[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6114624,"mediaKeyId","2742615-41492728ca79c3d6d903a84d4c880a73","parentId",2742615,"title","Senate committee considers $3.5 million ‘Back the Blue’ continuation to aid recruitment and retention of local officers","audioSeconds",3448,"startMs",7171000,"endMs",10619000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2742615-41492728ca79c3d6d903a84d4c880a73&start=7171&end=10619","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2742615-41492728ca79c3d6d903a84d4c880a73/thumbnail_7171000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6114624/North-Dakota/Senate-committee-considers-35-million-Back-the-Blue-continuation-to-aid-recruitment-and-retention-of-local-officers","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6114624-67e994b2453d7a3c419356b0a65defd5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771194505&Signature=WClEm4Nmh8kcdYKLNtKQ4Sw0Zk7-5sVjXOBNZFbsyU9sJQIfMIMjwVkCC3OpyDiEZiHym7McEt7wNsIW60qCrDY0yQckNirTL23z3xWBFVjFVxh~N~cbgEUb-0SscBqB2o7MEJepLqQVkfXHLV3ywXWTNRj6EL4iXwQeuCblFgQVW7ehrjSO2nBJrhBU-m2TKf9Lh6f5NFFo2TG~VdrKxTQM02wPU0i1-WI3IYkgcmU0spTOSbrYagAbPrK3HHwlUFVqO2uelU4zywhp0FE6LJVnZx4e2NxI8gX~CbKicBrvFzA6jGQNJewkNn3Oy1jkua5Dhw0bYHOCgS9JM7-YKw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","North Dakota State Legislature","date","2025-03-21T00:00:00Z","article","The Senate Workforce Development Committee heard testimony on House Bill 1193, a $3.5 million appropriation to continue a grant program that distributes funds to local law enforcement and county correctional facilities for recruitment, retention and training.

Representative Steve Vetter, sponsor of the measure, said his preferred amendment would focus on retention by providing higher, targeted bonuses to officers who remain at the same agency for four years or more. \"Our good and experienced police know their neighborhoods and know who the bad guys are,\" Vetter said, arguing a retention‑focused pilot for smaller agencies would prevent poaching and preserve community policing.

County and local law enforcement representatives told the committee the program had been useful. Danelle Presky, executive director of the North Dakota Association of Counties and executive director of the North Dakota Sheriffs and Deputies Association, said a recent survey of participating counties found the prior Back the Blue grants went to 2,197 officers and that 70 percent of responding agencies rated the program’s effectiveness at a 7 or higher on a 10‑point scale. She said 93 percent of respondents used funds for retention; some counties supplemented grant money with local funds to increase incentive amounts.

John Nelson, who sits on Appropriations and represents Rugby, said the program helps counties that are housing state‑sentenced inmates under contract and struggling to attract correctional staff in rural areas. Chiefs and sheriffs told the committee they used the flexibility in the earlier grants for a mix of recruitment and retention efforts and that smaller departments found the extra per‑officer dollars especially meaningful.

Questions from senators focused on program design: whether local matching should be required; the choice between an across‑the‑board appreciation payment versus targeted retention bonuses; and how to measure whether the money produced lasting retention rather than short‑term boosts. Representative Vetter said he favors a pilot targeting smaller agencies within the existing $3.5 million appropriation and suggested the program could be expanded if metrics showed the approach preserved staffing and reduced downstream criminal‑justice costs.

The Office of the Attorney General’s finance director told the committee the current bill mirrors last session’s appropriation and raised an administrative concern: if the sponsor’s amendment created multi‑year payout obligations, the AG’s office would need to model year‑by‑year distributions carefully to avoid underspending in a later year.

