February 15, 2013 Legislative Update

1. The ND Attorney General released an opinion regarding the federal grant obtained to study comprehensive sex education in partnership with Planned Parenthood. The Opinion invalided the excuse used for freezing the funds and the NDSU President immediately unfroze the funds. Work will resume on that project once again. Read more here: http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/389988/

1. We have a very successful day with Giving Hearts Day yesterday. In total we raised $9000, including our match. Thanks to EVERYONE who supported the Women’s Network.

1. Activism bubbled up yesterday in Bismarck’s District 35 with an impromptu silent protest in front of their Senator’s House, Senator Margaret Sitte. The purpose for the protest was regarding her no vote on SB 2252 (I imagine her blatant attack on women’s rights is also on people’s minds in this). See more here: http://www.kxnet.com/story/21218391/protest-outside-of-lawmakers-home

Now for the legislature, which seems to thrive in bringing about bad news. Click here for the latest tracking grid.  

1. SB 2252 failed on the Senate floor yesterday by a vote of 21-27. The bill’s intent was to add sexual orientation as another protected class in the Human Rights Act.

1. There some truly bad pieces of legislation in the House that should be defeated. You are encouraged to contact your House member to vote no on these.

1. HB 1332 is extending the residency requirements before voting from 30 days to 70 days. This bill seems specifically targeted at college student.
2. SB 1466 would divert money from public schools to private schools – 25% of funding a public school receives for each child will be given to a private school if a child attends the private school. It is an attempt to start a school voucher system in ND.

1. HB 1442 – establishing an ethics commission in ND had a hearing this week. Committee members seemed disinterested in the concept and instead saw it as a venue to air partisan frustrations. The bill’s sponsor, Representative Corey Mock, took on a pretty tough audience.

1. Two abortion bills were to be voted on in the Senate today, but because of some bumbling in describing SB 2368 on the part of Senator Berry, the Senate moved the bills to Monday. This provides you the opportunity to contact your Senator and ask for a NO vote on SB 2368 (20 week abortion ban) and the extreme personhood bill 2303. See more on 2303 here: www.ndforprivacy.com. Included on the home page are links to contact your Senator. Don’t let up the pressure.

1. HB 1422 was a child care stabilization act to help struggling child care providers keep their doors open. Unfortunately, the majority in the House Human Services Committee severely slashed the funding and have attempted to change staff/child ratios. These changes are counter to good early childhood care. Details are below.

HB 1422 certainly has changed from the original intent for the bill!  It originally provided…

• $7 million to child care programs in crisis in oil country
• $ 6 million to child care programs in non-oil country
• $2 million to provide technical assistance and evaluate its effectiveness

HB 1422 has momentum and will probably pass as amended in the House.  You can still contact your House members with your views.  After cross over on March 8th the bill will have the opportunity to be amended by the Senate.  You may want to contact your Senator and let them know it is coming and share your thoughts.  Writing a letter to the editor of your local newspaper is another way to share your views.


The House amended the bill by

• Cutting the $7 million to child care programs in oil country
• Cutting the $6 million to child care programs in non-oil country
• Leaving in the $2 million for technical assistance and evaluation
• Added rule changes by
  • Changing group licensing from a maximum of 18 to 30 children
  • Not requiring employers who provide on-site care for their employees to be licensed
  • Allowing some programs to not have outdoor play space
  • Increasing staff-child ratios and group sizes

The House will vote on the amended bill after the bill gets reviewed by the Appropriations Committee. 

• A majority of “no” votes will kill the bill. A “no” vote will totally take this bill out of this legislative session. It cannot be heard by the Senate. No one can revive this bill
• A majority of “yes” votes will keep the bill alive. It will travel to the Senate, and, if Senators want to change the bill back to its original form or something entirely new, they can do that. A “yes” vote will give the bill a chance to survive and be changed

Bipartisan group calls on Legislature to address North Dakota’s childcare crisis

(BISMARCK, N.D.) – During a press conference Friday at the State Capitol in Bismarck, Senator Joan Heckaman, D-New Rockford, and Representative Kathy Hawken, R-Fargo spoke on the importance of addressing significant childcare needs in North Dakota to help our kids and increase our state’s economic development and prosperity.

Heckaman and Hawken’s call to action comes in response to the House Human Services Committee’s vote to cut $13.325 million from HB 1442, a bill developed with legislators and the Governor’s office to address the childcare crisis in western North Dakota and throughout the state. Out of the $15.425 million originally contained in this legislation to address unmet childcare needs, only $2.1 million remains.

“That’s like throwing five feet of rope to a person who is drowning 50 feet off shore,” Representative Hawken said. “We have economic developers that are recruiting people and wanting to bring in families. In order to have those quality people stay in North Dakota and raise their families they need to be able to care for their children. Right now that need is not being met.”

“It is already difficult to provide child care, and it is even more difficult for families to find someone to care for special needs children,” said Heckaman, the prime sponsor of SB 2244, which would increase access and improve special-needs childcare. “The solutions to our childcare crisis can be found this legislative session. It is just a matter of political will. We have the means to provide parents with the reassurance that there will be someone to take care of their children while they pursue career opportunities in North Dakota.”

The cuts made to HB 1442 defund several important priorities:

• $7 million cut from Stabilization, Incentive grants to child care centers to areas of the state affected by oil and gas development
• $6 million cut from Stabilization, Incentive grants to child care centers to other areas of the state
• $325,0000 cut from assessment monitoring and consumer awareness

Representative Hawken noted that a bipartisan group of legislators would work to address childcare needs through the amendment process on the Senate side. She stressed the importance of legislators needing to recognize the issue as a statewide economic need.

“This is a not a political issue, this is a ‘let’s help North Dakota parents and kids’ issue,” she said.