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HB 1600

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2026 Regular Session Introduced by Ross Berry and 1 co-sponsor

Creates a UND School of Law immigration clinic with one full-time attorney, funded by a one-time $400,000 grant; requires a status report to the Legislature.

Pending Motion OT3rdg; 04/23/2026; SJ 10
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Bill Summary · HB 1600

Summary — HB 1600 (Sixty‑ninth Legislative Assembly, North Dakota)

AN ACT to establish an immigration law clinic at the University of North Dakota School of Law; require a status report; and provide a one‑time appropriation.

Status: Enacted (Act 317). Signed by the Governor and filed with the Secretary of State on April 28, 2025.

Main purpose

Create and fund an immigration law clinic at the University of North Dakota (UND) School of Law to provide immigration legal services, support student clinical education, and inform the Legislature about the clinic’s operations and sustainability.

Key provisions

  • Establishment and staffing

    • UND School of Law shall employ one full‑time staff attorney dedicated to the immigration law clinic.
    • The staff attorney may not have more than 60 open matters at any one time.

  • Service model

    • Legal services and legal work may be provided remotely as appropriate to client needs.
    • UND may charge nominal fees, as needed, to help operate the clinic.

  • Reporting requirement

    • UND School of Law must prepare a status report on the clinic that includes:
    • Impact on the law school and clinic sustainability (including fee collection);
    • Student interest and participation (number of students and student hours);
    • The number and types of clients (businesses, employers, individuals), locations, and scope of work requested;
    • Obstacles encountered, potential future challenges, a plan to address them, and any recommended legislation needed to support successful operation.
    • The report must be presented to the Seventieth Legislative Assembly (the next regular assembly after enactment).

  • Appropriation / fiscal

    • One‑time appropriation of $400,000 for the biennium beginning July 1, 2025 and ending June 30, 2027.
    • Funds are appropriated to the Office of Management and Budget to provide a grant to UND to establish and operate the immigration law clinic.
    • The appropriation is designated as one‑time funding from the Strategic Investment and Improvements Fund.

Who is affected

  • University of North Dakota School of Law — required to hire the staff attorney, operate the clinic, collect data, and produce the report.
  • UND law students — potential clinical education and supervised practice opportunities.
  • Immigrants, businesses, and employers in North Dakota — potential beneficiaries of low‑cost or nominal‑fee immigration legal services.
  • State finances — one‑time $400,000 grant from the Strategic Investment and Improvements Fund administered through OMB.

Timeline / procedural notes

  • Funding covers July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2027 (biennium).
  • The required report is to be delivered to the Seventieth Legislative Assembly (expected in 2027).
  • HB 1600 passed both chambers and was enacted as Act 317 (signed and filed April 28, 2025).
  • Committee and floor amendments during consideration adjusted program details and the funding source; the enacted version focuses on the single staff attorney, service parameters, reporting, and the $400,000 one‑time grant.

Practical implications

  • The clinic’s initial capacity will be limited by a single full‑time attorney and the 60‑matter cap; student involvement is anticipated but not prescriptively detailed in the enrolled bill.
  • The one‑time grant supports start‑up/initial operations; the Legislature will have information on sustainability and legislative needs via the mandated report to inform future funding or statutory changes.

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

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