April 26, 2013 Legislative Update

We have two major needs for action. Click here for the updated tracking grid.

1. HB 1422, to provide some support to keep child care viable in North Dakota, is still in conference committee. The committee members have been hearing from you that we want the Senate version, but don’t let up the pressure. Additionally, put the pressure on your Representatives and Senator. The issue of child care was identified as the NUMBER ONE issue in three different statewide needs assessments (Governor’s’ Office & Chamber of Commerce, USDA, and the North Dakota Economic Security and Prosperity Alliance). The legislature cannot ignore this issue and must provide positive support. Click here to contact your legislator.

1. This one comes from a NDWN board member, Amy Jacobson. This is especially important to people out of town, and pretty much everyone with a job. Who can spend the day sitting in committee hearings?

Help me make some noise, people! Some members of the ND legislature want to continue to keep the public out of the loop of a key part of the legislative process - committee hearings. We must demand access and transparency!! In committee a very important project in SB2001, on-line streaming and archiving of committee hearings, was removed from the bill. Conf. Committee is meeting today! Please contact conference committee members today and tell them to reinstate the on-line streaming and archiving of legislative committee hearing project' to SB2001 , here are their emails:


Rep. Brandenburg (28) mbrandenburg@nd.gov
Rep. Guggisberg (11) rguggisberg@nd.gov
Rep Thoreson (44) bthoreson@nd.gov
Sen. Carlisle (30) rcarlisle@nd.gov
Sen. Holmberg (17) rholmberg@nd.gov
Sen. Mathern (11) tmathern@nd.gov


This is what she wrote to legislators serving on the committee:


I see that you were appointed to the conference committee on SB 2001 and you are scheduled to meet this afternoon. In committee a very important project, the on-line streaming and archiving of committee hearings, was removed from the bill.


On-line access to committee hearing is very common across the country; even our neighbor to the south, South Dakota, stream their committee hearings. In a largely frontier state which holds its legislative session during our harsh winter months access to on-line information is key to citizen involvement; in our prided citizen legislature.


In this day and age, closing the doors on the public and their right for access to this public information, is the wrong direction for North Dakota. Please work to reinstate the on-line streaming and archiving of legislative committee hearings.


Thank you.