Advocacy Center
Welcome to the ND Center for Nursing Advocacy Center. On this page you will find many helpful links to ND Center for Nursing Policy Briefs and a legislative update table during Legislative Sessions. Use the navigation bar to the left to find more information about the legislative process, contact information for elected officials, brief informational videos, and more.
Legislative Update
The ND Center for Nursing actively monitors legislation that impacts the nursing workforce and the healthcare system as determined through priorities by our ND Center for Nursing Leadership Team and organizational members. Between sessions we will post legislative updates here. To join the leadership team to receive legislative updates via email, join issue tracking team or planning committees and task forces, click here to fill out an application.
Link to Webinar on 2019 Legislative Session and Start of Interim Session
Interim Committees and Interim Studies of Interest- August 19, 2019 Update
Below is a list of Interim Committees and studies that were selected that we will track and provide periodic reports to the leadership team. We do not plan to schedule interim legislative update calls until we are closer to the legislative session or as needed.
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Health Care Committee- click to go to this committee’s website
Leadership
Chairman: Representative George Keiser
Vice Chairman- Senator Kristin Roers
Interim Studies of Interest
1106 § 3 Study ways the state may be able to positively affect the current trend of health insurance premium rates increasing, with a focus on the high-risk and subsidized markets. The study must be solution based to reduce costs and may include consideration of whether a strict managed care model might be effective.
2010 § 17 Study the feasibility and desirability of state guaranteed issue provisions for health insurance. The study must include consideration of protections for individuals with pre‑existing conditions and consideration of whether to restructure the Comprehensive Health Association of North Dakota.
2012 § 48 Study the delivery of health care in the state. The study must review the needs and future challenges of the North Dakota health care delivery system, including rural access to primary health care, the use of emergency medical services, strategies to better serve residents, and the role of health care services in the future development of the state.
Receive report by the State Department of Health before June 1 of each even-numbered year, regarding progress made toward the recommendations provided in NDCC Section 23-43-04 and any recommendations for future legislation (NDCC § 23‑43‑04)
Contract with a private entity, after receiving recommendations from the Insurance Commissioner, to provide a cost-benefit analysis of every legislative measure mandating health insurance coverage of services or payment for specified providers of services, or an amendment that mandates such coverage or payment (NDCC § 54-03-28)
Receive a report from the Insurance Department regarding a detailed analysis of health care in the state (2019 Senate Bill No. 2010, § 15)
Meeting Notices, Agendas and Notes
September 11, 2019 Meeting from 9:00 – 4:00 PM Meeting Notice – During the pre-planning meeting they drafted a tentative agenda for this meeting. This includes:
- Prescription drug transparency draft bill modeled after Texas version, has passed in a few states and has some national traction- collecting input on the bill- not planning on taking action on the bill at this time
- Bio-similars and current statues and determining if their are any barriers in law to accessing them
- Health care facility Construction and Renovation Study- Bill 2317- presentation from the State Health Department, presentations from the Health Care and Long Term care associations about recommended changes in process
- Guarantee Issue Bill Draft
- Lutheran Social Services presentation on history of Social Determinants of Health and Healthy Families Program
- Health Insurance trends, waiver update
July 30, 2019 Meeting from 1:00 -4:30- Meeting Agenda
Committee Memorandums
Health Care Delivery Study- Background Memorandum
Health Facility Construction and Renovation Study- Background Memorandum
Health Insurance Guaranteed Issue- Background Memorandum
Health Insurance Premium Trend Study- Background Memorandum
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Higher Education Committee- click to go to this committee’s website
Leadership
Chairman: Representative Mark Sanford
Vice Chairman: Senator Larry Robinson
Interim Studies of Interest
Receive a report from the Higher Education Funding Formula Review Committee (Legislative Management Directive)
Study higher education institutions under the control of the State Board of Higher Education. The study must include: higher education trends, including enrollment, space needs, and distance education, and their impact on higher education institutions and the state; higher education research relating to agriculture, energy, and other sectors, including its economic impact, available funding, and the impact of institution and systemwide administrative structures on research; higher education facilities, including campus and legislative funding expectations and the role of the new three tier capital building fund program; and the role of higher education in meeting the state’s workforce needs, including TrainND, dual missions, and interstate cooperation. (Legislative Management Directive)
