SB 2018 — Summary (North Dakota, 2025)
Status
- Introduced: March 6, 2025
- Enacted: Signed by the Governor June 20, 2025 (enrolled and filed)
Overview
- SB 2018 is a broad Commerce appropriation and policy package that (1) funds the Department of Commerce for the 2025–27 biennium, (2) makes multiple one‑time and ongoing appropriations and transfers from the Strategic Investment and Improvements Fund (SIIF) and other sources, and (3) amends several chapters of the North Dakota Century Code affecting economic development, workforce programs, and uncrewed (autonomous) aircraft systems programs. The bill also creates new grant reporting requirements and renames the Office of Legal Immigration to the Global Talent Office.
Key appropriations and fiscal totals (biennium July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2027)
- Department of Commerce total appropriation (conference committee/enrolled): $158,285,660 all funds ($42,295,953 general fund; $115,989,707 other funds). Full‑time equivalents: increases from 62.80 to 65.80 FTE.
- One‑time funding (reported separately): $69,837,634 total (approximately $6.96M general fund; $62.88M other funds).
- Targeted transfers:
- $3,000,000 transferred to the internship fund (Operation Intern administration).
- $5,000,000 transferred from SIIF to the Legacy Investment for Technology Fund (technology loans).
- $30,000,000 transferred from SIIF to the North Dakota Development Fund (chapter 10‑30.5 programs).
Selected programmatic & grant items
- Children’s Education Science Center Grants: contingent SIIF appropriation of $2,000,000 (grants up to $1,000,000 per eligible city) — funding released only if oil & gas allocations to SIIF exceed $402,000,000 in the 2025–27 biennium.
- Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) uncrewed aircraft program and Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) fund: statutory updates and funding for UAV programs, including dedicated one‑time allocations (e.g., UAV replacement grants, BVLOS program dollars).
- Autonomous agriculture and autonomous trucking grants: SIIF one‑time funding ($7.5M in the final conference version).
- Tourism: marketing awareness and tourism destination development grants ($15M other funds in the conference version).
- Base enhancement grants: $1,000,000 targeted to communities with Air Force or Air National Guard facilities (Minot, Grand Forks, Fargo allocations noted).
- Native American / Tribal support: tribally controlled community college grants ($750,000 GF) and a $600,000 Native American small business grant from other funds.
- Attorney General: one‑time SIIF appropriation of $250,000 to provide autonomous‑technology grants supporting BCI in missing person searches, crime‑scene reconstruction and first‑response; grant guidelines include matching requirements (state may require $1 private match per $4 state).
- Department of Career & Technical Education and State Fair Association: receive appropriations and program authority for related autonomous technology grants (details in bill text).
Statutory and policy changes
- Creates a new grant reporting requirement section in chapter 54‑60 (department of commerce grant reporting to Budget Section and legislative management).
- Amends/reenacts: subsection 1 of section 10‑30.5‑02 and sections 54‑60‑09, 54‑60‑19, 54‑60‑28, 54‑60‑29, 54‑60‑29.1, and 54‑60‑31 — affecting the North Dakota Development Fund purpose, duties/talent strategy of Division of Workforce Development, UAS program/funds, BVLOS program, and renaming the Office of Legal Immigration to the Office of Global Talent (aka Global Talent Office).
- Authorizes a Bank of North Dakota (BND) line of credit, adds application/exemption provisions, and requires some legislative management reporting.
Reporting, oversight and limits
- Multiple grant programs include matching funding requirements and reporting obligations to legislative management (e.g., AG autonomous technology grants must report recipients/uses during the 2025–26 interim).
- New statutory grant reporting provisions require the Department of Commerce to report program outcomes and grant use to the Budget Section/legislature per the enacted text.
Who is affected
- State agencies: Department of Commerce, Attorney General, Department of Career & Technical Education, BND (via line of credit), Office of Management and Budget.
- Local governments and communities: recipients of tourism, base enhancement, infrastructure and historic restoration grants.
- Education institutions: tribally controlled community colleges, workforce training providers, and CTE programs.
- Businesses and organizations working with autonomous technologies, UAS/BVLOS operators, and Native American small businesses.
Procedural notes
- Bill went through multiple House and Senate amendments and a conference committee; final enrolled version reflects the conference committee adjustments. Several appropriations in the bill are contingent on SIIF revenue thresholds and/or other qualifying conditions.
