Highlights of some bills that get hearings this week:
Monday
- House Bill 1140 and several others - The House Industry, Business and Labor Committee hears workers compensation bills and has reserved the Capitol's large Brynhild Haugland Room to hold an expected crowd. Bills include benefit increases for injured workers' wheelchair vans and a break for employers who have random drug tests for their employees.
- House Bill 1389 - House Judiciary hears a ban on small bottle rockets.
- Senate Bill 2340 - This would set up procedures for civilly committing sexually dangerous juveniles. Senate Judiciary.
ADVERTISEMENT
Tuesday
-House Bill 1319 - This would give people the right to use deadly force against intruders or in other situations in which they fear imminent death or serious injury. House Judiciary.
- House Bill 1357 - Raises the penalty for possession of child pornography from a class A misdemeanor to a class C felony. House Judiciary.
- House Bill 1276 - Limits local property tax increases, in House Finance and Taxation Committee.
- Senate Bill 2347 - Creates "North Dakota Promise" to give free college tuition to young people raised in the state who have good grades. Senate Education Committee.
Wednesday
- House Bill 1441 - The Democrats' K-12 school finance bill, which adds $195 million to school finance. House Education Committee.
- House Bill 1293 and other workers compensation bills - Prohibits Workforce Safety and Insurance from off-setting retirement benefits. Hearings at 8 a.m. and lasting all day in House Industry, Business and Labor.
ADVERTISEMENT
- House Bill 1472 - Bars sex offenders from school property. Similar bill is also in the Senate. House Judiciary.
- Senate Bill 2409 - Cell phone service customer protection act, including requirement for companies to disclose areas where coverage is not supplied, and for bills in clear and in plain language. In Senate Industry, Business and Labor Committee.
- Senate Bill 2415 - No one could be compelled to have a microchip or RFID capsule planted on their bodies. Senate Judiciary Committee.
- Senate Bill 2317 - Makes salvia divinorum, a Mexican plant with psychoactive properties, a controlled substance. Senate Judiciary Committee.
Thursday
- Senate Bill 2269 - Regulates happy hours and similar discounts. Senate Political Subdivisions.
- Senate Bill 2383 and Senate Concurrent Resolution 4014 - A constitutional amendment to make a single Public Service Commissioner. Senate Government and Veterans Affairs Committee.
Friday
ADVERTISEMENT
- House Bill 1508 - Cities must send mailed notice to property owners in a proposed special assessment district and property owners would vote to approve or disapprove. House Political Subdivisions.
- House Bill 1166 - Making U.S. Highway 52 from Minot to near Jamestown a four-lane road, at a cost $210 million. House Transportation.
- Senate Bill 2345 - Bonds for a Red River Valley water supply project. Senate Natural Resources.
- Senate Bill 2328 - Home rule cities could levy local income taxes. Senate Political Subdivisions.
For more information about hearing schedules and the bills this week: www. legis.nd.gov/assembly/60-2007/committee-hearings /c-hearing.html
Cole works for Forum Communications Co., which owns The Forum. She can be reached at (701) 224-0830 or forumcap@btinet.net
