LEGISLATIVE NEWSLETTER

May 21, 2013

63rd Legislative Session Ends

This final Legislative Newsletter includes a summary of major bills that impact education. For a complete list of bills tracked by NDSBA use the Bill Tracking link at the top of the page.

House Bill 1013 is the Department of Public Instruction budget and includes changes to the weighted average daily membership multiplying factor and how state aid is determined. Please review the provisions of HB1013 carefully to determine how its 68 sections impact your school district.

House Bill 1028 amends concussion management program requirements.

House Bill 1052 makes changes to the notice required as part of a workforce safety and insurance preferred provider program.

House Bill 1058 relates to benefit coverage and health benefits credit for retired employees not eligible for Medicare and retired employees eligible for Medicare under the uniform group insurance program.

House Bill 1059 relates to withdrawal of a political subdivision from the uniform group insurance program, the definition of an eligible employee, payment of the cost of uniform group insurance premiums for temporary employees, and the health savings account option offered to political subdivisions as part of the high-deductible health plan alternative under the uniform group insurance program.

House Bill 1092 creates a provision relating to licensing out-of-state audiologists and speech-language pathologists and amends the licensure requirements for audiologists and speech-language pathologists.

House Bill 1111 amends the law regarding prohibition of noncharging of unemployment compensation benefits attributable to the accounts of base period employers.

House Bill 1132 requires a legislative management study of the feasibility and desirability of making political subdivision budget information accessible on the state budget database website and finding better ways to inform taxpayers regarding political subdivision budget or levy deliberations.

House Bill 1146 amends requirements of a reorganization plan as it relates to a general fund mill levy and amends evidentiary requirements for an annexation, reorganization, or dissolution proceeding hearing.

House Bill 1194 creates provisions in law for short-term care insurance.

House Bill 1228 provides an appropriation to the department of career and technical education to provide science, technology, engineering, and mathematics advancement grants.

House Bill 1230 requires that contributions currently in law for TFFR will continue to be paid until the plan reaches 100 percent funded ratio (an increase from 90 percent).

House Bill 1261 appropriates $13.6 million for rapid enrollment grants, of which $6.8 million can be used during the first year of the biennium.

House Bill 1268 requires that a school district include information in its driver education curriculum regarding the manner in which a student obtaining a driver's license may make anatomical gifts.

House Bill 1270 creates a new provision in law that provides for fair competition in governmental construction.

House Bill 1276 allows a school board or nonpublic school to establish a program for providing medication to students.

House Bill 1286 requires a majority vote of the qualified electors of a school district before a school board can use a building authority for a project with total cost of $4 million or more.

House Bill 1293 removes the sunset date for the interstate compact on educational opportunity for military children.

House Bill 1301 removes the sunset date for the reimbursement of school districts for boarding care costs.

House Bill 1320 adds electronic communication to the harassment statute.

House Bill 1321 increases the penalty for overtaking a school bus.

House Bill 1332 requires voters to show identification when voting that includes the individual’s residential address and date of birth.

House Bill 1361 requires school boards to designate one or more polling places for each precinct at least 35 days prior to the annual election.

House Bill 1401 amends the date for canvassing of a school board election to the sixth day after the election.

House Bill 1429 and Senate Bill 2229 allow a board to use local tax revenues for approved early childhood education programs.

House Bill 1452 amends the PERS payment contributions to an additional increase of one percent, beginning with the monthly reporting period of January 2014.

Senate Bill 2036 states that for the taxable year 2013 only, for purposes of determining the zero increase number of mills for a school district, the amount of property tax revenue from the property tax levy in the 2012 taxable year must be recalculated by reducing the 2012 mill rate of the school district by the lesser of fifty mills; or the 2012 general fund mill rate of the school district minus sixty mills. The bill appropriates $200 million to the state treasurer for state-paid property tax relief credits.

Senate Bill 2040 amends the commercial driver’s license qualification standards.

Senate Bill 2061 amends provisions of the Teachers’ Fund for Retirement chapter of law.

Senate Bill 2080 amends portions of the workforce safety and insurance law. Amendments relate to premium payments, penalties for failure to secure coverage, assignment of claims, and volunteer health practitioner benefits.

Senate Bill 2088 amends qualification and examination requirements for athletic trainers.

Senate Bill 2102 changes requirements for annual administration of state academic achievement tests. Reading and mathematics tests must be administered in at least one grade level selected from nine through eleven instead of grade eleven only. Science tests must be administered in at least one grade level selected from ten and eleven instead of grade eleven only.

Senate Bill 2129 requires that all new construction projects meet current federal Americans with Disabilities Act standards for accessible design. Any newly constructed building in excess of 7,500 square feet must include an automatic door at the primary entrance.

Senate Bill 2214 creates a new section of law relating to transition payments for isolated school districts.

Senate Bill 2216 amends the law relating to causes of vacancy for school board positions to reference the reasons listed in NDCC 44-02-01 that are used for other elected officials.

Senate Bill 2238 appropriates $450,000 to the superintendent of public instruction for reimbursing school districts for CPR training to students.

Senate Bill 2247 amends the section of law relating to limitations on employer withholdings.

Senate Bill 2267 appropriates $3 million to the superintendent of public instruction to award safety grants to eligible school districts.

Senate Bill 2270 amends publication requirements for advertisements for bids for public improvement contracts.

Senate Bill 2306 provides for two hours of annual professional development relating to youth suicide prevention for middle and high school teachers.

Senate Bill 2320 requires law enforcement to release any relevant and necessary information on file to the superintendent or principal of the school attended by a juvenile who has been adjudicated delinquent and required or ordered to register as a sexual offender or as an offender against a child.

Senate Bill 2329 creates an exemption for the standardize achievement test requirements for students who are home schooled.

Senate Bill 2337 eliminates statutory references to basic health benefit plans and standard health benefit plans.

Senate Bill 2374 amends requirements for school district election and recall filing.

Everyone has access to bill topics and texts, hearing schedules, and bill status reports at the Legislature’s Web site. NDSBA’s Web site includes this weekly Legislative Newsletter, hearing schedules for the upcoming week, and the list of bills NDSBA is tracking. Updated information will be posted Thursday or Friday each week depending on when information becomes available.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

ND State Web site: www.nd.gov

ND Legislative Information Web site: www.legis.nd.gov

Legislature Toll Free # 1-888-635-3447

Bismarck Legislative # 328-3373