No committee vote was recorded in the hearing transcript. The hearing record shows broad local law enforcement support for continued state assistance, with questions remaining about whether to prioritize retention bonuses, require local matching, or keep the simpler per‑officer distributions used in the prior program.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Workforce Development Friday, Mar 21, 2025 8:57 AM - 11:56 AM","oneSentenceSummary","Members heard testimony supporting continuation of a $3.5 million appropriation for recruitment and retention grants to local law enforcement and regional correctional facilities; supporters said the program helps keep officers in rural communities, while some senators asked about program design, matching funds and measurable retention outcomes.","taxTitle","Workforce Development, Senate, Legislative, North Dakota","taxId",28910,"location","North Dakota","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6114629,"Immigration enforcement bill prompts legal and practical concerns; committee to study next steps",527,5144000,5671000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2742615-41492728ca79c3d6d903a84d4c880a73&start=5144&end=5671","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2742615-41492728ca79c3d6d903a84d4c880a73/thumbnail_5144000.jpg","/articles/6114629/North-Dakota/Immigration-enforcement-bill-prompts-legal-and-practical-concerns-committee-to-study-next-steps","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6114629-a65864492b1dd266bcde89f8546b2329/orig.mp4?Expires=1771194505&Signature=S64-y711aV6akG9DbRmwCJdWB61DV6yIThZYaxTeNT0Td4M0Hh~L-PHzYsrMji3zeLabfMPE3qTPOZWTYcwstk6xrbBQ5t-Ic3gmp1S9nTZXpxwDqBChZFGgcR6JSFAEk0orS0LIFFNskZiGSVAwg6ykGYL73EeLGKwi1VsEX29WGPfihMcXDY2nCefUfLMfb4fmfs33Vm5Ppk-aznKARnNMpXOdO~vv3BgRLShb4WZoUTkI3I46qu9yDHCEXFQkVeVrY8M-epMuxqY52CI3Juht~T3d65f~~3N9ZAZGK5W4kSfnElEWak1C0-MfBTZUzYtJczgUxk-38Vmn1LJSrA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate lawmakers opened a hearing on House Bill 1291, which would prohibit employment of unauthorized workers and impose penalties, and quickly heard legal warnings that much of the proposal would be preempted by federal immigration law.

Representative Matt Heilman, sponsor of the bill, said he met with the attorney general and secretary of state and plans to convert the measure into a study to resolve complex logistical and legal questions. \"There’s just a lot of logistical questions that need to be answered,\" Heilman said.

Immigration attorneys who testified said federal I‑9 enforcement, national case law and administrative processes limit what a state may do. Sue Swanson, an immigration attorney from Grand Forks, told the committee that I‑9 auditing and enforcement are federal processes typically handled by ICE, the Department of Justice’s Office of the Principal Legal Advisor and federal administrative law judges. \"The state cannot conduct a state investigation without the federal,\" Swanson said, warning that a state enforcement scheme would require hiring auditors and lawyers and could expose the state to litigation should the state itself become a defendant.

Anna Marie Stinson, also an attorney with immigration practice experience, warned that the bill would send a countervailing message to workers and employers at a time when North Dakota is recruiting legally authorized workers under special programs. She said the bill appears vulnerable to federal preemption under the Immigration and Nationality Act and noted the Supreme Court decision in Chamber of Commerce v. Whiting (2011) limits state authority to sanction employers except through licensing schemes.

Witnesses highlighted additional practical issues: errors are common on I‑9 forms even for compliant employers; federal I‑9 investigations can be resource‑intensive, and settlements and litigation costs can be high. Swanson described scenarios in which an employee’s work authorization changes after hire and said strict liability elements of I‑9 compliance can expose employers to heavy penalties even when they initially acted in good faith.

The sponsor told the committee he had no intention of rushing enforcement language and would work with the attorney general and secretary of state to craft study language; he asked for committee feedback on the scope of that study. After testimony, the committee closed the hearing on HB 1291; the sponsor said he would circulate amendment language for a study and continue discussions with the AG’s office and other stakeholders.

No formal committee vote or new statutory language was adopted during the hearing; legal witnesses urged caution, recommended consulting federal authorities, and flagged potential costs and civil‑rights and discrimination risks if a state enforcement mechanism were adopted.","House Bill 1291, proposing penalties for employment of unauthorized workers, prompted lawyers and immigration experts to warn the Senate Workforce Development Committee that state enforcement would be largely preempted by federal law and could impose heavy costs and legal exposure; sponsor said he intends to turn the measure into a study.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6114633,"Senate committee hears divided testimony on bill to allow ‘compressed’ degrees for high‑demand jobs",4890,206000,5096000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2742615-41492728ca79c3d6d903a84d4c880a73&start=206&end=5096","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2742615-41492728ca79c3d6d903a84d4c880a73/thumbnail_206000.jpg","/articles/6114633/North-Dakota/Senate-committee-hears-divided-testimony-on-bill-to-allow-compressed-degrees-for-highdemand-jobs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6114633-bdf8b29a596f24da9d986213bc7d94d4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771194505&Signature=gXrJs-karbNq5YIhKeNLZxxIaC0gVCiMTr6TH9GTSL0xJso-BEwpOr3bHM~RYaJ5Rlocqg0PGyoeAfRJdg-3pC~Ab7mhD1tWKq5Fo84t2Q2Rt0faSPEFzR2WMfa3ohUgb9fwxtbOR6kj~8WldpUGVkzIH9Y8vbzfx~EpvXklY2G2WZnwIsfJf6phlVdcFYn6w4gGgnwMIwdVv1rqXkC6ZcU9aFjfbSr4udldZN-D30dhDeCkIrqemavCzVkVLB19eMgrt65db43EfF3PA5RbA7Jf7gnsmdHK9TSowN9gfD4fe~oJdoL8xKE-sXDH10ouAWT7nDv2SGNdw2MQ9pRshw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Bill 1220, which would let colleges offer optional “compressed” bachelor’s degrees for designated high‑demand occupations, drew lengthy testimony and sharply divided views at a Senate Workforce Development Committee hearing.

