Summary — HB 1265 (North Dakota, 69th Legislative Assembly)
Status: Introduced Nov 13, 2024. Second reading — failed to pass (yeas 13, nays 33).
Purpose
- Create a statewide framework to support advanced information technology research and early-stage technology commercialization by (1) establishing a State Information Technology Research Center and (2) creating an Advanced Technology Review Committee to administer a compute‑credits grant program and an Advanced Technology Grant Fund.
Key provisions
1. State Information Technology Research Center (new section to NDCC ch. 15‑11)
- Establishes the center (operating as a collaborative virtual center, located at the University of North Dakota).
- Authorized activities: select research projects; enter contracts/agreements with ND higher education institutions, the Information Technology Department, federal/private/nonprofit partners; assist development of advanced technology solutions (explicitly including AI, machine learning, quantum computing, digital literacy, and cybersecurity); encourage in‑state data center establishment.
- May use existing staff resources between participating state agencies as appropriated.
- May accept donations, grants, contributions and gifts; such receipts are deposited to the Advanced Technology Grant Fund.
- Annual reporting requirement: report research activities and accomplishments by October 1 each year to Legislative Management’s Information Technology Committee (and to appropriations committees on request).
- New chapter to NDCC title 54 — Advanced Technology Review Committee and Programs
- Definitions for key terms (CIO, commissioner, department, vice chancellor for IT, committee).
- Advanced Technology Review Committee membership:
- CIO (Information Technology Dept) and Vice Chancellor for Information Technology (ND University System) or their designees.
- Three private‑sector members with significant IT/advanced technology expertise appointed by the governor, House majority leader, and Senate majority leader.
- Commissioner of Commerce (or designee) as a nonvoting member who provides funding recommendations.
- Executive director of a digital academy administered by the ND university system.
- Appointment mechanics: private‑sector terms generally 4 years (staggered initial terms), members serve at the pleasure of appointing authorities; chairman selected annually by the chairman of Legislative Management.
- Compensation: private‑sector members eligible for up to $135/day plus travel within appropriations.
- Committee duties: meet as called to review and approve grant applications from entrepreneurs, startups, and small businesses in early phases of advanced‑technology product R&D that lack access to prototype funding.
- Compute Credits Grant Program:
- Administered by the Information Technology Department with administrative support responsibilities (application forms, intake, forwarding to committee).
- Committee to establish eligibility guidelines and evaluation criteria; required to consider the applicant’s support for AI, ML, quantum computing, digital literacy, cybersecurity, and priority to projects likely to attract IT businesses to the state.
- Committee must process applications in a timely manner to allow leveraging of other funding.
- Advanced Technology Grant Fund:
- Receives donations/grants and likely serves as the funding source for awarded compute credits/grants (bill text references transfers/appropriations though specific dollar amounts are not present in the available excerpts).
Who is affected
- University of North Dakota (home for the virtual research center) and other ND institutions of higher education partnering on research.
- Information Technology Department and ND University System (administration, staff resources).
- Department of Commerce (advisory role).
- Entrepreneurs, startups, and small businesses in ND seeking compute credits/prototype support for advanced‑technology projects.
- Private‑sector appointees serving on the review committee and the digital academy executive director.
Procedural / timeline elements
- Annual research report due Oct 1 to the Legislative Management information technology committee.
- Committee appointment list compilation: CIO and vice chancellor to compile candidate lists by July 1 of each odd‑numbered year.
- Private‑sector committee terms commence August 1 and are staggered.
- Bill failed to pass on second reading (yeas 13 / nays 33) and therefore did not become law in its submitted form.
Notes and limitations
- The available bill excerpts outline structure, duties, and priorities but the provided materials are truncated and do not show specific funding amounts or detailed grant award mechanics. The bill also references provision for a transfer and appropriation; the actual appropriation amount (if any) is not included in the excerpts reviewed.
