Summer 2024 Gavel | Página 14

The Legislative Service Award goes to an individual who has devoted years of service at the state or federal level . The recipient demonstrates a commitment to serving their constituents by actively participating in the legislative process and by balancing the principles of justice and jurisprudence while serving the needs of the public .

Shannon Roers Jones serves as general counsel and real estate broker for Roers Construction and Development in Fargo . She is also a member of the North Dakota House of Representatives , chairing the Workforce Development Committee as well as serving as a member of the Judiciary , Energy and Natural Resources , Juvenile Justice , and Government Services committees . Rep . Roers Jones also serves on task forces studying the desirability of creating a juvenile delinquency code and alternative pathways for admitting attorneys to the North Dakota Bar .

A key area of interest for Rep . Roers Jones has been criminal justice reform as a means of facilitating reintegration into the community and reducing recidivism . She has passed legislation to provide a path for North Dakotans who have reformed their lives to have their criminal records sealed , and for successful drug court graduates to have some of their court fees waived .

Rep . Roers Jones has also worked to ensure first responders have the protection they deserve by passing legislation that removes the requirement that police and firefighters work in the state for five years before they are eligible to be covered under Workforce Safety Insurance for heart attacks or strokes .

Past fellowships include the Council of State Government ’ s Henry Toll Fellowship , the State Legislative Leadership Foundation Emerging Leadership Program , and the Council of State Government ’ s Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership Development . She serves on boards of directors for non-profits focused on addiction recovery , reintegration of formerly incarcerated individuals , and technological and economic development , including the Council of State Governments Justice Center , the Research and Technology Park Board at North Dakota State University , as well as the executive board for the Building Industry Association for the Red River Valley .

Rep . Roers Jones earned her juris doctor from the University of North Dakota School of Law and her M . B . A . from the University of St . Thomas in St . Paul , Minn . She also holds a bachelor of arts in business administration from the College of St . Benedict in St . Joseph , Minn .