North Dakota Legislative Wrap-up -- North Dakota Council on Information Technology

61st Legislative Session Comes to an End



The 61st Legislative Session concluded Monday, May 4, its 79th day. The 2009 session went down in history as the longest and the only to extend into May. Overall highlights of 2009 legislation are available here.



Below are brief summaries of the key bills monitored by ITCND this session. If you have in-depth questions on any of the legislation, feel free to contact Deana at 701-355-4458 or office@itcnd.org.



2009 Legislative Agenda and Bill Review



Encourage state procurement opportunities for North Dakota IT providers.


SB 2021 – Support

This bill is the North Dakota Information Technology Department’s (ITD) appropriation. It includes a section requiring ITD to report to the Interim IT Committee on outsourcing activities.

Status: Passed



Support IT entrepreneurial, venture capital and financing programs.


SB 2018 – Support
SB 2018 is the North Dakota Department of Commerce appropriation. It includes:

· $400,000 in general funds and $100,000 in special funds for Innovate ND. This is a $200,000 increase over the previous biennium and $150,000 over the Governor’s budget.

· $1 million to establish a new technology-based entrepreneurship grant program.

· $20 million for Centers of Excellence awards with $5 million of this amount contingent on the state exceeding the legislative budget projections in December of 2009. During the previous two legislative sessions, the state contributed $20 million for this program during the 2005-2007 and 2007-2009 biennia.

Status: Passed



Support taxation policies that encourage investment in IT equipment, staff and infrastructure.


a. Continued support for the maintenance and expansion of the corporate income tax credit for research and experimental expenditures.


SB 2040 – Support

SB 2040 provides a sales and use tax exemption for new or replacement equipment used for telecommunications infrastructure development.

Status: Passed



SB 2269 – Support

SB 2269 builds on the angel fund investment income tax credit that was established during the 2007 session. The tax credit provides an incentive for pools of investors, or angel funds, to invest in high risk economic development projects, which may include IT entrepreneurial ventures. The bill provides further definition of the composition of an angel fund to guard against potential abuse of the credit by investors.

Status: Passed



Continue to support higher ed and K-12 funding, especially as it pertains to IT curriculum and research.


a. Including the higher ed roundtable efforts.


SB 2003 – Support

SB 2003 is the North Dakota University System's appropriation bill. The bill provides for a new STEM loan forgiveness program that expands the existing technology loan forgiveness program to include recipients in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). This legislation also increases the amount and duration of availability for recipients from $1,000 for three years to $1,500 for up to four years for a total of $6,000 per recipient. Estimated new slots available in 2009-11 for the STEM loan forgiveness program are 125-175 per year.

Status: Passed



SB 2019 – Support

SB 2019 is the ND Department of Career and Technical Education (CTE) appropriation. It includes:

· $2.2 million for virtual area career centers, which offer IT courses to students who previously did not have access to them, and at least two credits of IT coursework to all students in member schools. This appropriation includes $1 million of new funding. The Governor’s budget recommended $2 million.

· $1.9 million of new money for program reimbursements to schools for equipment and staffing for CTE courses, including IT courses. These dollars provide an incentive for additional schools to add CTE courses, including IT, to their curriculum. The Governor’s budget recommended $1.8 million.

· $3 million for the workforce training system. The Governor’s budget recommended $3.3 million, of which $300,000 was new money.

Status: Passed



SB 2021 – Support

This bill is ITD’s appropriation. It includes $1.8 million for increased bandwidth and replacement infrastructure for internet and video conferencing for K-12 schools. This is consistent Governor’s budget recommendation.

Status: Passed



Support investment in technology-based workforce training and development programs.


SB 2110 – Support

SB 2110 expands the Operation Intern program to include apprenticeships and participation from 11th and 12th graders. The Operation Intern program provides participating companies matching funds of up to $3,000 per student intern per year. Prior to this legislation, the program was only available for postsecondary interns. SB 2018, the North Dakota Department of Commerce appropriation, contains $900,000 million (an increase of $300,000 from 2007-09) for the program.

Status: Passed



SB 2016 – Support

This bill is the Job Service North Dakota appropriation. It includes $1.5 million for Workforce 20/20, authorization of $200,000 in federal fiscal stimulus funds for the spidering program and authorization for New Jobs Training.

Status: Passed



SB 2018 – Support
SB 2018 is the North Dakota Department of Commerce appropriation. It includes:

$900,000 for Operation Intern, which provides matching funds for businesses in target industries to establish new internships. This is an increase of $300,000 from 2007-2009. The Governor’s budget included $1.2 million, and the 2007-2008 interim Workforce Committee recommended a bill to provide additional funding for the Operation Intern. The program was expanded to include apprenticeships and 11th and 12th graders as participants.
$1 million for the Workforce Enhancement Grant Program to assist target industry employers with training needs. This is $1 million less than the 2007-2009 budget and the Governor’s recommendation.
Status: Passed



SB 2021 – Support

This bill is ITD’s appropriation. It includes $2.4 million ($200,000 from general fund, $2.2 million from federal stimulus funds) for the statewide longitudinal data system, which will allow consistent student data to be collected and tracked from secondary education to postsecondary to industry. It also includes a contingency clause allowing ITD to use $2.2 million in general funds if stimulus funds are unavailable. The Governor budget recommended $2.2 million.

Status: Passed



Support the expansion of wireless data coverage across the state.


SB 2040 – Support

SB 2040 provides a sales and use tax exemption for new or replacement equipment used for telecommunications infrastructure development.

Status: Passed



For More Information



Copies of bill drafts and information about the 61st Legislative Session can be found at the Bills and Resolutions link on the North Dakota Legislative Council website at www.legis.nd.gov/.



How to Contact Your Legislators



After the legislative session, a legislator can be reached by mail or e-mail at the address listed in the legislator's bio online under the 61st Legislative Assembly link at www.legis.nd.gov/assembly/61-2009.