Bill
HB 1220
Allows North Dakota public colleges to offer accelerated degrees that skip general education for high-demand occupations, with licensing boards required to recognize them.
Status (as provided)
- Introduced: November 12, 2024
- Sponsors: Representatives Motschenbacher, Hauck, Longmuir, Morton, Novak, Schauer, Sanford, Bahl, Fisher, Vetter; Senator Gerhardt
- Committee report: Senate Workforce Development Committee (adopted April 3, 2025)
- Final recorded action (provided): Second reading — failed to pass (yeas 7, nays 38)
Purpose / intent
- Create an optional “North Dakota accelerated degree” pathway that institutions governed by the State Board of Higher Education may offer as a substitute for traditional degrees that prepare students for occupations the bill (or institutions) deem to be “high‑demand.” The core intent is to speed preparation for workforce‑critical jobs by allowing a degree program without the usual general‑education credit requirements.
Key provisions
- Authorized institutions: An institution under the control of the State Board of Higher Education may offer one or more North Dakota accelerated degrees that prepare students for high‑demand occupations.
- Institutional duties (committee amendment): institutions may
- determine annually which of their degrees prepare students for a high‑demand occupation;
- offer an accelerated degree as an optional substitute for such a degree;
- provide a list of offered North Dakota accelerated degrees to the appropriate occupational and professional boards; and
- design the accelerated degree so that it does not require general education credits.
- Definition / designation of “high‑demand occupation”: an occupational or professional board may designate an occupation or profession as a high‑demand occupation and may revoke that designation. If a student relies on a designation that is current when the student begins the accelerated program, that program must be recognized under the bill’s licensing provisions.
- Licensing recognition (committee amendment): upon review of a license application for a profession designated as high‑demand by an institution, the occupational or professional licensing board is required to approve and recognize a North Dakota accelerated degree as an accredited program for licensing purposes.
- Rulemaking: the State Board of Higher Education may adopt rules under chapter 28‑32 to implement the section.
Who would be affected
- Students: those pursuing credentials for occupations designated as high‑demand could complete an accelerated degree without general education requirements.
- Public higher education institutions: those governed by the State Board of Higher Education may design and offer accelerated degree options and must annually identify degrees that align with high‑demand occupations.
- Occupational and professional licensing boards: must interact with institutions’ lists and (per committee amendment) must recognize the accelerated degree as an accredited credential for licensure where the designation applies.
- Employers and the workforce: potential faster entry of credentialed workers into high‑demand fields; implications for workforce supply and employer hiring practices.
- General education programs: potential reduction in enrollment and credit requirements if students opt for accelerated pathways.
Procedural / timeline notes
- The bill’s committee amendment expanded institutional responsibilities and changed recognition language to require licensing boards to approve the accelerated degree for licensure purposes.
- According to the provided status, the measure failed on second reading (yeas 7, nays 38) and therefore did not advance as of that recorded action.
Potential impacts and considerations
- Benefits: faster pathways into critical jobs, reduced time and cost for students, potential to fill workforce shortages more quickly.
- Concerns: omission of general education coursework may raise questions about breadth of student preparation; licensing boards’ duty to accept non‑traditional degrees could affect professional standards and public protection; implementation will rely on rulemaking and coordination between institutions and licensing boards.
- Administrative: institutions and boards would need processes to identify qualifying degrees annually, document designations, and handle transitional protections for students who begin programs under an active designation.
This summary is prepared from the bill text and committee amendment language provided.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
Sign in to ask a question.
