BISMARCK -- A state law that makes it a crime for women and men to live together -- cohabitation -- hasn't been enforced since about 1938, said Rep. Mary Ekstrom, D-Fargo. So she proposes we finally get it off the books.
The hearing on House Bill 1175 is scheduled for 8 a.m. Monday in the House Human Services Committee.
"The state's attorneys just think this is something that should just go away," Ekstrom said. For all intents and purposes it is unenforceable and likely unconstitutional, she said, referring to the right to free association. She said the Legislature's interim judiciary committees have looked at such a repeal several times.
Her co-sponsor is Sen. Linda Christenson, D-Grand Forks.
The hearing is in the Fort Union Room.
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How's it going
The state Labor Department will tell legislators Monday what kind of human rights and housing discrimination reports it has received in the past two years.
The event is a joint hearing of the Senate and House Judiciary committees. It starts at 9 a.m. in the Brynhild Haugland Room.
Red light, green light
Two freshmen legislators from Fargo's new District 27 were the first to experience the red light initiation at this year's session.
Rep. Ron Iverson and Sen. Dick Brown, both Republicans, didn't suspect a thing when it happened Friday afternoon -- which is the idea.
Gullible newcomers are assigned their first bill to carry to the floor from committee. It's always a non-controversial item guaranteed to pass unanimously. After they explain the bill and ask for a favorable vote, they watch in horror as the board turns red with "no" votes. Then laughter ripples through the chamber as they all change their votes to green before the result is tallied.
Though the tradition is an old one, "I had no clue," a relieved Brown said after the Senate adjourned Friday.
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"We've all been through it," Sen. Larry Robinson, D-Valley City, told him with a grin.
Iverson said he didn't see it coming either. He suspected a different form of initiation might arise.
"I thought they'd give me a ton of questions, he said later.
Prayer for brevity
Longer-than-desirable opening prayers are an infrequent fact of life in the House and Senate.
Friday's House chaplain did his part to intervene on the possibility.
"I won't need a two-minute warning," the Rev. Darrel Aleson, chaplain for St. Alexius Medical Center in Bismarck informed them when he started speaking. And his blessing included the hope that the representatives would be saved from long invocations during this session.
So much for leaders
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The Senate on Friday passed Senate Bill 2110, relating to registration and inspection fees on fertilizer and soil conditioners. The only two votes against it were from the majority and minority leaders, Bob Stenehjem, R-Bismarck, and David O'Connell, D-Lansford.
Stenehjem said afterward two things scared him, "The fact that Dave and I voted alike and the fact that no one followed either one of us."
Readers can reach Forum reporter Janell Cole at (701) 224-0830
