Hello, NDU members!
The deadline to introduce new bills has passed and we now know what our road ahead looks like. There were nearly 1,000 bills submitted this session and ND United is monitoring upwards of 200. As the session progresses, we will be sending out action alerts to help elevate your voices in support of good legislation and to fight back against bad legislation. Together, we can pressure our lawmakers to make the right decision!
Didn’t catch our previous emails? Check our Issues and Action page to read about our priorities.
Learn
Vouchers
In House Bill 1532, Rep. Claire Cory (R, District 42) and other state legislators are asking that 24 million dollars be taken from the public education system and put into an education reimbursement program that funnels those dollars to private schools. Additionally, Senate Bill 2369 would exempt parents whose children attend non-public school or are homeschooled from paying property taxes, which takes money directly from public school systems. With a public education system already lacking in necessary resources, we cannot afford to lose funding to for-profit, private schools. Voucher schemes like these two bills also take critical resources out of rural schools and send them to private schools in bigger cities or across state borders. All around the country, vouchers have led to consolidation of rural schools. North Dakota United opposes this bill. Testimony for HB 1532 will be heard February 1st at 2:30 pm in front of the House Education Committee. Senate Bill 2369 will also be heard on February 1st at 9 am with the Senate Finance and Taxation Committee.
Pensions
Testimony for SB 2239, which would invest in North Dakota Public Employee Retirement System’s pension plan, was heard earlier today. North Dakota United President Nick Archuleta provided testimony in support along with nine others from various institutions across the state. No opposing testimony was presented. Stay tuned to our emails as the Senate State and Local Government Committee will soon decide on their recommendation before this bill heads to the Senate Assembly.
Free School Lunches
Our schools play an important role in ensuring every child has access to a healthy meal so they can continue to learn and grow. House Bill 1491 would provide lunch at no cost for all public school students in North Dakota, while HB 1494 would prohibit any form of school lunch shaming – like identifying which students are on reduced lunch programs or throwing food away if a child cannot afford it. North Dakota United supports these bills.
Act
Lobby Day at the Capitol – February 19th and 20th
Join your fellow NDU members for a day of action as we meet with legislators and make sure they know what matters to educators and public employees! We will meet at the Radisson Hotel Bismarck on February 19th to learn how to be a more effective advocate during the legislative session, then meet with legislators to make your voice heard on February 20th at the State Capitol. We’ll provide meals, hotel accommodations, and mileage reimbursement!
Learn more and register here: tinyurl.com/NDULobbyDay
Call for Written Testimony: HB 1329 – Changing the Lifetime Teaching Licensure Requirements
House Bill 1329 changes the lifetime teaching licensure requirements from 30 years of experience to 20 years in hopes of retaining devoted educators in North Dakota. If you’re an educator, we want to make sure the committee hears from you about how this bill would impact you. The deadline for written testimony on this bill is Tuesday, January 31st at 8 am. With our help, you can submit written testimony in less than 15 minutes. Reach out to Sarah Grossbauer at sarah.grossbauer@ndunited.org if you are interested!
Advocacy Training
Whether you have been involved for years or are interested in getting started for the first time, we will be providing advocacy trainings where members can learn more about the importance of their advocacy, how to get started, and some best practices. The same training will be provided every two weeks starting Tuesday, January 31st at 6pm, so choose the Tuesday that works best for you and you only need to attend once to get all the information!
Up Next …
Legislative Organizing Calls
Join us virtually on February 7th at 6pm for our legislative session organizing call, where we will review bills relating to our main priorities and talk about how you can make an impact on these issues. You’ll have the opportunity to meet the team working in the Capitol to represent you!
We’re monitoring bills that relate to our top priorities. Stay tuned to your email for Action Alerts as the session progresses, and head to our Bills of Interest page to stay informed on bills we’re monitoring.
If you have any questions, comments, ideas, etc. please contact me at ali.hoffman@ndunited.org.