HB 1601 — A BILL for an Act to amend and reenact section 54-12-08 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to special assistant attorneys general.
Last action — Second reading, failed to pass, yeas 9 nays 37
-
✓Introduced
-
✓In Committee
-
3Passed House
-
4Passed Senate
-
5To Executive
-
6Enacted
This bill died with 69th Legislative Assembly (2025-26). It reached “Passed House” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there are no live odds of enactment. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.
Summary
Relating to special assistant attorneys general.
Bill Text
What changed in the latest version
52 added · 47 removedPlain-language change summary
The changes to HB 1601 clarify the process of appointing special assistant attorneys general by the attorney general. The revisions emphasize that the attorney general cannot refuse or revoke the appointment of these attorneys if they meet certain criteria, such as being licensed and in good standing. This is significant because it aims to ensure that appointed legal representatives maintain their positions unless there is clear justification for removal, thus providing more stability and consistency in legal representation for various state entities.
25.1289.0300025.1289.02000 Sixty-ninth Legislative Assembly of North Dakota FIRST ENGROSSMENT with Senate Amendments ENGROSSED HOUSE BILL NO.
1601 Introduced by Representatives O'Brien, McLeod, Satrom, Nelson, Bahl Senators Lee, Roers A BILL for an Act to amend and reenact section 54-12-08 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to special assistant attorneysattorney general.generals.
Workforce safety and insurance, the department of transportation, the state tax commissioner, the public service commission, the ethics commission, the insurance commissioner, the agriculture commissioner, and the securities commissioner may employ attorneys to represent them.
These entities shall pay Pagethe No.salaries and expenses of the attorneys they employ within the limits of legislative appropriations.
1Page 25.1289.03000No. Sixty-ninth Legislative Assembly the salaries and expenses of the attorneys they employ within the limits of legislative appropriations.
1 25.1289.02000 Sixty-ninth Legislative Assembly c.
The attorney general may revoke the appointment only for good cause ororand upon the request of the entity.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, ifthe an attorney isgeneral employedmay bynot therefuse governor,to stateappoint auditor,a orspecial ethicsattorney commission,general and may not revoke the appointment of a special assistant attorney general maylicensed not:to practice law in the state, in good standing, and employed by the:
RefuseGovernor; to appoint the attorney as a special assistant attorney general upon request from the entity;
or b.
RevokeAgriculture thecommissioner; appointment as special assistant attorney general absent good cause and upon the request of the entity.
c.
State auditor;
d.
Insurance commissioner;
e.
Public service commissioner;
f.
Secretary of state;
g.
Superintendent of public instruction;
h.
Tax commissioner;
or i.
State treasurer.
Moneys received by the attorney general in payment for legal servicesPage renderedNo. must be deposited into the attorney general's operating fund.
2 25.1289.02000 Sixty-ninth Legislative Assembly services rendered must be deposited into the attorney general's operating fund.
Page4.5. No.
2 25.1289.03000 Sixty-ninth Legislative Assembly 4.5.
3 25.1289.0300025.1289.02000
View plain text versions (3)
- Engrossed FIRST ENGROSSMENT Current pdf
- Amended FIRST ENGROSSMENT with Senate Amendments pdf
- Introduced View text pdf
Action History
-
Second reading, failed to pass, yeas 9 nays 37
-
Amendment adopted, placed on calendar
-
Reported back amended, do pass, amendment placed on calendar 6 0 0
-
Committee Hearing 10:00
-
Introduced, first reading, referred State and Local Government Committee
-
Received from House
-
Second reading, passed, yeas 80 nays 10
-
Amendment adopted, placed on calendar
-
Reported back amended, do pass, amendment placed on calendar 11 2 0
-
Committee Hearing 08:30
-
Introduced, first reading, referred Government and Veterans Affairs Committee
Sponsors
- Bernie Satrom · Cosponsor
- Kristin Roers · Cosponsor
- Jon O. Nelson · Cosponsor
- Carrie McLeod · Cosponsor
- Judy Lee · Cosponsor
- Landon Bahl · Cosponsor
- Emily O'Brien · Primary
Sponsorship breakdown
Export CSV (upgrade) →1 sponsors · 6 co-sponsors · 141 not signed on · 46 voted No
Sponsors (1)
- O'Brien, Emily Republican
Co-sponsors (6)
- Satrom, Bernie Republican
- Roers, Kristin Republican
- Nelson, Jon O. Republican
- McLeod, Carrie Republican
- Lee, Judy Republican Voted No
- Bahl, Landon Republican
Not signed on (141)
141 members have not signed on to this bill.
