Senate Kills Income Tax Cut Expansion Bill

As expected, Governor Burgum's proposed Income Tax Cut Expansion bill was defeated in the North Dakota Senate. Spend was a bigger priority.

It was a quick death for the proposed expansion of the income tax cuts passed last session in the Senate. HB 1549 was defeated after only garnering 16 Yes votes. Among the No votes were some of the more conservative Republicans including Senators Boehm, Estenson, Magrum, Myrdal, and Paulson.

$125 million Fertilizer Plant Forgivable Loan Passes Easily

It was a relatively easy sale to pass the corporate welfare subsidy for a “fertilizer plant using hydrogen from electrolysis of water” which passed the Senate by a vote of 40-7.

NDPERS Board Restructuring Passes

One of the more decisive bills designed to restructure the way the government employee’s pension fund board is structured (HB 1547) also passed.

An interesting note from the Senate discussion on this bill was that is was outright admitted on the floor that part of the reason this bill was needed was because it is the NDPERs board that sued the legislature requiring this special session in the first place.

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