North Dakota House passes budget, health and infrastructure measures; vaccine exemption and oil‑spill study fail

The North Dakota House of Representatives on Feb. 20, 2025, passed a series of bills covering appropriations, public‑health directives and infrastructure policy while rejecting several high‑profile measures, including a proposed vaccine‑exemption statute and a requested study of oil and chemical spills on state highways within the Fort Berthold Reservation.

The session produced decisive votes on multiple items: House Bill 10‑38, setting up a state radar data agreement, passed 84‑3; House Bill 11‑14, capping out‑of‑pocket costs for covered insulin and related supplies for plans to which the bill applies, passed 59‑27; a concurrent resolution urging regional grid operators to address market failures (HCR 30‑15) passed 87‑0. By contrast, House Bill 14‑57, a proposed new exemption to required vaccines, failed 45‑42, and House Bill 16‑11, a request for a legislative study of oil and chemical spills on state highways on the Fort Berthold Reservation, failed 24‑62.

Why it matters: the package advances state spending priorities and several policies with immediate operational effects — including an appropriation to acquire federal radar data to support beyond‑visual‑line‑of‑sight unmanned aircraft operations, and statutory changes affecting landlords, school practices and foster‑care providers. At the same time, the House declined proposals that would have created new data‑tracking requirements tied to vaccinations or funded a state‑led study of spills affecting tribal lands.

Debates and key statements Representative Hendricks, speaking during debate on House Bill 14‑57 (vaccine exemption), framed the measure as “another avenue for exemption” for people who have concerns about vaccines that, in their view, “have not gone through the same rigorous scientific testing.” Representative Murphy countered on the floor: “If you go to the FDA website and you look at the rigor of clinical trials for vaccinations, they are equal to any other pharmaceutical,” and urged colleagues to vote no on the bill. After reconsideration and final roll call, HB 14‑57 was declared failed (45‑42).

On House Bill 10‑38, Representative Viggasaw explained that the Senate removed the $15 million drone replacement section and left the provision creating authority for the state to acquire federal radar data for a Pathfinder program; the bill passed 84‑3 with the emergency clause.

Representative McLeod, during debate on House Bill 11‑14 (insulin and supplies coverage), urged passage on humanitarian and cost‑control grounds, citing federal analyses of historic insulin price increases and an actuarial estimate that extending covered caps to the commercial market would have a low per‑member cost. The House approved HB 11‑14, 59‑27.

Representative Finley DeVille, sponsor of House Bill 16‑11, urged a study of spills on reservation highways, describing local concern about long‑term environmental and public‑health impacts; the House voted the study down, 24‑62.

Other bills passed with limited floor debate. House Bill 13‑95 (tenant receipt for landlord‑ordered background checks) passed 87‑0. House Bill 14‑50 (parent/guardian access to a minor’s medical exam room, with specified exceptions) passed 72‑15. House Bill 15‑24 (regional planning council funding) passed on final vote 68‑20 (7 absent/excused recorded on the roll). House Bill 11‑99, creating a murdered and missing Indigenous persons (MMIP) task force and a $250,000 appropriation for the biennium, passed 73‑12.

