The North Dakota Senate on Tuesday approved a slate of bills and committee amendments spanning elections oversight, land transaction reporting, floodplain management, agricultural checkoffs and insurance-department confidentiality. Senators also concurred in the withdrawal of one veterans'license bill and re-referred an education bill to the workforce development committee.

Why it matters: the measures change state reporting requirements, audit procedures, and industry fees that affect voters, property owners, farmers and regulated businesses.

Key actions and outcomes (votes at a glance):

- Senate Bill 2175 (post-election audits): Sponsor Senator Brownberger described the bill as strengthening election integrity by requiring a post-election, random audit of one precinct or polling location in each county between the sixth and eighth day after Election Day. Final tally: 47 ayes, 0 nays, 0 absent (bill passed). Brownberger said the audits "ensure that the voting systems we rely upon operate accurately and transparently."

- Senate Bill 2027 (floodplain management ordinances and reporting): Sponsor Senator Berta said the bill creates a central repository for floodplain participation information, moves townships' reporting responsibility to counties, and includes amendments to protect townships' authorities. Final tally: 47 ayes, 0 nays, 0 absent (bill passed).

- Senate Bill 2161 (Barley Council and Wheat Commission assessments / checkoff increases): Senator Weber said the bill raises the wheat checkoff from 1.5 cents to 2 cents per bushel and the barley checkoff from 2 cents to 3 cents per bushel and allows appointment of growers in districts when no candidate is available. Fiscal note cited an increase in gross revenue of approximately $4,700,000 and increased expenditures of approximately $3,000,000 in the 2025-27 biennium. Final tally: 45 ayes, 2 nays, 0 absent (bill passed).

- Senate Bill 2089 (insurance department records confidentiality): Senator Boehm presented an amended bill to exempt certain consumer assistance records from open records and private civil discovery while preserving the commissioner's authority to disclose general subject matter and orders. Final tally: 47 ayes, 0 nays, 0 absent (bill passed).

- Senate Bill 2169 (physical therapy patient management): Senator Rohrs said the bill updates code language to reflect current practice around informed consent for physical therapy. Final tally: 47 ayes, 0 nays, 0 absent (bill passed).

- Senate Bill 2152 (deed statements of full consideration / land sale reporting): Senator Weber said the bill amends North Dakota Century Code subsection 11-18-02.2 to require recording sale prices on deeds in more transactions (including smaller parcels) except for non-arm's-length transfers. The secretary recorded the vote; transcript reports the bill passed (final tally not clearly specified in the record excerpt).

- Senate Bill 2210 (legislative management study on watershed-based water management): Senator Weber described the study's intent to examine managing water by watershed rather than political boundaries. The bill passed; the transcript reports a final tally but the excerpted text is ambiguous on the precise counts.

- Senate Bill 2155 (gratis hunting licenses amendment): Sponsor Senator Boehm described an amendment that changes distribution of gratis (no-charge) tags to a lottery method when eligible applicants exceed allotted licenses; the proposed amendment was adopted in committee and then on the floor.

- Senate Bill 2199 (veterans' deer license): The Energy and Natural Resources Committee presented an amendment to award an annual bonus point to 100% service-disabled veterans when they apply for a deer license to improve their lottery odds without guaranteeing a tag; the proposed amendment was adopted.

- Senate Bill 2013 (Board of University and School Lands appropriations / FTE and salary amendments): Sponsor Senator Burkhart detailed multiple adjustments including a new and vacant FTE pool transfer rule, salary increases and operating expense shifts; the committee amendment was adopted.

- Senate Bill 2023 (Racing Commission budget amendments): Senator Meyer said the bill carries two primary amendments (salary adjustments and FTE pool handling); the proposed amendment was adopted.

Other procedural actions:

- Senate Bill 2344 (veterans license plates): Sponsor Senator Marsolais moved to withdraw the bill at a constituent's request because it would affect funding for the state cemetery; the Senate concurred and SB 2344 was withdrawn.

- Senate Bill 2341 (education bill): Returned to the floor from the education committee and then re-referred to the workforce development committee by motion of Senator Klein (motion prevailed).

Several proposed amendments to bills on the floor were adopted by voice vote; the transcript records committee sponsors explaining the amendments before floor adoption.

What senators said: Senator Brownberger framed SB 2175 as "not about fixing a broken system, but improving a strong foundation," while Senator Weber emphasized SB 2152's aim to improve appraisal data availability for smaller land sales. Committee sponsors repeatedly characterized amendments as technical fixes or refinements that preserve existing systems while addressing identified gaps.

Next steps and context: Passed bills will proceed through the legislative process as required (some measures will require implementation steps by state agencies). The Senate adjourned to reconvene at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025.