Bill
HB 1255
ND HB1255 bars state funds and state-available federal funds from directly or indirectly supporting public broadcasting by state officers.
Status: Introduced November 12, 2024; proceeded to second reading and failed to pass (second reading vote: yeas 6, nays 41).
Short title / purpose
- Creates and enacts a new section in chapter 54‑27 of the North Dakota Century Code to prohibit the use of public funds to support public broadcasting.
Key provision (textual effect)
- Adds a new statutory section titled “Public broadcasting — Use of public funds restricted.”
- States that “a state officer as defined in section 54‑16‑00.1 may not expend any state funds or federal funds available to the state officer to directly or indirectly support public broadcasting.”
What the bill would change
- Establishes a flat prohibition on any expenditure of state dollars, and on federal funds that are available to a state officer, for the purpose of supporting public broadcasting.
- The ban covers both direct and indirect support (the bill text does not enumerate examples, but the language would encompass grants, contracts, membership dues, underwriting, in‑kind services, or other financial support routed by a state officer to public broadcasting entities).
Who would be affected
- State officers (as defined in NDCC §54‑16‑00.1) and the state agencies they represent — i.e., officials who control or administer state or federal funds.
- Public broadcasting organizations operating in North Dakota (state public radio/TV stations and affiliated entities) that currently receive any state or state‑administered federal support.
- Entities that partner with or receive pass‑through federal funds from state agencies for media, outreach, education, or public‑service broadcasting activities.
- Potentially local governments or nonprofits that rely on contracts or cooperative arrangements with state officers for broadcasting services.
Procedural / timeline notes
- Introduced: November 12, 2024.
- Referred to committee and read in the sponsoring chamber (first reading noted in bill record).
- Advanced to second reading but failed to pass on second reading by a recorded vote of 6 yeas and 41 nays (as reported).
- Because the measure failed the second reading, it did not become law in this legislative cycle.
Fiscal and implementation notes
- The bill text contains no detail on enforcement mechanisms, exceptions, or transitional rules.
- Fiscal impact would depend on the current level and types of state or state‑administered federal support for public broadcasting; the prohibition could reduce or eliminate those funding flows. The bill does not provide appropriation language.
Practical effect (illustrative)
- If enacted as written, state officers could not approve or disburse public funds for activities such as state grants to public stations, state underwriting of programming, or state‑funded contracts that pay for public broadcasting services. Federal funds administered by state officers that are available for such purposes would also be barred from being used to support public broadcasting.
For further review
- Check the exact definition of “state officer” in NDCC §54‑16‑00.1 to determine which positions and entities would be covered.
- Review current state budgets and grant agreements to identify existing funding streams to public broadcasting that would be affected.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
Sign in to ask a question.
