North Dakota 69th Legislative Assembly (2025-26) Status: Enacted 6 R cosponsors

SB 2256 — AN ACT to create and enact a new section to chapter 54-17 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to a research technology park grant program; to provide an appropriation; and to provide for a report.

Last action — Filed with Secretary Of State 05/06

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed Senate
  4. ✓
    Passed House
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 20, 2025. Enacted.

Signed by Governor Kelly Armstrong (Republican) on May 17, 2025.

Odds of enactment

High chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a high chance of becoming law.

Upgrade to see the exact probability and what's driving it.

A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 82% · moderate confidence

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 6 sponsors

    1 primary, 5 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (6 R).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 3 recorded votes so far.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Summary

Relating to a research technology park grant program; to provide an appropriation; and to provide for a report.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

73 added · 57 removed

Plain-language change summary

The updated version of Senate Bill 2256 introduces a new research technology park grant program, replacing the previous fund approach. Now, the industrial commission is tasked with distributing grants specifically to support research at North Dakota State University, rather than maintaining a continuous fund. This shift is important because it focuses financial resources on targeted projects, potentially driving innovation in autonomous agriculture and robotics, and benefiting the state's economy and environment. Additionally, this version establishes a clear reporting process to ensure accountability and transparency in how the funds are utilized.

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25.0792.03000 Sixty-ninth Legislative Assembly of North Dakota FIRST ENGROSSMENT ENGROSSED SENATE BILL NO.
Sixty-ninth Legislative Assembly of North Dakota In Regular Session Commencing Tuesday, January 7, 2025 SENATE BILL NO.
2256 Introduced by Senators Sorvaag, Patten, Sickler, Davison Representatives Nathe, Swiontek A BILL for an Act to create and enact a new section to chapter 54-17 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to a research technology park fund;
2256 (Senators Sorvaag, Patten, Sickler, Davison) (Representatives Nathe, Swiontek) AN ACT to create and enact a new section to chapter 54-17 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to a research technology park grant program;
to provide a continuing appropriation;
to provide an appropriation;
to provide a transfer;
and to provide for a report.
and to provide a report.
Research technology park fund - North Dakota state university - Continuing appropriation - Report.
Research technology park grant program - North Dakota state university - Report.
The research technology park fund is a special fund in the state treasury.
The industrial commission shall administer the research technology park grant program.
All moneys deposited in the fund and interest upon moneys in the fund are appropriated on a continuing basis to the industrial commission for distribution to the research technology park at North Dakota state university.
Subject to legislative appropriations, the industrial commission shall distribute grant funding to the research technology park at North Dakota state university.
and Page No.
and c.
1 25.0792.03000 Sixty-ninth Legislative Assembly c.
Enter into contracts or agreements with other institutions of higher education to support the selected research topics and projects;
Enter contracts or agreements with other institutions of higher education to support the selected research topics and projects;
Enter into contracts or agreements with federal, private, and nonprofit organizations to carry out the selected research topics and projects;
Enter contracts or agreements with federal, private, and nonprofit organizations to carry out the selected research topics and projects;
Annually, the research technology park shall report all research activities, product development, and accomplishments to the industrial commission and the legislative management.
Annually, the research technology park shall report all research activities, product development, and accomplishments to the industrial commission and the legislative S.
B.
NO.
2256 - PAGE 2 management.
TRANSFER - STRATEGIC INVESTMENT AND IMPROVEMENTS FUND TO RESEARCH TECHNOLOGY PARK FUND.
APPROPRIATION - INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION - STRATEGIC INVESTMENT AND IMPROVEMENTS FUND - RESEARCH TECHNOLOGY PARK GRANT PROGRAM - ONE-TIME FUNDING.
The office of management and budget shall transfer the sum of $15,000,000 from the strategic investment and improvements fund to the research technology park fund, during the biennium beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2027.
There is appropriated out of any moneys in the strategic investment and improvements fund in the state treasury, not otherwise appropriated, the sum of $10,000,000, or so much of the sum as may be necessary, to the industrial commission for the purpose of providing grants under the research technology park grant program pursuant to section 1 of this Act, during the biennium beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2027.
Page No.
Of the $10,000,000, the industrial commission shall distribute a grant of $5,000,000 to the research technology park without a matching requirement and may distribute a grant of up to $5,000,000 to the research technology park only to the extent the research technology park provides one dollar of matching funds from nonstate sources for each dollar of grant funding distributed under the program.
2 25.0792.03000
The appropriation in this section is considered a one-time funding item.
S.
B.
NO.
2256 - PAGE 3 ____________________________ ____________________________ President of the Senate Speaker of the House ____________________________ ____________________________ Secretary of the Senate Chief Clerk of the House This certifies that the within bill originated in the Senate of the Sixty-ninth Legislative Assembly of North Dakota and is known on the records of that body as Senate Bill No.
2256.
Senate Vote:
Yeas 31 Nays 15 Absent 1 House Vote:
Yeas 61 Nays 30 Absent 3 ____________________________ Secretary of the Senate Received by the Governor at ________M.
on _____________________________________, 2025.
Approved at ________M.
on __________________________________________________, 2025.
____________________________ Governor Filed in this office this ___________day of _______________________________________, 2025, at ________ o’clock ________M.
____________________________ Secretary of State
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Action History