Show all 141 →"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.
Votes
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | 5 | 37 | 0 | 0 |
| Democratic | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 9 | 37 | 0 | 1 |
| % of votes cast | 19% | 79% | 0% | 2% |
How each member voted (47)
| Member | Party | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Boschee, Josh | Democratic | Yea |
| Braunberger, Ryan | Democratic | Yea |
| Hogan, Kathy | Democratic | Not Voting |
| Marcellais, Richard | Democratic | Yea |
| Mathern, Tim | Democratic | Yea |
| Axtman, Michelle | Republican | Nay |
| Barta, Jeff | Republican | Yea |
| Beard, Todd | Republican | Nay |
| Bekkedahl, Brad | Republican | Nay |
| Boehm, Keith | Republican | Nay |
| Burckhard, Randy A. | Republican | Nay |
| Castaneda, Jose L. | Republican | Yea |
| Cleary, Sean | Republican | Nay |
| Clemens, David A. | Republican | Nay |
| Conley, Cole | Republican | Nay |
| Cory, Claire | Republican | Nay |
| Davison, Kyle | Republican | Nay |
| Dever, Dick | Republican | Nay |
| Dwyer, Michael | Republican | Nay |
| Enget, Mark | Republican | Nay |
| Erbele, Robert | Republican | Nay |
| Gerhardt, Justin | Republican | Nay |
| Hogue, David | Republican | Yea |
| Kessel, Greg | Republican | Nay |
| Klein, Jerry | Republican | Nay |
| Larson, Diane | Republican | Nay |
| Lee, Judy | Republican | Nay |
| Lemm, Randy D. | Republican | Nay |
| Luick, Larry | Republican | Nay |
| Magrum, Jeffery J. | Republican | Nay |
| Meyer, Scott | Republican | Yea |
| Myrdal, Janne | Republican | Nay |
| Patten, Dale | Republican | Nay |
| Paulson, Bob | Republican | Nay |
| Powers, Michelle | Republican | Nay |
| Roers, Kristin | Republican | Yea |
| Rummel, Dean | Republican | Nay |
| Schaible, Donald | Republican | Nay |
| Sickler, Jonathan | Republican | Nay |
| Sorvaag, Ronald | Republican | Nay |
| Thomas, Paul J. | Republican | Nay |
| Walen, Chuck | Republican | Nay |
| Wanzek, Terry M. | Republican | Nay |
| Weber, Mark F. | Republican | Nay |
| Weston, Kent | Republican | Nay |
| Wobbema, Mike | Republican | Nay |
| van Oosting, Desiree | Republican | Nay |
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | 71 | 9 | 0 | 2 |
| Democratic | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 80 | 10 | 0 | 3 |
| % of votes cast | 86% | 11% | 0% | 3% |
How each member voted (93)
| Member | Party | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Brown, Collette | Democratic | Nay |
| Conmy, Liz | Democratic | Yea |
| Davis, Jayme | Democratic | Yea |
| Dobervich, Gretchen | Democratic | Yea |
| Finley-DeVille, Lisa | Democratic | Yea |
| Foss, Austin | Democratic | Yea |
| Hager, LaurieBeth | Democratic | Yea |
| Hanson, Karla Rose | Democratic | Yea |
| Ista, Zachary | Democratic | Yea |
| Mitskog, Alisa | Democratic | Not Voting |
| Schneider, Mary | Democratic | Yea |
| Anderson, Bert | Republican | Yea |
| Anderson, Dick | Republican | Yea |
| Anderson, Karen A. | Republican | Yea |
| Bahl, Landon | Republican | Yea |
| Beltz, Mike | Republican | Yea |
| Berg, Mike | Republican | Nay |
| Bolinske, Macy | Republican | Yea |
| Bosch, Glenn | Republican | Yea |
| Brandenburg, Mike | Republican | Yea |
| Christianson, Nels | Republican | Yea |
| Dockter, Jason | Republican | Yea |
| Dressler, Ty | Republican | Yea |
| Fegley, Clayton | Republican | Yea |
| Fisher, Jay | Republican | Yea |
| Frelich, Kathy | Republican | Yea |
| Grindberg, Karen | Republican | Yea |
| Grueneich, Jim | Republican | Yea |
