2007 Session - A to Z
by
Christopher Dodson
Executive Director
North Dakota Catholic Conference
May 2007
The North Dakota Catholic Conference followed close to 200
bills and resolutions this last legislative session. Here
is a look at some of them:
Abortion:
North Dakota now has a law
prohibiting most abortions. It would go into effect when it
becomes constitutional. The abortion alternatives services
program became permanent. A bill to update the
state’s current abortion laws failed, as did an
immediate ban on abortion, and a bill to recognize the
unborn child as a legal person.
Charities:
Certain charities got
protection from high damage awards.
Deadly Force:
Law enforcement, states
attorneys, and the Catholic conference opposed an attempt
to greatly expand when a person can use deadly force. The
legislature subsequently removed most of the problematic
sections.
Defibrillators:
The legislature authorized
the purchase of automatic external defibrillators for
schools. Incredibly, some expressed opposition to giving
nonpublic schools this life-saving device.
Emergency
Shelter: Even
legislators who take a dim view on spending state funds on
new programs were moved by the testimony and evidence
presented on the need for temporary shelters in the state.
Faith-Based and
Community Initiatives: The legislature authorized this program
last session as part of the Governor’s office, but
gave it no money. This year, it was moved to the Department
of Commerce and given money.
Funerals:
A bill prohibiting disruption
of funerals easily passed and was among the first enacted
into law.
Health Care
Directives: People in
hospitals and nursing homes will no longer have to receive
additional counseling when appointing a health care agent.
Another new law allows a person to appoint an agent to
speak on his or her behalf, even if he or she is not
incapacitated.
Home Education:
A bill originally intended to
allow grandparents to home educate was changed to a bill
liked by very few. It failed. A proposal to provide tax
credits for the costs of home educating also failed.
HPV:
While other states considered
mandatory vaccines against the sexually transmitted human
papilloma virus, North Dakota opted to fund an education
program. Watch for it.
Human Rights:
Enforcement of the
state’s Human Rights Act now makes up the bulk of the
work now done by the Department of Labor. Nevertheless, a
second attempt to change the department’s name to the
Department of Labor and Human Rights failed.
Human Services:
The Department of Human
Services received a needed boost in funding, especially for
providers of health care to the poor and disabled. Some
feel, however, that the appropriation falls short of what
is needed to fulfill the state’s obligations to the
most needy.
Immigrants and
Driver’s Licenses: In order to comply with the federal Real
ID Act, the state put limits on the ability of immigrants
to obtain and keep driver’s licenses. A few weeks
later, the legislature passed a resolution urging Congress
to repeal the Real ID Act.
Marriage:
Lawmakers changed
state’s “cohabitation” law to reflect its
original purpose of preventing fraudulent marriage. Some
married couples will see a tax credit as part of an attempt
to address the “marriage penalty” in the tax
code. The legislature defeated a plan to give a discounted
marriage license to couples that have received premarital
counseling.
Minimum Wage:
The state minimum wage will
go up if the federal minimum wage goes up. Efforts to
immediately increase the state minimum wage failed.
Organ Donation:
The state adopted the Uniform
Anatomical Gift Act as part of a national effort to
increase organ donation.
Peace:
A resolution encouraging
peace in Iraq and Afghanistan and expressing support of the
troops received a spirited hearing with many citizens
attending.
Prison
Chaplains: For the
first time in recent history, the state expressly
authorized funding for full-time prison chaplains.
Right to
Organize: State and
local government employees are not allowed to organize and
collectively bargain in North Dakota – a right
considered fundamental in Church teaching. Lawmakers
refused to remedy this problem.
SCHIP:
The legislature authorized
expanding the state children’s health insurance
program if certain federal barriers can be overcome.
Suicide:
Insurance companies can no
longer deny health care coverage solely because the
injuries were the result of self-infliction or attempted
suicide. Recognizing the serious problem of suicide among
youth, the legislature authorized an interim study on
identifying students at risk of suicide and developing
needed programs.
Tuition Tax
Credits: The
legislature again turned down a proposal to provide some
financial relief to parents with children in nonpublic
schools.
* * * * *
For the last two and one-half years, Kathryn Grafsgaard has
served as the conference’s health care advocate and
associate director. Kathy leaves the conference this month
to be closer to her family and to pursue new endeavors. She
will be missed.