Proponents, including the bill sponsor Representative Mike Machenbacher, the Greater North Dakota Chamber and the North Dakota Long Term Care Association, said the proposal would let industry, colleges and licensing boards jointly design narrower degree pathways to get graduates into jobs faster and with less debt. \"This is completely optional,\" Machenbacher said, adding the bill would include student protections so programs already enrolled would be allowed to finish. Eric Spencer, president and CEO of the Greater North Dakota Chamber, told the committee the idea merited exploration because employers report widespread hiring difficulty.

Opponents — including the North Dakota State Board of Dental Examiners, the North Dakota Board of Medicine, nursing educators and the state’s largest teacher union — said the bill as written could undermine licensure, reduce degree portability and risk public safety in regulated fields. \"Creating accelerated degrees in the field of education will undermine the quality of teacher preparation programs,\" Nick Archuleta, president of North Dakota United, told the committee. David Scheibley, executive director of the State Board of Dental Examiners, said dentistry and dental hygiene require CODA‑accredited programs and national exams; a reduced‑credit program would prevent graduates from taking the national exam and therefore from being licensed in other states.

Committee witnesses described the bill’s main features and protections: it would be permissive (institutions and occupational boards would not be required to participate), exclude general education credits from the compressed curricula as a likely mechanism for reducing overall credits, require student protections (so enrolled students could complete the program), and allow the State Board of Higher Education to adopt implementing rules. Machenbacher said the phrase “compressed degree” better describes the proposal than “accelerated degree,” because the plan reduces total credits rather than merely speeding time to degree completion.

University system and accreditors cautioned that reduced‑credit bachelor’s degrees raise complex accreditation, transfer and licensure issues. Lisa Johnson, vice chancellor for academic and student affairs for the North Dakota University System, noted recent guidance from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and said HLC expects institutions to address transfer pathways, graduate‑school access and licensure implications when reducing credit requirements. She said existing accelerated pathways already used by North Dakota institutions keep the full general education requirement (36 semester hours) and that the HLC guidance on reduced‑credit degrees is new and still being digested.

Health‑care speakers emphasized downstream effects. Dr. Billy Madler, associate dean of nursing at the University of Mary, cited research linking higher proportions of bachelor‑prepared nurses to better patient outcomes and warned that removing or diminishing general education requirements could harm patient safety and reimbursement. The Board of Medicine and medical and PA programs told the committee that bachelor’s prerequisites and national accreditation requirements mean an abridged bachelor’s could leave students ineligible for graduate‑level health professional programs.

Several witnesses suggested narrower, field‑by‑field approaches and stronger roles for occupational or professional boards in approving any compressed program. Scheibley asked for a specific approval role for licensing boards; the board of dentistry’s testimony recommended carve‑outs if the committee moved forward so professional mobility and national exam eligibility would not be unintentionally harmed.

The committee took public testimony from students and campus leaders who warned employers value general education skills — critical thinking, communication and adaptability — and questioned whether compressed degrees would meet employer expectations over a full career. Connor Ferguson, student body president at the University of North Dakota, said shortening the bachelor’s could remove workplace‑valued skills and observed that throughput (the number of graduates produced statewide) would not increase without greater input into the system.

No final vote or committee action was recorded during the hearing; the bill sponsor said he planned to offer clarifying amendments and had already circulated materials to the committee.

The committee recessed the hearing after extensive testimony and moved to the next agenda item. The record shows strong support from parts of business and some healthcare employers for experimental or optional pathways, and equally strong opposition from licensure boards, nursing and medical educators and teachers’ unions concerned about public protection and graduate‑school eligibility.

Looking ahead, witnesses urged careful, occupation‑specific design, early coordination with licensing boards and accreditors, and close attention to HLC guidance so that any pilot or program does not unintentionally leave graduates ineligible for licensure or for work outside North Dakota.","Lawmakers and stakeholders debated House Bill 1220, which would allow optional reduced‑credit bachelor’s programs for designated high‑demand occupations; supporters said it could speed workforce entry and reduce student debt, while educators, licensing boards and unions warned of licensure, accreditation and quality risks.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senate committee considers $3.5 million ‘Back the Blue’ continuation to aid recruitment and retention of local officers

Immigration enforcement bill prompts legal and practical concerns; committee to study next steps

Senate committee hears divided testimony on bill to allow ‘compressed’ degrees for high‑demand jobs