Legislation

Appropriation for Vehicles for Transportation-Related Services for Veterans

Bill pre-approved by Commissioner

A BILL for an Act to provide an appropriation to the department of veterans' affairs; and to declare an emergency.

• Allow ND DVA to accept and expend federal grant dollars for rural veterans transportation program

Grants to Identify and Provide Services to Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange

Bill origination: Representative Trottier, Wayne

Pre-approved by Commissioner, ACOVA, and NDVCC

A BILL for an Act to provide an appropriation for the identification of and provision of services to veterans exposed to agent orange.

• Provide $100,000 grant fund to the ND chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America for purposes of reaching out to Vietnam Veterans to educate them on Agent Orange.

House Amendment:

• Changed from $100,000 to $50,000

Senate Amendment:

• Added additional $25,000 from environmental and rangeland protection fund

House refused to concur: sent to conference committee: Representatives Rohr, Seibel, and Amerman, Senators Dever, Poolman, and Marcellais.

• Senate receded its amendments
• Final bill to show $50,000

Veteran Scholarship Grants and Scholarship Program

A BILL for an Act to create and enact a new chapter to title 15 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the creation of a veteran scholarship program; and to provide an appropriation.

• Provide up to a $1,500 scholarship grants per semester to qualified ND Veterans

Armed Services' Member Room in County Buildings

A BILL for an Act to amend and reenact section 11-11-50 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to an armed services' room in courthouses.

• NDCC 11-11-50 currently requires certain counties to provide a room in county courthouse for veterans of war. 
• This bill would:
  • Allow that rooms to be located in a county office building
  • Change rooms from exclusively for war veterans to priority preference of use by war veterans
• Fiscal Note: None

House actions

• Removed requirement of "war time"

Senate actions

• Changed from "Rooms" to "an adequate Room"

House Concurred with Senate amendment

Repeal of Tobacco Tax Exemption

A BILL for an Act to amend and reenact subsection 10 of section 57-36-01, sections 57-36-25 and 57-36-28, and sections 57‑36‑31 and 57‑36‑32 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the excise taxes on tobacco products and the cigarette tax; to repeal section 57‑36‑24 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the exemption from the tobacco tax for products given to the veterans' home and the state hospital; and to provide a continuing appropriation.

• Repeals NDCC 57-36-24
  • 57-36-24. Exemptions: All gift cigarettes, snuff, cigars, and other tobacco products, not for resale, which are given to the North Dakota veterans' home or the North Dakota state hospital for distribution to the occupants thereof, are exempt from the excise taxes levied under this chapter.
• Fiscal note:
  • Adds tax revenue to:
    • Cities: $18.1 Million
    • Counties $31.3 Million
    • State General Fund: $13.8 Million
    • Community Health Trust Fund: $75.4 Million

Transportation Services for Veterans

A Bill for an Act to amend and reenact section 39-04.2-04 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to conditions for public transportation funding.

• Bill would allow disabled veterans to utilize public transportation services without any charge.
  • If public transportation provider receives funds from the public transportation fund.

House: 

• Discussed amendment to remove "disabled".
• Removed all sections of the bill and replaced with a "Study".

A BILL for an Act to provide for a legislative management study regarding the provision of transportation services to veterans and the impact on transportation service providers.

Senate:

• Removed study
• returned to original bill before house amendments

House refused to concur

Conference committee assigned

• Senate receded amendments

Passed House and Senate as a study

Adjutant General (National Guard Budget) Appropriations

A BILL for an Act to provide an appropriation for defraying the expenses of the office of the adjutant general; to provide for transfers; to provide exemptions; and to declare an emergency.

Appropriations

A BILL for an Act to provide an appropriation for defraying the expenses of various state departments and institutions; and to declare an emergency.

Tax Exemption: Military retirement Pay.

Pre-Approved by ACOVA and NDVCC

A BILL for an Act to create and enact a new subdivision to subsection 2 of section 57-38-30.3 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to an income tax deduction for retired military personnel pay; and to provide an effective date.

• Military retirement pay exempt from ND income tax
• Military retirement payments to surviving spouse exempt from ND income tax

National Guard: State Employee Retirement Plans and Contributions

A BILL for an Act to amend and reenact sections 54‑52‑06.2, 54‑52‑06.4, and 54‑52‑06.5, and subsection 3 of section 54‑52‑17 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to state employee retirement plans and retirement contributions by national guard security officers and firefighters.

Property Tax Credit for Disabled Veterans

A BILL for an Act to amend and reenact section 57‑02‑08.8 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the property tax credit for disabled veterans and extension of the disabled veterans' property tax credit to the disabled veteran's surviving spouse; and to provide an effective date.