Votes at a glance (bill — brief description — final vote — outcome) - HB 14‑57 — creates an exemption to required vaccines (new section of chapter 23‑12 NDCC) — 45 yea, 42 nay — failed - HB 10‑38 — appropriation: uncrewed aerial vehicle radar data Pathfinder (section retained) — 84 yea, 3 nay — passed; emergency clause carries - HB 13‑95 — landlord background‑check receipts, amended to require receipt on request or within 14 days — 87 yea, 0 nay — passed - HB 14‑87 — DOT transfer of real property for Highway Patrol/Bureau of Criminal Investigation facility — 69 yea, 18 nay — passed - HB 14‑50 — parent/guardian access to minor medical exam rooms with carve‑outs for emancipated minors/abuse cases — 72 yea, 15 nay — passed - HB 15‑24 — funding for regional planning councils (amended funding level reported on floor) — 68 yea, 20 nay, 7 absent — passed - HB 16‑03 — appropriation to State Historical Society for NAGPRA compliance/repatriation work — 87 yea, 0 nay — passed - HB 12‑22 — requirement that public schools offer students opportunity to recite the Pledge of Allegiance daily; immunity language — 87 yea, 0 nay — passed - HB 11‑81 — defines gender language for state records and policy purposes (as amended) — 74 yea, 13 nay — passed - HB 14‑60 — adult foster‑care definitions, respite, limited electronic monitoring with consent, study of licensing — 87 yea, 0 nay — passed - HB 1001 — governor’s operating budget/appropriation (agency line‑items described on floor) — 83 yea, 4 nay — passed - HB 15‑72 — uniform taxing district/property tax reporting and related changes — 76 yea, 10 nay — passed - HB 14‑81 — dental loss‑ratio requirements for dental plans (amended) — 85 yea, 2 nay — passed - HB 1005 — state treasurer appropriations; transfer of unclaimed property administration — 80 yea, 7 nay — passed - HB 16‑11 — request for legislative study regarding oil and chemical spills on Fort Berthold Reservation highways — 24 yea, 62 nay — failed - HCR 30‑15 — concurrent resolution urging grid operators to address capacity/market issues — 87 yea, 0 nay — passed - HCR 30‑23 — concurrent resolution on maintaining state‑funded essential services regardless of federal funding changes — 43 yea, 44 nay — failed - HB 14‑97 — changes to age requirement for a 4‑year‑old program (emergency clause attached) — 74 yea, 13 nay — passed - HB 15‑19 — proposed death‑and‑vaccination tracking/reporting (extensive reporting requirements and fiscal note) — 33 yea, 54 nay — failed - HB 11‑43 — one‑time grants to support a Great Plains Food Bank distribution center (grant reduced in committee) — 71 yea, 16 nay — passed - HB 13‑39 — rural ambulance service exemptions (do not pass recommendation carried) — 35 yea, 52 nay — failed - HB 11‑14 — insulin drugs and supplies coverage/limits on out‑of‑pocket costs for covered plans — 59 yea, 27 nay — passed - HB 11‑99 — murdered and missing Indigenous persons task force; appropriation $250,000 for next biennium — 73 yea, 12 nay — passed

Clarifying details and fiscal notes recorded on the floor - HB 10‑38: the Senate removed the $15,000,000 drone replacement section and retained the federal radar‑data acquisition section (sponsor floor explanation). - HB 15‑24 (regional planning): committee and floor discussions reduced earlier proposals; final appropriations reported as an adjusted biennial total discussed on the floor. - HB 11‑99 (MMIP): the bill authorizes a task force and carried a $250,000 biennial appropriation for grants to tribal efforts; bill passed with bipartisan committee support. - HB 11‑14 (insulin): PERS fiscal note cited on the floor: $365,100 general‑fund and $468,800 other‑funds in the 2025‑27 biennium; actuarial testimony cited projected per‑member commercial impact measured in cents per member per month. - HB 15‑19 (death/vaccination linkage): Appropriations committee cited a fiscal estimate of $503,278 for 2025‑27 and $360,677 for 2027‑29 and raised privacy and duplication concerns. - HB 11‑43 (food bank): the agriculture committee reduced a $10,000,000 request to a $5,000,000 grant with non‑state matching funds required.

Discussion versus action Floor debate was recorded for many bills and is summarized above; where the transcript records formal roll‑call results, those tallies are reported here. Where committee amendments or fiscal notes were referenced on the floor, this article summarizes what speakers stated; it does not presume results or costs beyond the floor record.

What’s next Bills that passed move on through the remaining procedural steps required under state law; several bills carried emergency clauses that the House adopted on final passage. Measures that failed may be refiled or reconsidered in a later session only if sponsors bring them back under the House rules.

Source: Floor proceedings, North Dakota House of Representatives, Feb. 19–20, 2025 (transcript).