The North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services asked the House Human Services Committee to repeal North Dakota Century Code section 23‑01‑40, which requires the department and specified partners to identify goals and benchmarks to reduce diabetes, saying repeal would remove duplication while preserving program activity and collaboration.

"Repealing section 23 dash 01 dash 40 of the North Dakota Century Code will streamline our efforts by eliminating unnecessary duplication of work and reduce red tape," said Susan Mormon, director of the Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention Unit, in testimony supporting House Bill 1069. Mormon told the committee the department’s work remains aligned with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance and that the department will continue collaborating with the Indian Affairs Commission, the Public Employees Retirement System and other partners named in the statute.

Committee members asked where state diabetes data and reports would be available if the statutory report to legislative management were repealed. Mormon said the program provides data annually to the CDC and maintains plans and a five‑year work plan reviewed each year; the department is redesigning its website and plans to publish materials there and to provide data on request through the diabetes prevention and control program.

Mormon told the committee the CDC‑funded program has been in place for decades and that the grant has existed for at least 24 years during her tenure: "That grant has been in place, the entire 24 years that I've been here and it was in place probably for at least a decade or more prior to me coming." She said repealing the statute would stop only the separate requirement to present the report to legislative management every two years—not the department’s data collection, evaluation, or partner collaboration.

Committee action: Representative Belz moved a "do pass" recommendation on HB 1069, seconded by Representative Rios. The committee clerk called the roll and the motion carried on the committee vote (12‑0). The record shows one piece of online opposition; committee members said the department would continue producing the underlying data and that the repeal would simply remove the formal legislative reporting step.