John Hageman
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John Hageman covers North Dakota politics from the Forum News Service bureau in Bismarck. He attended the University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities, where he studied journalism and political science, and he previously worked at the Grand Forks Herald and Bemidji Pioneer.
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- 6 years 11 months
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BISMARCK — North Dakota House lawmakers agreed to back down from a proposal to use Legacy Fund earnings to buy down state income taxes Wednesday, April 24, as part of a deal struck between the two chambers.
BISMARCK — North Dakota boaters on a nighttime cruise face fines if they don't keep quiet under a bill approved by Gov. Doug Burgum Tuesday, April 23. Senate Bill 2342 prohibits boats from producing noises in excess of 88 decibels for more than 10 minutes between midnight and 5 a.m. The noise level must be measured from the shoreline. According to Purdue University , 88 decibels is equivalent to a propeller plane flyover at 1,000 feet.
BISMARCK — The North Dakota Senate backed a compromise package of higher education capital projects Tuesday, April 23, that provides more state support for replacing a chemistry lab building at North Dakota State University. The Dunbar Hall project has long been a priority for the university, as the building is considered a fire safety hazard. A House-Senate conference committee agreed to $40 million in bonding, $8 million in cash and authorization to raise $3.2 million for a total of $51.2 million.
BISMARCK — North Dakota lawmakers agreed to give state Treasurer Kelly Schmidt an 8% raise after protracted House debate over whether the bump was fair Tuesday, April 23. The agency budget bill provides the raise effective July 1, matching Schmidt's salary with the state auditor, secretary of state and insurance commissioner. Schmidt is currently the lowest-paid statewide elected official with an annual salary of $99,881.
BISMARCK — The North Dakota Senate approved a bill requiring local governments to justify larger setbacks imposed on animal feeding operations Tuesday, April 23. The new version of Senate Bill 2345 was approved along party lines in a House-Senate conference committee Monday afternoon before it passed the full Senate in a 36-11 vote Tuesday. It still must pass the House before it's sent to Republican Gov. Doug Burgum.
BISMARCK — Government and business officials in the Fargo area urged North Dakota lawmakers to go back to the drawing board after a House-Senate panel fell short of their funding requests for the Fargo-Moorhead flood diversion Wednesday, April 17.
BISMARCK — The North Dakota Senate approved a bill implementing the state's new ethics rules Wednesday, April 17, that a Democratic lawmaker said includes "gaping holes" and could attract a court challenge. The Senate's 39-8 vote largely fell along party lines, with Republicans backing the legislation introduced by their majority leaders. It's one of two bills addressing last year's passage of Measure 1 that are still alive in the waning days of the legislative session.
BISMARCK — North Dakota House lawmakers approved a bill limiting nighttime boat noise Tuesday, April 16. Senate Bill 2342 prohibits boats from producing noises in excess of 88 decibels for more than 10 minutes between midnight and 5 a.m. The noise level must be measured from the "shoreline closest to the location from which a complainant or other individual noticed the noise." Violators face a $50 fine, according to Bismarck Republican Rep. Pat Heinert, a former Burleigh County Sheriff, and would be required to install a muffler.
BISMARCK — A North Dakota Senate committee has voted to study potential uses of Legacy Fund dollars rather than push forward with a proposal to make it harder for lawmakers to tap the earnings from the state's oil tax piggy bank.
BISMARCK — North Dakota senators voted unanimously to override Gov. Doug Burgum's veto of a bill that stemmed from a court battle between the two branches of government Thursday, April 11.