Receive annual report from the State Board of Higher Education regarding the number of North Dakota academic scholarships and career and technical education scholarships provided and demographic information pertaining to the recipients (NDCC § 15-10-59)
Receive biennial report and recommendations from the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences Advisory Council regarding the strategic plan, programs, and facilities of the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences (NDCC § 15-52-04)
Meeting Notices, Agendas and Notes
August 19 1:30- 5:30 PM and August 20th from 9:00 -1 :00 PM Meeting Agenda
Committee Memorandums
Higher Education Study- Background Memorandum
Other Duties of the Higher Education Committee- Background Memorandum
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Higher Education Funding Formula Review Committee- click to go to committees website
Leadership
Chairman: Representative Mark Sanford
Vice Chairman: Senator Karen K. Kresbach
Interim Studies of Interest
1029 Review the higher education funding formula, including only the appropriateness of certain credit-hour weighting factors and the potential of need for additional weighting factors
Meeting Notices and Agendas
August 19, 2019 Meeting from 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM Agenda
July 18, 2019 Meeting from 1:00 PM – 3:30 PM Minutes
Committee Memorandums
Higher Education Funding Formula Study- Background Memorandum
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Human Services Committee- click to go to committee’s website
Leadership
Chairman: Representative Karen Rohr
Vice Chairman: Senator Judy Lee
Interim Studies of Interest
4014 Study the implementation of the recommendations of the Human Services Research Institute’s study of North Dakota’s behavioral health system and that in conducting the study, the Legislative Management receive regular updates on each of the major recommendation areas from the report; identify the availability, access, and delivery of behavioral health services; seek input from stakeholders, including law enforcement, social and clinical service providers, medical providers, mental health advocacy organizations, emergency medical service providers, juvenile court personnel, educators, tribal governments, and state and local agencies; and consider options for improving access and the availability for behavioral health care.
Receive a report prior to October 1, 2020, from the Department of Human Services on the plan to implement the revised payment methodology for nursing facility services (2019 Senate Bill No. 2012, § 19)
Meeting Notices, Agendas and Notes
September 12, 2019 Meeting from 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM Agenda
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Taxation Committee- click to view committee’s website
Leadership
Chairman: Representative Jim Grueneich
Vice Chairman: Senator Dwight Cook
Interim Studies of Interest
2355 § 1 Study the feasibility and desirability of applying an alternative or additional tax on liquid nicotine and electronic smoking devices. The study must include consideration of the current method of taxation applied to these products, the methods of taxation applied in other states, and the fiscal impact of applying an alternative or additional method of taxation.
Meeting Notices, Agendas and Notes
September 24, 2019 Meeting from 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM Meeting Notice
July 23, 2019 Meeting from 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM Agenda
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Commerce Committee- click to view committee’s website
Leadership
Chairman: Representative Scott Louser
Vice Chairman: Senator Shawn Vedaa
Interim Studies of Interest
Receive a report from the State Board of Higher Education by September 1 of each even-numbered year regarding the skilled workforce student loan repayment program (2019 House Bill No. 1171, § 1)
Receive a report from the State Board of Higher Education by September 1 of each even-numbered year regarding the skilled workforce scholarship program (2019 House Bill No. 1171, § 2)
Meeting Notices, Agendas and Notes
August 12, 2019 Meeting from 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM Meeting Agenda
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Judiciary Committee- click to view committee’s website
Leadership
Chairman: Representative Lawrence Klemin
Vice Chairman: Representative Karla Rose Hanson
Interim Studies of Interest
Receive annual reports from the State Department of Health on the number of applications, registered qualifying patients, registered designated caregivers, nature or debilitating medical conditions, identification cards revoked, health care providers providing written certifications, compassionate care centers; and expenses incurred and revenues generated by the department. (NDCC § 19-24.1-39)
Meeting Notices, Agendas and Notes
Policy Briefs
The ND Center for Nursing utilizes a decision making process to determine policy issues that are of importance across the 40+ nursing organizations across the state. See below for our current policy briefs. All nurses and nursing organizations are encouraged to utilize these policy briefs within their organizations and when developing testimony and other legislative actions.
2019 Nursing Shortage Legislative Solutions Policy Brief and Website
Policy Brief Archive- The Board of Directors has sunset these policy briefs.
Nurse Licensure Compacts Policy Brief January 2017
Nursing Faculty Loan Repayment Bill Policy Brief for March 2017 hearing
Behavioral Health Definitions Policy Brief for Legislative Session January 2017
Faculty Recruitment Policy Brief
APRN Preceptor Reimbursement Policy Brief
Behavioral Health Nursing Policy Brief