Senate passes EMS training, mobile‑home receivership, math curriculum and health‑sharing bill; several foreign‑adversary measures fail

BISMARCK, N.D. — The North Dakota Senate on Feb. 17 approved a package of bills including legislation on emergency medical services training, a receivership framework for distressed mobile‑home parks, K‑12 mathematics supports and clarification of health care sharing ministries’ status for higher‑education institutions, while several bills addressing foreign‑adversary investments failed to pass.

The votes came after committee reports and extended floor debate on multiple measures. The chamber recorded clear majorities on the bills that passed, and defeated several bills tied to foreign investment and some duplicate measures that had already cleared the House or were superseded by other bills.

Why it matters: the measures affect public safety training standards, protections and remedies for mobile‑home park residents, how universities may accept health care alternatives for students, and state support for math curriculum and teacher development. The defeated foreign‑adversary bills would have expanded restrictions and investigatory pathways related to certain investments; their failure preserves the status quo while related House legislation proceeds separately.

Discussion highlights

Emergency medical services training (Senate Bill 2,100) drew prolonged debate. Senator Powers, presenting the workforce development committee recommendation, said, “your committee on workforce development recommends that do not pass on Senate Bill 2,100,” reflecting initial committee concern that new requirements would burden small, volunteer ambulance services.

Proponents on the floor urged passage to preserve current local training arrangements. Senator Beard said the bill was “a critical bill, and it's critical for those rural ambulance services,” describing how a rule change requiring affiliation with certified training centers could limit local training options and increase costs for rural volunteers. Opponents and supporters exchanged details about how affiliation with a licensed EMS training institute would work, the number of certified centers in the state and potential travel burdens for rural trainees; supporters argued affiliation would ensure equipment access and oversight.

Mobile‑home park receivership and tenant protections (Senate Bill 23‑85) also prompted discussion. Senator Kessel described the bill as “a carefully crafted bill that addresses serious issues facing mobile home park residents,” saying it creates a receivership process to protect residents when parks fall into disrepair, requires annual ownership disclosures and sets standards for notices, fees and utility metering. The sponsor said the fiscal note indicated no fiscal impact.

K‑12 math supports (Senate Bill 22‑13) was presented by Senator Axman as a multi‑part effort to strengthen math curriculum, professional development, screening and intervention and to appropriate $1.2 million for implementation and coaching. Axman and other senators framed the proposal as modeled on the state’s earlier work on reading instruction and said the appropriation would prevent the cost from falling on individual districts.

Health care sharing ministries (Senate Bill 23‑48) drew attention from senators and questions about consumer protections. The bill clarifies that health care sharing ministries — nonprofit organizations organized under Section 501(c)(3) — are not insurance but may satisfy university coverage requirements for domestic students; supporters emphasized required disclosures that the plans do not guarantee payment of medical bills and do not provide all essential‑benefit protections.

Votes at a glance (selected final passage outcomes)

- Senate Bill 2,100 — Emergency medical services personnel training: Passed, final tally 44 ayes, 1 nay, 1 absent. (Committee had recommended do not pass; floor debate emphasized rural training access and affiliation with certified training centers.)

- Senate Bill 23‑85 — Mobile home parks (receivership; annual ownership information; tenant relations; eviction defenses): Passed, final tally 45 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent. (Sponsor described receivership process, disclosure requirements and limits on late fees; fiscal note: no fiscal impact.)

- Senate Bill 22‑13 — Mathematics curriculum and supports (K‑12): Passed, final tally 39 ayes, 6 nays, 1 absent. (Includes $1,200,000 appropriation for implementation and professional development.)

- Senate Bill 23‑48 — Health care sharing ministries (recognition/exemptions; disclosures): Passed, final tally 44 ayes, 1 nay, 1 absent. (Clarifies that such ministries are not insurance and requires disclosures; does not apply to international students.)

- Senate Bill 22‑62 — K‑12 coordination council contracting authority and appropriation: Passed, final tally 42 ayes, 3 nays, 1 absent. (Appropriation: $120,000.)

- Senate Bill 23‑25 — Nonfederal easements on wetlands: Passed, final tally 45 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent. (Sponsor described concerns about rising high‑water marks and damage to roads and infrastructure.)

- Senate Bill 23‑68 — Grasslands grazing grant program (codification): Passed, final tally 44 ayes, 1 nay, 1 absent. (Sponsor said the program matches grants from the ag commissioner’s office to grasslands projects; no fiscal note.)

- Senate Bill 21‑31 — TrainND funding distribution (codify funding formula): Lost, final tally 16 ayes, 29 nays, 1 absent. (Committee opposed codification, citing need for TrainND flexibility and biennial review.)

- Senate Bill 2,361 (foreign‑adversary/land ownership provisions): Lost, final tally 1 aye, 44 nays, 1 absent.

- Senate Bill 23‑37 (foreign‑adversary investments and county/city powers): Lost, final tally 1 aye, 44 nays, 1 absent.

- Senate Bill 23‑14 (investigation/penalty for approving development agreement for a foreign adversary): Lost, final tally 8 ayes, 37 nays, 1 absent.

Other actions included committee amendments adopted on a number of bills earlier in the day; where amendments were reported the Senate concurred by voice vote or recorded vote and bills were reassigned to appropriations as noted on the floor.

What’s next: several passed bills include appropriations that proceed to implementation by state agencies or require further rulemaking and contracting. The Senate adjourned to reconvene at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025, per the motion recorded at the end of the session.

Ending note: This report summarizes floor debate and recorded roll‑call outcomes from the Feb. 17 session; it relies solely on statements recorded on the Senate floor and on official roll‑call tallies read into the record.