to attract workers from outside of North Dakota and outside the continental United States .
What issues do you anticipate for the courts or the bar in the upcoming session ? The lethality of fentanyl is a major challenge for our criminal justice system . That lethality may cause the legislature to treat it differently than other controlled substances . How do we disrupt the trafficking of that drug and protect our people ? It ’ s another intractable problem that requires different approaches , including mandatory minimum sentences for distributors , easier access to treatment for the addicted population , and more law enforcement interdiction as the drug enters our state . As indicated , the judiciary , as part of state government , will have workforce challenges as well . Adequate compensation can solve part of the workforce challenge in the judiciary .
Rep . Lawrence Klemin – District 47
Serving since 1999
University of North Dakota School of Law - 1978
Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee Chairman , ND Commission on Uniform State Laws Commissioner on the National Uniform Law Commission
What is the biggest challenge facing North Dakota this legislative session ? State budget and appropriations . We expect 1,000 + bills and resolutions in the House and Senate . All are required to have a hearing and be reported back to the respective chamber for a vote . The challenge procedurally is to have committee hearings and committee recommendations sent to the House and Senate within the deadlines so they can be voted on and cross over to the other chamber by the crossover date of Feb . 24 . The legislative session is limited to 80 legislative days , which is expected to arrive on April 28 .
What issues do you anticipate for the courts or the bar in the upcoming session ? Pay raises for judges and justices ; additional district court judges ; appropriation of $ 55 million for a Supreme Court building and offices ; all district court clerks of court to become part of the state court system ( some of the clerks of court are now under county jurisdiction ); and numerous bills related to judicial procedure , spousal support and child support , uniform laws , crime and punishment , and civil procedure .
Sen . Jonathan Sickler – District 17
Serving since June 2022 - appointed to fill a Senate vacancy and elected to a full term in November 2022
Harvard Law School – 2002
Vice-Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee
What is the biggest challenge facing North Dakota this legislative session ? Finding ways to address the workforce shortage will be a key theme of this session . The shortage impacts nearly every profession and industry across the state , including the longstanding issue of few or no lawyers in many of the rural parts of North Dakota .
What issues do you anticipate for the courts or the bar in the upcoming session ? Judicial pay raises will be an important debate . We need to ensure we adequately compensate our state judges , who are small in number but have a massive impact . We also need to encourage a bench that is drawn from all areas of practice , including business disputes and private practice . There is also a renewed effort to move all clerks of court under the state system , eliminating the option for counties to provide such services via contract . The Attorney General has proposed additional mandatory minimums for various criminal offenses that will be reviewed . Ongoing changes to the medicinal marijuana structure will be considered as well as changes to various domestic and juvenile justice statutes .
Rep . Shannon Roers Jones – District 46
Serving since 2016
University of North Dakota School of Law – 2011
Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee
What is the biggest challenge facing North Dakota this legislative session ? I think the biggest challenge affecting North Dakotans is keeping our businesses operating at their full potential and the underlying issues that are creating these challenges such as inflation and lack of workforce , as well as lack of childcare resources which compound the lack of workforce issues .
What issues do you anticipate for the courts or the bar in the upcoming session ? I don ' t work in the courts with my legal work , but serving on the Judiciary Committee , I have had the opportunities over the past seven years to work extensively on criminal justice reform . This session , based on some of the bills we see being filed , it appears there will be a shift away from criminal justice reform with proposals for mandatory minimum sentences and enhanced penalty classifications for assaults to healthcare workers . This may have an impact on caseloads , but at minimum , would lead to a change in the attitudes toward defendants where dispositions become more punitive as opposed to rehabilitative .
* Rep . Mary Schneider was unavailable for comment .
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