• Changes to Property Tax exemption for Disabled Veterans to include credit for value of land:
  • Removes the wording: of the fixtures, buildings, and improvements
  • Changes from exemption to credit

Senate Amendment:

• Changes to Property Tax exemption for surviving spouse of disabled veteran:
  • Allows a remarried spouse to regain eligibility if subsequent marriage ends

House Amendment:

• Removed exemption for re-married spouse.

Senate refused to concur to House Amendment. Conference committee assigned: Senators Bekkedahl, Oehlke, Triplett and Representatives Froseth, Klein, and Mitskog

• Senate Accede's House amendment
  • Exemption for re-married spouse remains removed from the bill

Motor Vehicle Veterans' Purple Heart Number Plates

A BILL for an Act to create and enact a new subdivision to subsection 2 of section 39-04-18 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to a purple heart recipient exemption from motor vehicle registration fees; and to amend and reenact section 39-04-10.10 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to veterans' number plates.

• Veterans who are Purple Heart recipient shall:
  • Not have to pay initial or annual fee for distinctive purple heart license plates for one vehicle
  • Be exempt from paying vehicle registration for one vehicle
• Fiscal note: $31,632

Appropriations - Veterans' Military Caskets and Urns

A BILL for an Act to provide an appropriation to the adjutant general for veterans' military caskets and urns.

• Provide military casket at no cost to veterans interred in ND 
• Fiscal note of $2,800,000

Senate amendments:

• Moved to ND DVA
• removed funding of $2,800,00
• Moved to County Social services

House amendments:

• Changed from shall to may: allowed family to choose

Senate concurred to house amendments

Passed House

Veterans' Cemetery Burial Fees for Dependents of Veterans

A BILL for an Act to provide for an appropriation for veterans' spouses and dependents burial fees at the veterans' cemetery.

• Pay for interring veterans eligible spouse and dependents at ND veterans Cemetery
• Fiscal note: $160,000

House Actions:

• Passed House GVA 14-0
• House appropriations recommended Do NOT Pass 19-2-2
• Failed House

Tribal Veterans Advisory Commission

A BILL for an Act to create and enact a new section to chapter 37-18 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the creation, membership, and duties of the tribal veterans' advisory commission.

• Creates a ND Tribal Veterans advisory Commission

Book of Veterans Serving in Area of Conflict 

A BILL for an Act to amend and reenact section 37-01-45 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the book of veterans.

• A book of record of all ND veterans who served in an area of conflict.

Senate amendments:

• Changed from "for publish" to made available to public.

House amendments:

• Changed from "Book" to "Record" and as deemed fit by the adjutant general.

Senate concurred with House amendments

County Veterans' Service Officers Accreditation Requirement

A BILL for an Act to amend and reenact section 37-14-18 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to county veterans' service officers.

• Removes requirement for County Veteran Service Officer's to be accredited with "National Association of County Veteran Service Officers"
• Adds requirement for County Veteran Service Officer's to be accredited with any veteran service organization recognized by the US Department of Veterans Affairs

House GVA amendment

• Changes requirement for County Veteran Service Officers to be accredited with "any" veteran service organization to being accredited with North Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs
• Added content of failed bill HB 1205 with amendments and lower fiscal note
  • provides qualified dependents of 90% disabled ND Veterans with 90% tuition waiver at ND institutions of higher education
  • fiscal note: $350,000 (not general fund dollars)

House Appropriations action:

• Recommend Do NOT pass on education and accreditation

Adjutant Generals Office Budget (NDNG)

• Added:$600,000 additional for Veterans Bonus Program
• Added additional $44,098 for Civil Air Patrol
• Added additional $110,000 for Tuition Assistance
• Added additional $70,089 for Veterans Cemetery ($647,006 total)
• Added additional $9,531 for Reintegration program

Protection and Reimbursement for Property Damage in Emergency

• Protects NDNG and Emergency Management from liability in natural disaster relief efforts
• Provides reimbursements to property owners for damages

NDNG Members Pay for State Active Duty

• Adds to NG pay allowances: “Each enlisted member shall also receive a state active duty pay enhancement of one hundred dollars for every fourteen consecutive days spent on state active duty”.
• Adds to NG pay allowances: “Each commissioned officer member shall also receive a state active duty pay enhancement of one hundred dollars for every fourteen consecutive days spent on state active duty”.
• Emergency declared on this bill
• Fiscal note: $10,000 for 2011-2013. $40,000 for 2013-2015.