Senate Industry and Business Committee advances licensing and title bills, rejects grant request for security board

The Senate Industry and Business Committee on Thursday advanced several bills affecting professional licensing and land-title practice and rejected a proposal to grant state funds to a private security and investigation board.

The committee recommended “do pass” on Senate Bill 2,071, a Board of Counselor Examiners bill that updates renewal and duplicate-license language, and on Senate Bill 23‑56, which adds language to legal descriptions for deeds and contracts for deed. Lawmakers also voted to amend and pass Senate Bill 23‑48, moving provisions governing health‑care sharing ministries out of the insurance title and into the public‑welfare title.

Those measures, committee members said, clarify existing practice or resolve technical concerns and do not create new policy controversies. The committee rejected a standalone appropriation request tied to the Board of Counselor Examiners and declined to approve a separate grant request to the Board of Private Investigation and Security (Senate Bill 22‑66), saying boards should generally meet operating costs through fees rather than additional taxpayer support.

Most votes were unanimous. The committee recorded a 5–0 recommendation to advance SB 2,071 and to advance SB 23‑56 as amended. An amendment to SB 23‑48 to relocate health‑sharing ministry language to the public‑welfare title carried 5–0, and the bill passed the committee as amended 5–0.

Senators expressed reluctance to appropriate general‑fund dollars for recurring board operations. Several members recalled prior recent actions giving boards authority to increase fees or hire staff rather than seeking new appropriations.

On the request tied to Senate Bill 22‑66, asking for an appropriation to reimburse the Board of Private Investigation and Security for costs related to litigation and protest‑related records work, the committee voted 5–0 for a “do not pass” recommendation. Committee members said the costs described were board operations or litigation tasks and that prior session legislation had already increased that board’s fee authority.

The committee also considered an insurance incentive fund proposal (Senate Bill 22‑72). Lawmakers approved amendments proposed by the insurance commissioner but split on the bill’s merits. After a tied/close roll on a do‑pass recommendation, the committee voted 3–2 to return the bill with no committee recommendation so it can proceed to the floor with explanatory votes recorded.

What the committee did not do: the meeting did not appropriate any new general‑fund amounts on the floor and several matters will return for further committee work. The chair said remaining, larger insurance items will be discussed in follow‑up meetings and staff briefings.

Votes at a glance

- Senate Bill 2,071 (Board of Counselor Examiners; renewal/duplicate license language; appropriation request discussed but not included): motion to recommend do pass moved by Senator Klein, seconded by Senator Angott; roll call recorded five ayes, recommendation: do pass, 5–0; carrier: Senator Klein.

- Senate Bill 23‑48 (health‑care sharing ministries): amendment moved to move health‑sharing language into the public‑welfare title; amendment recommendation passed 5–0; motion for do pass as amended passed 5–0; carrier: Senator Klein.

- Senate Bill 23‑56 (legal description language for deeds/contracts for deed): amendment to add "containing a meets and bounds legal description obtained from a previously recorded interest instrument of conveyance" moved by Senator Klein and passed 5–0; motion do pass as amended passed 5–0; carrier: Senator Kessel.

- Senate Bill 22‑66 (grant to Private Investigation and Security Board for costs tied to unlawful protest of pipeline): motion for do not pass moved by Senator Kessel, seconded by Senator Klein; roll call recorded five ayes for do not pass; recommendation: do not pass, 5–0.

- Senate Bill 22‑72 (insurance incentive fund): committee adopted amendments proposed by the insurance commissioner (5–0 on the amendments); the motion for a do‑pass recommendation on the amended bill failed on the first roll; the committee then voted 3–2 to return the bill with no committee recommendation; the bill will move to the floor without a committee recommendation and will be carried by Senator Baim.

Who spoke and who represented interests

Committee members who participated in roll calls included Chairman Barta (chair), Senator Klein, Senator Kessel, Vice Chair Boehm, and Senator Engick. Testimony and technical explanations were offered by staff and representatives including Shane Gettle (Samaritan Ministries, health‑sharing industry) and John Ward (North Dakota Land Title Association, title industry). Several senators explained votes and concerns on the record during roll calls.

Why it matters

The bills would change administrative practice for licensing boards and clarify legal descriptions used in land records; both affect regulated professionals (counselors, land‑title professionals) and routine transactions (renewal of licenses, contract‑for‑deed recording). The insurance incentive proposal remains politically contested and will reach the Senate floor without committee backing.

What’s next

Bills that received “do pass” recommendations will move to the Senate for further consideration. The insurance incentive fund (22‑72) will proceed to the floor without a committee recommendation; the security‑board grant (22‑66) will not advance from committee. The committee chair scheduled additional committee work on remaining insurance matters.