MEASURE

N.D. measures that missed ballot deadline still OK

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Secretary of State Al Jaeger says eight North Dakota ballot initiatives could still make the statewide ballot, even though they'll miss the November election.

August 05, 2010

Measure to abolish N.D. property taxes approved

Supporters of abolishing North Dakota property taxes may begin gathering petition signatures to put the idea on the ballot.

March 30, 2010

Other views: Proposed measure won’t work

We understand the feeling behind a proposed ballot measure that would require North Dakota lawmakers to promise to read a bill before they vote on it. Voters are tired of hearing stories true or not of legislators voting for or against bills even though they don’t know what’s actually in the bill. And while we’re not naive enough to think it doesn’t happen, we also don’t think it’s a widespread problem in the North Dakota Legislature. We agree with the measure’s supporters that lawmakers should read all legislation before they vote on it. But we wonder about the real-life effects of the measure should it ever be approved.

By Minot Daily News , March 23, 2010

Jobless aid measure clears Senate hurdle

Legislation to give additional months of unemployment benefits to people who have been out of a job for more than half a year cleared a key hurdle Tuesday that guarantees it will soon pass the Senate. The sweeping bill also would prevent doctors from absorbing a crippling cut in Medicare payments and extends health insurance subsidies for the unemployed through December. It would add $132 billion to the budget deficit over the next year and a half.

March 10, 2010

Lawmakers may need to read, post bills

A proposed ballot measure would require North Dakota lawmakers to read bills before they vote to approve them — a promise their colleagues in other states are not obliged to make. The initiative, submitted Tuesday to Secretary of State Al Jaeger for review, also says lawmakers must post the text of legislation on the Internet for at least four days before the bill comes up for a vote.

By By Dale Wetzel, The Associated Press , March 10, 2010

Measure: Leaders must read all bills

A proposed North Dakota ballot measure that requires state lawmakers to read bills before they vote on them will be turned in to the secretary of state on Tuesday. Jerrol LeBaron has been promoting the measure, and he said retired Bismarck businessman Dave Wolfer has agreed to be chairman of the initiative’s sponsoring committee.

March 09, 2010

Measure requires lawmakers to swear they’ve read bills

A proposed ballot initiative would require North Dakota lawmakers to swear they have read and understood any bill they intend to support, and attest that they haven’t been influenced by bribes or vote trading. The measure, proposed by Jerrol LeBaron of California, also would delay a final vote on any bill in the North Dakota Legislature until it had been posted on the Internet for at least four days.

By By Dale Wetzel, The Associated Press , February 10, 2010

Allowing youngsters as young as 12 to hunt with an adult and offering a supervised chance to hunt without sitting through a safety course should help interest more people in going afield, legislators say. “We are now not going to be the most restrictive state in the Union when it comes to youth hunting,” said Rep. Todd Porter, R-Mandan. “This bill is a huge recruitment tool.”

By By Dale Wetzel, The Associated Press , April 28, 2009

Quiet zone election set

The Jamestown City Council voted unanimously Monday to set April 7 as the date for a special election on the quiet zone. City Administrator Jeff Fuchs said it’s been four years since the city last held a special election. Absentee ballots must now be made available 40 days before the election, he said, not 20 days as it used to be. Given the absentee ballot situation, the Civic Center also does not have an open Tuesday until April 7. It’s also the last possible date to hold an election within the 90-day limit imposed by the verification of the petition.

February 03, 2009

Measure 4 affects some WSI bills

Acting on bills affecting the state workers’ compensation agency is a bit more complicated this session now that North Dakota voters have just given jurisdiction back to the governor, legislators and a labor leader said Wednesday.

By By Janell Cole, N.D. Capitol Bureau , January 08, 2009

Tie vote kills measure to combine special-education units

In a tie vote, the Jamestown Public School Board voted against joining its special education unit with seven rural districts at a special meeting this evening. Had it passed, the proposed unit, called the James River Special Education Cooperative, would have consisted of Jamestown Public Schools as well as Medina, Montpelier, Edgeley, Ellendale, Kulm, LaMoure and Litchville-Marion school districts.

December 11, 2008

Measure puts more money into anti-tobacco programs

Arguments about a ballot measure that would devote more state money to anti-tobacco programs go deeper than dollars. Supporters believe the measure will promote savings on health care costs while opponents say the extra cash will never be enough.

By Blake Nicholson , October 28, 2008

WSI measure | Measure 4 would give governor power to hire WSI director

Advocates for injured workers say an initiative that gives the governor power to hire North Dakota’s workers compensation director is only one of many changes needed in the system.

By Dave Kolpack , October 28, 2008

Lawmaker questions effect of tobacco measure

North Dakota’s House majority leader has requested a legal opinion about whether a proposed ballot measure would give a federal agency power to dictate state spending on anti-tobacco efforts.

By Dale Wetzel , October 11, 2008

Jaeger OKs WSI vote for November ballot

BISMARCK — Voters will have their say about the leadership of the state’s workers compensation agency.

By Janell Cole , September 08, 2008