HB 1207 — North Dakota (2025) — Summary
Status: Introduced Nov 12, 2024; Second reading (failed to pass) — yeas 25, nays 64.
Purpose
- Restructure membership and election procedures for the North Dakota Beef Commission by creating district-based seats and related nomination/election rules; revise definitions; change assessment/refund and reporting requirements for cattle sales; assign election costs and provide enforcement authority (penalty). The bill also makes conforming term and vacancy changes and establishes transitional timelines for implementing district elections.
Key provisions and changes
- Definitions (amends 4.1‑03‑01)
- Adds/clarifies “cattle industry representative” to include persons who are or have been beef producers, cattle feeders, dairy producers, or representatives of public livestock markets.
- Defines “participating producer” as a beef producer who has not obtained a refund of any assessment paid on cattle sales in the preceding three years.
Commission composition and selection (amends 4.1‑03‑02; creates new district sections)
- Reconfigures the commission so that three of its seats (previously described as “at‑large” representatives) are replaced by one cattle industry representative elected from each district created under the bill (the text references districts 1–9 and assigns existing officers to specific districts during transition).
- Maintains appointed seats for specified producer categories (beef producers, cattle feeder, dairy producer, public livestock market rep), but establishes district elections for the industry representatives.
Terms, timing, and transition (amends 4.1‑03‑03)
- Standard term set at three years beginning January 1 (changed from July 1).
- Transitional schedule: elections for several districts to be held Oct 1–Dec 31, 2025 with terms beginning Jan 1, 2026; initial staggered term lengths assigned to districts (e.g., one‑, two‑, and three‑year initial terms to achieve staggering).
- Limits service to two consecutive terms; appointment-to-fill rules for vacancies clarified.
Elections and costs (new sections)
- Establishes district nomination and election procedures for district representatives and addresses who pays election costs (bill text assigns responsibility but specifics vary by amendment drafts).
Seller reporting and assessment refunds (amends 4.1‑03‑12 and 4.1‑03‑17)
- Requires livestock auction markets and licensed livestock dealers to forward seller name(s) (and likely transaction info) as part of assessment/referral processes to facilitate commission administration.
- Eliminates the existing refund procedure for assessments on cattle sales (producers who previously could seek refunds would no longer have that option); instead defines “participating producer” for eligibility to serve on the commission.
Enforcement
- Provides for a penalty for noncompliance with new reporting/administrative requirements (penalty amount or classification not specified in the excerpts).
Who is affected
- Beef producers and cattle feeders in North Dakota (voting eligibility, eligibility to serve on commission).
- Dairy producers and public livestock market representatives (as defined commission categories).
- Livestock auction markets and livestock dealers — new reporting obligations.
- North Dakota Beef Commission — composition, election processes, and administration.
- State entities involved in administering elections and assessments (NDSU Extension Service director referenced).
Procedural/timeline aspects
- Transition provisions focus on elections held between Oct 1 and Dec 31, 2025, with new terms beginning Jan 1, 2026. Specific initial term lengths are assigned to stagger future expirations.
- The bill failed to advance on second reading (vote 25–64) and therefore did not become law in this session.
Notes/uncertainties
- The bill text exists in multiple amendment drafts; some implementation details (exact district boundaries, the precise allocation of election costs, and the penalty classification/amount) are not fully specified in the excerpts provided and may differ among amendment versions.
- Because the bill failed second reading, its provisions are not enacted. If reintroduced, details could change.
