News
Gov. Doug Burgum signed a major pension reform bill that protects the retirement benefits for existing public employees and retirees and also protects taxpayers in the long-term by addressing a $1.9 billion unfunded liability in the North Dakota Public Employees Retirement System (NDPERS).
Gov. Doug Burgum signed House Bill 1540, which provides nearly $66 million to support child care services and help address a major barrier to workforce participation as North Dakota continues to face a severe workforce shortage.
Gov. Doug Burgum was joined by dozens of legislators, representatives of statewide farm commodity groups and state Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring for the signing of House Bill 1371, which modernizes North Dakota’s corporate farming law to encourage growth in the animal agriculture sector.
Gov. Doug Burgum, members of the 68th Legislative Assembly and State Tax Commissioner Brian Kroshus celebrated the signing of a major tax relief package that will provide a combined $515 million in savings for payers of state individual income tax and local property tax over the next two years.
Gov. Doug Burgum signed bipartisan legislation creating an Office of Legal Immigration within the North Dakota Department of Commerce to help businesses recruit and retain foreign labor and address the state’s workforce challenges.
Gov. Doug Burgum signed legislation that more than doubles funding for the state’s Agriculture Diversification and Development (ADD) Fund to provide grants for new or expanding value-added agriculture businesses as well as public infrastructure improvements to support such businesses.
The Northern Plains UAS Test Site (NPUASTS) is preparing to support statewide emergency response efforts following Gov. Doug Burgum’s emergency declaration for spring flooding.
Gov. Doug Burgum signed “Back the Blue” legislation enhancing retirement benefits for law enforcement and providing $3.5 million to help local agencies with workforce recruitment and retention, the latest in a string of bills designed to support active and retired peace officers in North Dakota and keep communities safe.
As part of ongoing efforts to address the state’s workforce challenges, Gov. Doug Burgum has signed legislation allowing state scholarship dollars for qualifying students to be used toward apprenticeship programs in North Dakota, along with two other bills aimed at supplying agricultural workers and helping formerly incarcerated individuals transition back into the workforce.
Gov. Doug Burgum on April 11 signed the last of five bills naming several bridges on North Dakota state highways in honor of military veterans. Signs will be placed along the highways designating the names of the bridges. The legislation allows the North Dakota Department of Transportation to accept any appropriate signs or funds donated to the department for the placement of signs.