Lawyers in the North Dakota Legislature
The 68th North Dakota State Legislature , which convened in January , has seven lawyers representing the citizens of the state . The Gavel interviewed the lawyers serving in the state legislature about the issues facing the legislature and the state bar in the current session . Their responses are below .
Sen . Mike Dwyer – District 47
Serving since 2019
University of North Dakota School of Law – 1977
Member of the Senate Appropriations Committee
What is the biggest challenge facing North Dakota this legislative session ? We have several challenges . One challenge to be addressed by the Appropriations Committee will be the balance between proposals to reduce taxes and proposals to increase spending . I believe it is essential we be careful about approving new spending that requires ongoing spending in future bienniums . State employees , long-term care providers , and teachers are another major challenge , as we have fallen behind the private market for salaries , and we need to be competitive to maintain a vibrant workforce in those sectors . We have about 30,000 job openings in North Dakota , and proposals to strengthen our ability to attract employees to fill those openings will be important .
What issues do you anticipate for the courts or the bar in the upcoming session ? The Supreme Court is also proposing salary increases for court employees , as the shortage and salary levels also need to be addressed for our court system to operate efficiently . The Court would also like all of our district court staff to become state employees . Finally , a proposal will be considered , at a cost of $ 55 million , to move the Supreme Court from the Judicial Wing of the state capitol to the building that currently houses the historical society . There are individual bills to address guardianship , crime and sentencing , and other legal policies . It should be an active legislative session .
Rep . Zachary Ista – District 43
Serving since 2020
American University Washington College of Law – 2012
Assistant House Minority Leader
What is the biggest challenge facing North Dakota this legislative session ? The biggest challenge is ensuring continued economic growth that directly benefits middle-class and working-class families across our state . As we continue to deal with high inflation , we must focus on policies that raise wages and lower costs for all North Dakota families , not just the highest earners . A crucial component of that this session will be workforce development and retention . We can address current workforce shortages through policies that expand access to affordable childcare , provide targeted incentives in highneed fields like education and healthcare , maintain competitive benefit structures ( including the current public employee defined benefit pension plan ), and train and re-train workers for the jobs we need now and in the future . Given our current strong financial standing , now is the right time to make these crucial investments in North Dakota ’ s future .
What issues do you anticipate for the courts or the bar in the upcoming session ? Our courts and law offices are not immune to the statewide workforce crunch , so we will have to adopt policies that help ensure we have continued quality and timely access to our state ’ s legal system . That conversation will include how we compensate state legal employees , including judges . We will also continue working to retain more of our own law school graduates to practice here in North Dakota .
Given recent increases in crime , I expect we will see a number of proposals that seek to align our criminal justice laws with the needs of our communities in terms of public safety and law enforcement .
On the civil litigation side , I expect ongoing conversations in the legislature about statutes of limitation for certain causes of action , as well as limits on liability for certain civil claims .
Sen . David Hogue – District 38
Serving since 2008
University of North Dakota School of Law – 1987
Senate Majority Leader
What is the biggest challenge facing North Dakota this legislative session ? The biggest challenge facing North Dakota is the severe shortages of workers across all sectors of our economy . The shortages are having a profound impact on all facets of our lives , including the quality of healthcare , education , retail services , travel , and our criminal justice system . State government employment is also hampered by the lack of workers in North Dakota . It is the most significant challenge because there is no single legislative initiative or program that , standing alone , can redress the severe shortage of workers . It is a significant challenge because to solve the problems , we need
10 THE GAVEL