Senate passes bill allowing supplemental deer feeding with sunset clause amid chronic wasting disease debate

The North Dakota Senate passed Senate Bill 2137 on final passage after a lengthy debate over chronic wasting disease and private property rights. The bill, described on the floor as an act to create and enact a new section to chapter 20.1-05 of the North Dakota Century Code relating to the use of supplemental feed for hunting, passed by a roll-call tally of 31 ayes and 15 nays.

Senator Lam, the bill carrier, said the measure responds to extensive testimony and debate over whether supplemental feeding contributes to chronic wasting disease, or CWD. "The theory is that deer congregating over feed piles contributes to the spread of CWD," Lam said, noting his committee held a packed hearing that required a larger room. The agriculture and veterans affairs committee voted 5-1 for a due-pass recommendation and added a sunset clause to allow the North Dakota Game and Fish Department to continue its research.

The bill’s provisions, as explained on the floor, would permit supplemental feeding to continue under the law while the Game and Fish Department studies disease transmission and management options. Opponents warned the measure could undermine disease controls and urged deference to Game and Fish rules. "I think we should let the Game and Fish Department do their job and vote red on this bill," said Senator Dwyer, who argued the department needs authority to manage seasons, limits and methods to reduce disease risk.

Supporters framed the bill as protecting landowner rights and hunting opportunity, especially in areas with limited public hunting ground. "The feeding of wildlife is an activity that North Dakotans can enjoy and utilize freely," Senator Boehm said, arguing the practical risk from bait piles is small compared with winter congregations around farm and ranch feeding. Senator Thomas added the bill does not remove the governor’s emergency authority or other departmental powers: "It does not take it away from the governor of the great state of North Dakota, who has always had that right and still maintains that right."

The debate centered on three issues the chamber repeatedly cited: (1) uncertainty in the science about how much supplemental feeding contributes to CWD spread, (2) the balance between private-property hunting rights and statewide disease management, and (3) the sunset clause the committee inserted to revisit policy after more research. The carrier emphasized the sunset as a compromise that keeps feeding legal while allowing the department to continue studying CWD.

Final passage was recorded by roll call; the secretary announced the tally as 31 ayes, 15 nays, 0 absent, not voting. The bill’s effective date was not specified during floor remarks.

Votes at a glance

The Senate voted on several other bills during the same floor session. Below are the measures recorded in the transcript with their final outcomes and the most relevant details reported on the floor: - Senate Bill 2023 (appropriation for North Dakota Racing Commission budget): passed, final tally 43 ayes, 3 nays, 1 absent; budget details and line-item notations were explained by Senator Meyer. - Senate Bill 2310 (garnishment procedures; disclosure fee update): passed, final tally 46 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent; raised disclosure fee and authorized electronic service, committee due pass. - Senate Bill 2199 (disabled veteran deer hunting license bonus point): passed, final tally 46 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent; grants a bonus point to 100% service-connected disabled veterans to increase odds in the deer lottery (committee recommendation described the bonus-point mechanics). - Senate Bill 2257 (shoplifting grading; municipal convictions): passed, final tally 46 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent; amendment clarifies municipal convictions or equivalent ordinances count toward enhancements. - Senate Bill 2250 (damages for injuries to timber): passed, final tally 46 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent; clarifies willful and negligent damage standards, preserves treble damages for willful/wanton acts. - Senate Bill 2288 (veterans organizations use of charitable gaming proceeds): passed, final tally 46 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent; allows up to 20% of net charitable gaming proceeds for club food/beverage and operations. - Senate Bill 2224 (abolish State Gaming Commission; transfer duties to Attorney General): passed, final tally 25 ayes, 21 nays, 1 absent; committee debate focused on enforcement balance and future duties. - Senate Bill 2137 (supplemental feed for hunting; this article): passed, final tally 31 ayes, 15 nays, 0 absent. - Senate Bill 2220 (operational guidelines and training for human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation crimes): failed, final tally 10 ayes, 36 nays, 1 absent; the judiciary committee recommended do not pass after reviewing existing training and the discretion of law enforcement agencies. - Senate Bill 2155 (gratis antelope licenses allocation): failed (final disposition announced as failed on the floor); the committee reported a do-not-pass recommendation and the sponsor argued the bill sought equitable access for non–land owners; roll-call numbers were not specified in the transcript excerpts provided. - Senate Concurrent Resolution 4003 (rescind prior applications for an Article V convention): motion lost on the floor (the transcript records the resolution as lost; a committee recommended do-not-pass).

For bills where the transcript supplied a roll-call tally, the numbers above match the secretary’s announced counts. Where the transcript recorded only the final disposition without a detailed roll call, the outcome is described and the tally is marked "not specified" above.

Context and next steps

Senate Bill 2137 amends the statutory framework relating to supplemental feed for hunting and includes a sunset provision that requires the Legislature to revisit the issue after the specified period. The Senate debate underscored continuing scientific uncertainty about CWD transmission, ongoing responsibilities of the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, and competing views on private-property hunting rights. The bill will proceed to the next steps in the legislative process as prescribed under state law; the transcript did not state a specific effective date.