House advances package of Senate bills on cottage foods, tax disclosures, PERS and agriculture checkoffs

The North Dakota House of Representatives on final consideration approved a package of Senate bills addressing cottage‑food sales, tax‑incentive disclosures, public‑employee retirement rules, agriculture checkoffs and other administrative changes. Roll calls on the major measures produced wide margins on many bills and closer votes on several agriculture and local transparency items.

Why it matters: The votes change where small food businesses may sell, alter what tax‑incentive data the Legislature can request, update multiple provisions of the state public‑employee retirement system, and increase industry checkoffs that fund commodity programs. Collectively the measures affect small businesses, local governments, and state agency operations.

Senate Bill 23‑86 (cottage foods): Representative Rios, carrying the bill for the House Agriculture Committee, described the measure as removing restrictions on interstate and online cottage‑food sales that had been excluded from the original 2017 law. "The North Dakota Cottage Food Act of 02/2017 was a great thing," Rios said, and the bill would allow producers to sell across state lines and over the internet. The House recorded 90 yeas and 1 nay; the bill was declared passed and the emergency clause carried.

Senate Bill 23‑38 (tax‑incentive data disclosure): Representative Hager, carrying the bill for the Finance and Taxation Committee, said the measure clarifies what qualifies as a tax incentive and restores a process for the Tax Commissioner to provide data to the Legislature. Committee members and floor speakers discussed statutory limits on disclosing names when an incentive affects five or fewer taxpayers; Representative Hager and…