  1. Filed with Secretary Of State 05/06

  2. Signed by Governor 05/05

  3. Sent to Governor

  4. Signed by President

  5. Signed by Speaker

  6. Conference committee report adopted

  7. Reported back from conference committee, placed on calendar (Senate accept)

  8. Second reading, passed, yeas 31 nays 15

  9. Conference committee report adopted

  10. Reported back from conference committee, placed on calendar (Senate accept)

  11. Conference committee appointed Stemen Fisher Schauer

  12. Conference committee appointed Sorvaag Thomas Wobbema

  13. Refused to concur

  14. Returned to Senate (12)

  15. Second reading, passed as amended, yeas 61 nays 30

  16. Amendment adopted, placed on calendar

  17. Reported back amended, do pass, amendment placed on calendar 22 0 1

  18. Rereferred to Appropriations

  19. Amendment adopted

  20. Reported back amended, do pass, amendment placed on calendar 11 2 1

  21. Committee Hearing 09:00

  22. Introduced, first reading, referred Government and Veterans Affairs Committee

  23. Received from Senate

  24. Second reading, passed, yeas 33 nays 14

  25. Amendment adopted, placed on calendar

  26. Reported back amended, do pass, amendment placed on calendar 13 2 1

  27. Rereferred to Appropriations

  28. Reported back, do pass 5 0 0

  29. Committee Hearing 09:00

  30. Rereferred to Workforce Development

  31. Request return from committee

  32. Introduced, first reading, referred Education Committee

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 5 co-sponsors · 142 not signed on · 47 voted No

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (5)

Not signed on (142)

142 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 142 →

"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.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Motion for Final Passage on SB 2256

Passed 31 Yea · 15 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 261501
Democratic 5000
Total 311501
% of votes cast 66%32%0%2%
How each member voted (47)
Member Party Vote
Boschee, Josh Democratic Yea
Braunberger, Ryan Democratic Yea
Hogan, Kathy Democratic Yea
Marcellais, Richard Democratic Yea
Mathern, Tim Democratic Yea
Axtman, Michelle Republican Yea
Barta, Jeff Republican Yea
Beard, Todd Republican Nay
Bekkedahl, Brad Republican Yea
Boehm, Keith Republican Nay
Burckhard, Randy A. Republican Yea
Castaneda, Jose L. Republican Nay
Cleary, Sean Republican Nay
Clemens, David A. Republican Nay
Conley, Cole Republican Yea
Cory, Claire Republican Yea
Davison, Kyle Republican Yea
Dever, Dick Republican Yea
Dwyer, Michael Republican Yea
Enget, Mark Republican Nay
Erbele, Robert Republican Yea
Gerhardt, Justin Republican Nay
Hogue, David Republican Yea
Kessel, Greg Republican Yea
Klein, Jerry Republican Yea
Larson, Diane Republican Nay
Lee, Judy Republican Yea
Lemm, Randy D. Republican Yea
Luick, Larry Republican Nay
Magrum, Jeffery J. Republican Nay
Meyer, Scott Republican Yea
Myrdal, Janne Republican Nay
Patten, Dale Republican Yea
Paulson, Bob Republican Nay
Powers, Michelle Republican Yea
Roers, Kristin Republican Yea
Rummel, Dean Republican Yea
Schaible, Donald Republican Yea
Sickler, Jonathan Republican Yea
Sorvaag, Ronald Republican Yea
Thomas, Paul J. Republican Yea
Walen, Chuck Republican Nay
Wanzek, Terry M. Republican Yea
Weber, Mark F. Republican Not Voting
Weston, Kent Republican Nay
Wobbema, Mike Republican Yea
van Oosting, Desiree Republican Nay

