Senate appropriations panel approves $50,000 to fund physician instructional program on North Dakota abortion law

The Appropriations — Education and Environment Division recommended funding a one-time $50,000 appropriation for House bill 15-11 to create an online instructional program for physicians explaining North Dakota law on abortion.

The program would be produced under contract, placed on the Board of Medicine’s website for physician use and reviewed for legal accuracy by the attorney general, lawmakers were told. The committee voted to give the bill a “do pass” recommendation by voice and roll call; the vote was recorded as unanimous among members voting.

Sponsor Jan Amyrdahl told the committee the appropriation would create “an online instructional program for physicians in North Dakota, explaining the law and how it relates to a physician that’s involved in the care of women in pregnancy.” She said the appropriation is one-time and that the attorney general would review the content for legal accuracy: “It’s a one-time appropriation and the AG will approve it.”

Why it matters: The committee heard that physicians and OB-GYNs have sought clarity about recent statutory changes and pending litigation, and the training is intended to give clinicians explicit guidance about what the law permits and prohibits in clinical settings. Lawmakers and witnesses described the material as clinician-focused rather than public-facing.

Details discussed in committee: Committee members and witnesses outlined how the funds would be used and provided cost estimates. - Intended audience and placement: The training would be hosted on the Board of Medicine website and targeted to physicians (not primarily to the general public), according to testimony. - Program scope and length: Witnesses said the North Dakota product would be more extensive than a short public explainer; one committee member quoted an estimate that the physician-focused training could run 45 minutes to an hour. - Content approval and update mechanism: The bill includes a provision for attorney general approval of content to confirm legal correctness. Testimony said the curriculum would be updated if the law changes. - Production and personnel: Bridget Turbod of North Dakota Right to Life told the committee that physician consultants typically charge about $300 to $500 per hour and estimated 10–20 hours of physician time to develop the curriculum. She said the lowest production quote she had seen from local vendors was about $23,000, and she budgeted roughly $5,000 for Board of Medicine implementation and upkeep on the website. Turbod summarized the likely cost breakdown as: physician/attorney costs for curriculum development, production costs, and Board of Medicine implementation/upkeep.

Committee discussion and outcome: Committee members asked whether the program would be maintained and updated; sponsors said the third-party contractor would be asked to make changes if needed and that hosting on the Board of Medicine site carries minimal ongoing cost. A sponsor told the committee, “When it comes to clearly giv[ing] our physicians clarity on … North Dakota, I think it’s a small price to pay.”

Motion and vote: A committee member moved a “do pass” recommendation on House bill 15-11; the motion was seconded and the committee recorded ayes from Chairman Sorvick, Senator Connolly, Senator Thomas, Senator Shively and Senator Meyer. The chairman announced the measure passed unanimously and said Senator Connolly would carry the measure to the full committee.

Next steps: The committee recommended the appropriation be carried forward to the full appropriations committee for further consideration; the bill’s policy provisions were addressed previously by the policy committee, witnesses noted.

Limitations and caveats: Committee testimony made clear the appropriation is one-time; the bill text described an approval role for the attorney general but did not make the AG responsible for creating content. Witnesses did not identify the contractor or final curriculum vendor; several cost figures were presented as estimates.