costs.
✅ Pros & ❌ Cons
✅ Pros:
More fairness: districts get paid more accurately for what it costs to transport students.
Students in remote/special education/CTE benefit since transport costs are better recognized.
❌ Cons:
Some districts may see less money if the formula shifts away from their advantage.
Implementation and budgeting challenges for districts.
🗳️ The Ballot Beacon Takeaway
HB 1214 changes how North Dakota pays for student transportation (regular, special ed, and career/technical) — aiming for fairer funding, but some districts will benefit more than others and state budget pressure could rise. (LegiScan)
✅ Law #4: $408.9 Million Property Tax Relief Package
Statute / Law: Property tax relief and reform passed in ND 2025 session. (“North Dakota Enacts $408.9 Million Property Tax Relief and Reform Legislation”) (Primacy Strategy Group)
Effective: Some parts apply in 2025; many changes take effect after June 30, 2025 (taxable events after that date) according to the effective dates document. (North Dakota Legislative Branch)
📝 What it does (5th-grade level)
Lowers how much property tax residents must pay: the state gave $408.9 million in tax relief. (Primacy Strategy Group)
Reform might include reducing tax rates, increasing exemptions, or shifting how property values are assessed for tax purposes. (The summary didn’t list all line-items, but it’s large and intended to ease property tax burden. ) (Primacy Strategy Group)
💰 Cost to taxpayers / state budget
Helps taxpayers pay less in property taxes starting mid-2025 (after June 30 for many provisions). (North Dakota Legislative Branch)
State or local governments may see lower revenue and may need to make up funds via other sources or reduce some spending.
👥 Who it helps / affects
Helps: Homeowners, renters (if landlords pass savings through), and seniors on fixed incomes.
Affects: Local governments, school districts, infrastructure budgets that depend heavily on property tax income.
⚙️ Who sponsored / initiated & who opposed
Sponsored by ND legislative leadership and Gov. Armstrong as part of his tax relief agenda. (Primacy Strategy Group)
Support from taxpayers and groups advocating for lower taxes. Opposition possibly from those concerned about underfunding public services or local governments.
✅ Pros & ❌ Cons
✅ Pros:
Immediate relief for property owners.
Helps people on fixed incomes or with high property tax burdens.
❌ Cons:
Could strain budgets for schools, roads, and local services that rely on property taxes.
Might require trade-offs: cutting services, raising other taxes, or reducing public investment.
🗳️ The Ballot Beacon Takeaway
North Dakota passed a $408.9 million property tax relief package effective for many taxable events after June 30, 2025 — homeowners should see savings, but local governments may have to adjust their budgets. (Primacy Strategy Group)