Official roll call →

Motion for Final Passage on SB 2256

Passed 61 Yea · 30 Nay · 3 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 522803
Democratic 9200
Total 613003
% of votes cast 65%32%0%3%
How each member voted (94)
Member Party Vote
Brown, Collette Democratic Nay
Conmy, Liz Democratic Yea
Davis, Jayme Democratic Yea
Dobervich, Gretchen Democratic Yea
Finley-DeVille, Lisa Democratic Nay
Foss, Austin Democratic Yea
Hager, LaurieBeth Democratic Yea
Hanson, Karla Rose Democratic Yea
Ista, Zachary Democratic Yea
Mitskog, Alisa Democratic Yea
Schneider, Mary Democratic Yea
Anderson, Bert Republican Yea
Anderson, Dick Republican Yea
Anderson, Karen A. Republican Nay
Bahl, Landon Republican Nay
Beltz, Mike Republican Yea
Berg, Mike Republican Yea
Bolinske, Macy Republican Nay
Bosch, Glenn Republican Yea
Brandenburg, Mike Republican Yea
Brown, TJ Republican Not Voting
Christianson, Nels Republican Nay
Dockter, Jason Republican Yea
Dressler, Ty Republican Yea
Fegley, Clayton Republican Yea
Fisher, Jay Republican Yea
Frelich, Kathy Republican Nay
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 Nay
Heinert, Pat D. Republican Yea
Henderson, Donna Republican Nay
Hendrix, Jared Republican Nay
Holle, Dawson Republican Nay
Hoverson, Jeff Republican Nay
Johnson, Jorin Republican Nay
Johnston, Daniel Republican Nay
Jonas, Jim Republican Yea
Karls, Karen Republican Yea
Kasper, Jim Republican Yea
Kempenich, Keith Republican Yea
Kiefert, Dwight Republican Yea
Klemin, Lawrence R. Republican Yea
Koppelman, Ben Republican Nay
Lefor, Mike Republican Yea
Longmuir, Donald W. Republican Yea
Louser, Scott Republican Yea
Maki, Roger A. Republican Nay
Marschall, Andrew Republican Nay
Martinson, Bob Republican Yea
McLeod, Carrie Republican Yea
Meier, Lisa Republican Yea
Monson, David Republican Yea
Morton, Desiree Republican Nay
Motschenbacher, Mike Republican Nay
Murphy, Eric J. Republican Yea
Nathe, Mike Republican Yea
Nehring, Dennis Republican Nay
Nelson, Jon O. Republican Yea
Novak, Anna S. Republican Yea
O'Brien, Emily Republican Not Voting
Olson, Jeremy Republican Yea
Olson, Jeremy Republican Nay
Osowski, Doug Republican Nay
Ostlie, Mitch Republican Yea
Porter, Todd Republican Yea
Pyle, Brandy L. Republican Yea
Richter, David Republican Yea
Rios, Nico Republican Not Voting
Rohr, Karen M. Republican Nay
Ruby, Dan Republican Nay
Ruby, Matthew Republican Nay
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 Nay
Tveit, Bill Republican Yea
VanWinkle, Lori Republican Nay
Vetter, Steve Republican Nay
Vigesaa, Don Republican Yea
Vollmer, Daniel R. Republican Yea
Wagner, Scott Republican Yea
Warrey, Jonathan Republican Yea
Weisz, Robin Republican Yea
Wolff, Christina Republican Nay

Official roll call →

Motion for Final Passage on SB 2256

Passed 33 Yea · 14 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 281400
Democratic 5000
Total 331400
% of votes cast 70%30%0%0%
How each member voted (47)
Member Party Vote
Boschee, Josh Democratic Yea
Braunberger, Ryan Democratic Yea
Hogan, Kathy Democratic Yea
Marcellais, Richard Democratic Yea
Mathern, Tim Democratic Yea
Axtman, Michelle Republican Yea
Barta, Jeff Republican Yea
Beard, Todd Republican Nay
Bekkedahl, Brad Republican Nay
Boehm, Keith Republican Nay
Burckhard, Randy A. Republican Yea
Castaneda, Jose L. Republican Nay
Cleary, Sean Republican Yea
Clemens, David A. Republican Nay
Conley, Cole Republican Yea
Cory, Claire Republican Yea
Davison, Kyle Republican Yea
Dever, Dick Republican Yea
Dwyer, Michael Republican Yea
Enget, Mark Republican Nay
Erbele, Robert Republican Yea
Gerhardt, Justin Republican Nay
Hogue, David Republican Yea
Kessel, Greg Republican Yea
Klein, Jerry Republican Yea
Larson, Diane Republican Nay
Lee, Judy Republican Yea
Lemm, Randy D. Republican Yea
Luick, Larry Republican Nay
Magrum, Jeffery J. Republican Nay
Meyer, Scott Republican Yea
Myrdal, Janne Republican Nay
Patten, Dale Republican Yea
Paulson, Bob Republican Nay
Powers, Michelle Republican Yea
Roers, Kristin Republican Yea
Rummel, Dean Republican Yea
Schaible, Donald Republican Yea
Sickler, Jonathan Republican Yea
Sorvaag, Ronald Republican Yea
Thomas, Paul J. Republican Yea
Walen, Chuck Republican Yea
Wanzek, Terry M. Republican Yea
Weber, Mark F. Republican Nay
Weston, Kent Republican Yea
Wobbema, Mike Republican Yea
van Oosting, Desiree Republican Nay

Official roll call →

Subjects

finance technology
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Frequently asked questions

What does SB 2256 do?
Relating to a research technology park grant program; to provide an appropriation; and to provide for a report.
Who sponsors SB 2256?
SB 2256 is sponsored by Swiontek, Steve (Republican), Sickler, Jonathan (Republican), Patten, Dale (Republican), Nathe, Mike (Republican), Davison, Kyle (Republican), and Sorvaag, Ronald (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 2256?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 20, 2025. Enacted.
Where can I track SB 2256?
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