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HB 1476

AN ACT to create and enact a new section to chapter 15.1-02 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the assessment of all public school buildings.

69th Legislative Assembly (2025-26)

The bill authorizes the state to collect and track school building assessments and inventories to inform maintenance and capital planning, pending DPI action and funding.

Filed with Secretary Of State 04/22
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Bill Summary · HB 1476

Summary — HB 1476 (North Dakota)

AN ACT to create and enact a new section to chapter 15.1‑02 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the assessment of all public school buildings

Purpose / Intent

To establish a statutory framework enabling the Superintendent of Public Instruction to collect, document, track, and—if needed—contract for comprehensive facility assessments and inventory data for public school buildings across North Dakota. The intent is to improve statewide information about school building condition, systems, accessibility, and recommended maintenance/repairs.

Key provisions

  • Creates a new section in NDCC chapter 15.1‑02 titled “School buildings — Assessment — Rules.”
  • Authorizes the Superintendent of Public Instruction to:
    • Collect regularly conducted assessments performed by school districts for each building on school grounds, covering interior/exterior elements, doors/windows, fire sprinklers and fire protection systems, heating/cooling/plumbing/electrical/security systems, and handicap accessibility features.
    • Every four years, document an inventory of buildings as submitted by districts, including building type, original construction year, facility additions and their construction years, and facility square footage.
    • Develop and maintain a system to track building assessments and recommended construction, repairs, modifications, and maintenance for each school.
    • Contract for professional services to implement this section, including studies to establish public school facility standards.
  • Requires the Superintendent to adopt implementing rules under chapter 28‑32 (administrative rulemaking).
  • Drafting/wording notes: the enacted/last version uses permissive language (“may”) for most collection, inventory, and tracking duties rather than mandatory (“shall”), while rulemaking remains required.

Who is affected

  • Department of Public Instruction (DPI)/Superintendent of Public Instruction — gains authority to collect and manage statewide facility assessment data, adopt rules, and contract for services.
  • School districts — potential reporting obligation if DPI elects to collect assessments; districts would provide assessment data and inventories.
  • Vendors/consultants — may be contracted to perform assessments, build tracking systems, or develop standards.
  • State budget/taxpayers — earlier House versions included a one‑time $4,000,000 appropriation for a statewide facilities assessment (biennium 7/1/2025–6/30/2027). Later Senate amendments made duties permissive and the final enrolled version removed the appropriation; therefore no guaranteed state funding is provided in the final enacted text.

Procedural / timeline aspects

  • Rulemaking: DPI must adopt rules under chapter 28‑32 to implement the section; timing for rule promulgation is not specified in the enrolled text.
  • Inventory cadence: the statute authorizes (may) documentation every four years if DPI proceeds.
  • Legislative actions and enactment:
    • Introduced: November 26, 2024.
    • Passed both chambers (House and Senate) with amendments.
    • Governor signed on April 21, 2025; filed with Secretary of State April 22, 2025 (enrolled as Act 675).
  • Because the final law uses permissive language, implementation requires discretionary action by the Superintendent and adoption of administrative rules; absent DPI action, no mandatory statewide assessment program or state expenditure is imposed by the enacted statute.

Practical impact

If the Superintendent implements the authority, the state would gain centralized, periodic data on school building conditions and needs, enabling better planning and prioritization for repairs and capital projects. Because implementation is discretionary and no funding is guaranteed in the enrolled law, the scope and timing of any statewide assessment will depend on DPI decisions and available resources.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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