| Hagert, Jared C. | Republican | Yea |
| Hatlestad, Patrick R. | Republican | Yea |
| Hauck, Dori | Republican | Yea |
| Headland, Craig | Republican | Yea |
| Heilman, Matthew | Republican | Yea |
| Heinert, Pat D. | Republican | Nay |
| Henderson, Donna | Republican | Yea |
| Hendrix, Jared | Republican | Yea |
| Holle, Dawson | Republican | Yea |
| Hoverson, Jeff | Republican | Yea |
| Johnson, Jorin | Republican | Yea |
| Johnston, Daniel | Republican | Yea |
| Jonas, Jim | Republican | Yea |
| Karls, Karen | Republican | Nay |
| Kasper, Jim | Republican | Not Voting |
| Kempenich, Keith | Republican | Nay |
| Kiefert, Dwight | Republican | Yea |
| Klemin, Lawrence R. | Republican | Nay |
| Koppelman, Ben | Republican | Yea |
| Lefor, Mike | Republican | Yea |
| Longmuir, Donald W. | Republican | Yea |
| Louser, Scott | Republican | Yea |
| Maki, Roger A. | Republican | Yea |
| Marschall, Andrew | Republican | Yea |
| Martinson, Bob | Republican | Yea |
| McLeod, Carrie | Republican | Yea |
| Meier, Lisa | Republican | Yea |
| Monson, David | Republican | Yea |
| Morton, Desiree | Republican | Yea |
| Motschenbacher, Mike | Republican | Yea |
| Murphy, Eric J. | Republican | Yea |
| Nathe, Mike | Republican | Nay |
| Nehring, Dennis | Republican | Yea |
| Nelson, Jon O. | Republican | Yea |
| Novak, Anna S. | Republican | Not Voting |
| O'Brien, Emily | Republican | Yea |
| Olson, Jeremy | Republican | Yea |
| Olson, Jeremy | Republican | Yea |
| Osowski, Doug | Republican | Yea |
| Ostlie, Mitch | Republican | Yea |
| Porter, Todd | Republican | Yea |
| Pyle, Brandy L. | Republican | Yea |
| Richter, David | Republican | Yea |
| Rios, Nico | Republican | Yea |
| Rohr, Karen M. | Republican | Yea |
| Ruby, Dan | Republican | Yea |
| Ruby, Matthew | Republican | Yea |
| Sanford, Mark | Republican | Yea |
| Satrom, Bernie | Republican | Yea |
| Schatz, Mike | Republican | Nay |
| Schauer, Austen | Republican | Yea |
| Schreiber-Beck, Cynthia | Republican | Yea |
| Steiner, Vicky | Republican | Yea |
| Stemen, Gregory | Republican | Yea |
| Swiontek, Steve | Republican | Yea |
| Toman, Nathan | Republican | Yea |
| Tveit, Bill | Republican | Nay |
| VanWinkle, Lori | Republican | Yea |
| Vetter, Steve | Republican | Yea |
| Vigesaa, Don | Republican | Nay |
| Vollmer, Daniel R. | Republican | Yea |
| Wagner, Scott | Republican | Yea |
| Warrey, Jonathan | Republican | Yea |
| Weisz, Robin | Republican | Yea |
| Wolff, Christina | Republican | Yea |
Subjects
Frequently asked questions
- What does HB 1601 do?
- Relating to special assistant attorneys general.
- Who sponsors HB 1601?
- HB 1601 is sponsored by Satrom, Bernie (Republican), Roers, Kristin (Republican), Nelson, Jon O. (Republican), McLeod, Carrie (Republican), Lee, Judy (Republican), Bahl, Landon (Republican), and O'Brien, Emily (Republican).
- What is the current status of HB 1601?
- This bill died with 69th Legislative Assembly (2025-26). It reached “Passed House” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
- Where can I track HB 1601?
- Track HB 1601 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.
Make your voice heard on HB 1601
Find the representatives who decide this bill and tell them where you stand — for yourself, or mobilize your whole list in one click with One Click Politics advocacy software.
Stay ahead of HB 1601
Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously
One Click Politics tracks every bill in Congress and all 50 states.
Track this bill →