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House approves modest increase to livestock brand recording fee to restore program stability
Summary
The House gave final passage to Senate Bill 2139, raising the livestock brand recording fee from $25 to $50 for five years; sponsors said the program receives no state funding and needs the increase to remain solvent. The bill passed 86-7.
The North Dakota House on Tuesday approved Senate Bill 2139, legislation to raise the livestock brand recording fee from $25 per five years to $50 per five years, by a vote of 86 yea, 7 nay.
Representative Hawley, speaking as the bill sponsor on the floor, told members the brand-recording program "has not seen a fee adjustment in 22 years" and described the fee as "the cheapest form of insurance a rancher can buy for just $10 a year." Hawley said North Dakota has about 20,000 registered brands that renew at the same time, leaving revenue concentrated in a single five-year wave and creating lean years in between. "Salaries and postage materials and processing expenses have outpaced the outdated $25 fees," Hawley said, and the modest increase to $10 per year would still leave North Dakota among jurisdictions with low brand registration fees.
The Agriculture Committee reported the bill with a due-pass recommendation (13 ayes, 1 nay). Committee discussion emphasized that the brand office operates entirely on fees and receives no state funding, so the increase is designed to keep the program solvent and able to provide services such as tracking stolen livestock.
Final vote and effect: Senate Bill 2139 passed the House, 86-7. The bill returns to the Senate as required by the legislative process; if enrolled and signed by the governor it will increase the five-year brand recording fee to $50.
Vote: Senate Bill 2139 — final passage in the House, 86 yea, 7 nay.
