Legislation

NDNG-Allows Adjutant General to Provide

• Adds "Adjutant General Coin" to NDCC 37-01
• Adds "Disaster Response Coin" to NDCC 37-01
• Adds a North Dakota state flag may be presented upon retirement to NDNG members with 20 or more years of military service
• Fiscal note: $20,000. No General funds appropriated

WSI Coverage for NG Members while on State Active Duty

• Adds definition of wages for ND members while on state active duty to include income from federal employment and may be included in determining the average weekly wage.
• Fiscal note: $0.

Visitation Proceedings Involving Military Parent

• Courts to take particular care to ensure child of military member called to active duty or may be called to active duty has maximum opportunity for contact with parent
• Military members call to active duty service may not be a factor in court decisions to grant to deny a petition for visitation
• Military member may petition for visitation rights for family member
• Fiscal note: $0

Guardian Powers Parent Deployed

• Allow parent or guardian of a minor child or incapacitated person authority to delegate guardianship to another person for up to 24 months
• Declared an emergency
• Fiscal note: $0

Mandatory Evacuations

• Adds "Mandatory evacuation order to NDCC 37-17.1-10". Reads: "A local disaster, emergency or mandatory evacuation order may be declared" ...
• Allows local executive officers of city or county to order mandatory evacuations

Hunting License as ND Resident

• Allowed members of US armed forces, and members of their household, stationed in ND to enter lottery for deer and turkey licenses as residents
• Declared an emergency bill
• Fiscal note: $51,600. Not General fund dollars.

Hunting License as ND Resident-No Lottery Required

• Adds "Military member in state on duty or leave"
• Adds "ND Driver's License number or ND non-driver photo ID" as proof of residency
• Allows resident hunting licensing without lottery for active duty military members on leave or stationed in ND and residents of ND serving on active duty
• Effective date April 1, 2014
• Fiscal note: $32,000. Not General fund dollars.

Veteran/Spouse License Plates

Origination: Commissioner, ACOVA, NDVCC

• Gold Star plates-removes initial ($15) and annual ($10) fee for plates
• POW Plates-no additional or annual fee for plates
  • Allows two plates
  • Allows spouse to retain one plate after veterans' death
• 100% disabled (DAV plate)-no additional or annual ($5) fee for plates 
• Four patriotic license plates added. (from failed HB 1323)
  • Funds to go to PWTF.
    • Removed and included with DOT budget when new ND license plates are issued.
      • Not found in DOT budget-2015 new bill introduced (HB1360)
• Fiscal note: $12,500. No appropriations.

Free Tuition for Surviving Dependents

• Allows eligible dependents to use free tuition benefit if 100% disabled veteran dies before dependent enrolls in school
• Fiscal note: $0
• NDCC 15-10-18.3

Professional Licensure of Military Spouses

• Provides provisional licenses to spouses of military stationed in ND or stationed in ND before a temporary assignment to duties outside of ND
• Boards to adopt rules and provide temporary licensure on case-by-case basis
• State board of architecture and landscape architecture is exempt from this mandate
• Fiscal note: $0

Income Tax Deduction for Military Retirement Pay

• Exempt Federally taxed income from military retirement pay from ND income tax

Resident Tuition for Spouses and Dependents

• Adds Spouse and Dependents of Veterans to allow resident tuition rates if veteran is eligible to transfer Post 9-11 GI Bill benefits
• Separates Spouse and Dependents of Veterans into two sections
• Adds "Reserve component" members, spouses and dependents as eligible
• Fiscal Note: $15,000

Property Tax Relief. Freeze Value of Home

• Allows Veterans eligible for disabled Veteran tax credit to freeze value of primary residence
• Fiscal note: $478,000

Veterans Upward Bound

• $325,000 appropriated for Veterans Upward Bound program
• Provides classroom instruction which prepares veterans for college
• Provide assistance to eligible veterans enrolled at or in process of enrolling at institute of higher education in ND or adjacent state institution participating in course exchange agreement with ND institution
• ND Department of veterans affairs may accept and expend gifts, grants, and donations for providing additional assistance to eligible veterans

Military Children Compact

• Extends law allowing state of ND to join in pact with other states to allow children of military members transferred into or out of ND to maintain their grade (year in school) level

Homestead Tax Credit

• Increases property tax exemption limit for disabled veterans from $120,000 full and True ($5,400 taxable value) to $150,000 ($6,750 taxable value)
• Effective date of 12-31-2012. And 12-31-2013 for mobile homes.
• Fiscal note: $477,000. State general funds reimbursement

Melvin Norgard Memorial Fund

• Allow veterans home administrator to expend funds up to $10,000. Over $10,000 must be approved by governing board.
• Requires governing board gain ACOVA approval for expenditures
• Expenditures made solely for projects and programs to benefit and serve the residents of the veterans home.

CVSO as Conservator

Origination: Commissioner, ACOVA, NDVCC

• Removes from NDCC 37-14-18 exemption for CVSOs to serve as conservator/fiduciary if appointed by County Commission
• Fiscal note: $0.

Patriotic License Plate Decals

Origination: Commissioner, ACOVA, NDVCC

• Create "Patriotic License Plates" (Decals like military plates)
• Four Patriotic license plates to be added with new ND license plate issue - proceeds go to Veterans PWTF
• $15 initial fee and $10 annual fee
• $10 initial to DOT, $5 initial to PWTF
• $10 annual fee $5 to principal of PWTF $5 available for programs

Deer License for Injured Military Wildlife Project (Wounded Warrior)

• Change from "Wounded Warrior Project" to "Injured Military Wildlife Project of ND"
• Maintained 4 any deer licenses
• Added 6 any white-tailed deer licenses
• Change license valid from "opening of youth deer season through the close of deer season" to "during the period of the deer bow season"
• Fiscal note: $240. Not general fund dollars.