North Dakota’s 69th Legislative Assembly was defined by results. In a session focused on delivering for our citizens, we prioritized tax relief, tax reform, rural infrastructure, education, agriculture, and healthcare — and we did it all while protecting the state’s long-term fiscal health.

Historic tax relief with fiscal responsibility

This year, we passed the largest property tax relief package in state history. With overwhelming bipartisan support, House Bill 1176 expanded the Primary Residence Property Tax Credit from $500 to up to $1,600 per household–delivering $409 million in relief to North Dakota residents. Renters and disabled veterans also saw expanded support. At the same time, we capped local government levy increases at 3% (unless voters approve a larger increase), ensuring lasting accountability.

Importantly, we did this without raising taxes or borrowing money. Instead, we will use earnings — not the principal — of the Legacy Fund. A newly established Legacy Earnings Fund directs a portion of those earnings toward tax relief and infrastructure, ensuring both immediate impact and long-term sustainability.

Rural investment,

economic development

We know rural communities often face the biggest challenges with the fewest resources. That’s why we expanded agriculture infrastructure grants to towns under 1,500 people and created new incentives for counties hosting large-scale livestock facilities (SB 2177). These efforts directly support the producers and local governments that feed and fuel our state.

We also made targeted investments in value-added agriculture, offering up to $30 million for new ag processing facilities (HB 1332) and supporting development of a large-scale milk processing plant (SB 2342) to revitalize North Dakota’s struggling dairy industry.

Education, workforce readiness

From pre-K to post-grad, we made major strides in education. We raised teacher pay and increased per-pupil funding. We passed HB 1497 to expand early learning opportunities and SB 2275 to support foreign language programs in young grades. We passed legislation restricting use of cell phones in our schools after analyzing overwhelming data that indicates students’ mental health and academic performance improve when cell phones are removed from the classroom (SB 2354). We also made school environments safer by requiring safety plans for sexual assault survivors and expanding access to counselors.

To prepare students for life beyond the classroom, we ensured financial literacy education is now a graduation requirement (HB 1533). And to attract and retain educators, we created signing bonuses for new teachers and streamlined the lifetime license process.

Healthcare,

behavioral health access

Mental health is a priority, and our budget reflects it. We funded $300 million for a modern replacement of the State Hospital in Jamestown and invested over $14 million to expand behavioral health bed capacity across the state. HB 1468 ensures long-term access to care in underserved regions, while HB 1199 established a Missing Indigenous Persons Task Force and Feather Alert System to improve public safety and justice.

Protecting landowners, strengthening resource policy

We passed key protections for landowners, from preserving the right to bait for hunting on private land (SB 2137) to requiring fair appraisals and legal cost coverage in oil and gas disputes (SB 2335). HB 1483 and HB 1279 support responsible energy development, including in new oil regions and through modernized coal conversion incentives. And with HB 1459, North Dakota is positioned for future growth in rare earth mineral development.

Transparency, good governance

We created a Cash Management Board to improve how we handle state funds and passed legislation to create a new public website that will list all Legacy Fund investments (HB 1319). A new legislative task force (HB 1442) will monitor government efficiency and recommend reforms to ensure your tax dollars are used wisely.

Conclusion

This session was about real solutions, not rhetoric. We balanced short-term needs with long-term planning. We made smart investments and protected taxpayer dollars. Most importantly, we kept our promise to deliver for the people of North Dakota.

There’s more work ahead, and we remain committed to building a stronger, more secure future for every North Dakotan.