Sen. Dick Dever , Bismarck

As a member of the ND Senate Appropriations Committee, I chair the sub-committee that manages the budget of the Department of Human Services. It is the largest budget in State government and provides a greater impact in the lives of more citizens than any other agency.

Understanding the budget requires an understanding of the services provided by the agency. It is not possible in our part-time citizen legislature to gain the knowledge and experience in three sessions to manage the budget in the fourth allowed by the term limits measure.

If the people of North Dakota are best served by informed legislators, it would be necessary to gain that knowledge and experience in the compressed time frame of six years. One way to do that would be to amend the Constitution to allow more legislative days and provide for annual sessions as in 46 other states. Another would be to provide for a more robust interim committee process. In most states, legislators have offices and staff to research issues and advise the legislators.

The Legislature functions best, and the people are best served, with a mixture of fresh ideas and experience, as is the case now.

If the term limits measure passes, nothing will change in Washington. Everything will change in North Dakota. Life is good in North Dakota, in large part because of good policy-making decisions made by the people you have elected to represent you.

The measure includes a provision that the Legislature cannot propose an amendment for you to reconsider the measure later, in conflict with Article IV, Section 16 of the Constitution. They are concerned that if you see the flaws in the measure after enactment you might vote to reverse it. You can preserve the right to reconsider by voting NO now.