Committee issues unanimous do‑not‑pass on bill about Department of Water Resources permit deadlines after agency says it will adopt rules

Representative Cynthia Schreiber Beck opened the hearing on House Bill 1385, a bill ‘‘relating to deadlines for permits issued by the Department of Water Resources.’’ She asked the committee to place the bill on the consent calendar as a do‑not‑pass because, she said, the Department of Water Resources indicated that it will write administrative rules mirroring the bill’s provisions and the bill ‘‘is no longer necessary at this time.’’

Nut graf: Department staff reiterated they are committed to drafting administrative rules that meet the bill’s intent, and the committee moved a do‑not‑pass recommendation with unanimous support.

Aaron Carranza, director of the regulatory division for the North Dakota Department of Water Resources, testified he and the department have draft administrative rules under development and intend to move those through the administrative process ‘‘during the biennium’’ (the interim) to achieve the bill’s goals.

Action: Representative Heinert moved a do‑not‑pass recommendation on House Bill 1385, seconded by Representative Olson. The clerk called the roll; the vote was recorded as unanimous in favor of do‑not‑pass. A bill carrier was named (Representative Heinert).

Ending: The committee’s formal do‑not‑pass recommendation reflects the department’s plan to pursue administrative rules that implement the same policy objectives described in the bill text, and the matter was closed in committee.