2023 Legislative Session

The 2023 Legislative Session will begin in early January and so much is at stake for North Dakota United members. The choices made by legislators will affect every classroom and workplace in the state for years to come. More than ever before, we need to make sure our voices are heard loudly and clearly by legislators. Now is the time to stand up for our students, our schools and the citizens of North Dakota.

2023 ND UNITED LEGISLATIVE AGENDA

GREAT PUBLIC SCHOOLS, GREAT PUBLIC SERVICE

North Dakota United advocates for great public schools to enhance student achievement and great public services to enhance the quality of life in North Dakota. Therefore, NDU supports legislation that will...

Ensure quality public education for students and quality public services for North Dakotans.

• Provide adequate and equitable funding for schools and institutions of higher education to offer a diverse and challenging curriculum and the services that will prepare students for global opportunities.

• Provide adequate and equitable funding for all public services to provide for the diverse and changing needs of our state.

• Ensure that public money supports only public institutions and that only public employees provide public services.

• Ensure that North Dakota makes a long and lasting investment in quality pre-K and child care that pays particular attention to the workers providing these services to set our kids up for success in school and ease the burdens on working families.

• Protect the privacy of our classrooms and our workplaces.

Improve and enhance student learning and public services.

• Provide fully qualified professionals in all service areas of public employment.

• Ensure that all public facilities and agencies are adequately staffed to provide quality service.

• Provide mentoring programs for employees that will heighten their expertise and confidence early in their careers.

• Provide time and resources for employees to participate in quality professional development.

• Provide modern, safe buildings and facilities.

• Ensure safe working and learning environments for all public employees and children.

• Provide students and employees with nutrition and wellness programs that encourage healthful living and a healthful attitude for learning.

• Support programs or initiatives for school readiness.

• Support research programs in higher education.

• Support increased access to behavioral health services for all students and public employees.

Recruit and retain education and public employees.

• Promote increased funding Provide job security for for equitable salary increases all education and public of at least 5% for all education employees. and public employees.

• Maintain the current health insurance benefit for all education and public employees.

• Maintain high standards for licensure and credentials from the existing independent teacher licensing board.

• Provide bargaining and employment rights for all education and public employees.

• Protect the institution of tenure in higher education.

• Show respect for trained educators and their curriculum decisions.

Provide retirement benefits for present and future retirees.

• Preserve defined-benefit retirement plans for current and future education and public employees.

• Maintain the current multiplier.

As you can see from the 2023 North Dakota United Legislative Agenda that was passed by delegates at the 2022 Delegate Assembly, there are so many key issues that we would like to see addressed by legislators. There are a few of these issues that will likely rise to the top in the coming session.

Funding and Salary Increases

North Dakota United will be advocating for a significant increase in funding for K-12, higher education and state agencies. Given the challenges of inflation as well as critical needs that are going unmet in our schools and workplaces, we will be bold in our requests to make sure our institutions have what they need and that we get the raises we have earned for our quality work and dedication. Our lobbying team has had good initial conversations with legislators about this topic, so we are cautiously optimistic about securing substantial increases, but this will require continued advocacy by our members across the state to make it a reality.

Proposed Closure of the Defined-Benefit Plan of NDPERS

During the 2021 session, members of the North Dakota State Legislature attempted to push through SB 2046, a bill that would have closed the North Dakota Public Employees Retirement System (NDPERS) defined-benefit hybrid retirement—or main—plan for all new hires effective July 1, 2023.

Although North Dakota United — the state’s public employees union — member activists, and legislative allies eventually defeated the bill, state legislators passed HB 1209 requiring the interim Retirement Committee to develop a plan to effectively accomplish the same goal by January 1, 2024. The committee met periodically over the interim and hired Milliman as their consultant to design the plan. The committee received testimony from NDPERS, as well as other states that have made the same proposed changes.

Here are a few of the key findings during the process that were ignored as the plan was rushed through the interim:

• Milliman said pensions are twice the value for taxpayers, so keeping it open makes sense.

• Milliman said removing contributions by and for new employees could create a funding gap and risk causing unpredictable future payments. That puts our retirement security at risk because legislators can’t bind future legislatures to spending.

• Cutting pensions didn’t work in Alaska, Florida or Oklahoma. Some North Dakota legislators refuse to listen to these failures.

We have been fighting back hard on this issue, and we will need all members to engage in the fight to protect pensions. If they remove this benefit for state workers, the same legislators will bring this attack to teacher pensions.

Vouchers

Every session, some legislators subject us to the latest voucher scheme with ever-changing language that accomplish the same end: siphoning off critical resources from our public schools to support private education. North Dakota United has always supported the rights of parents to choose the educational setting that is most appropriate for their child, but our public resources should not be used to support private choices. We expect we will see several voucher bills again this session, and we will have to stand up and speak out again to let legislators know why we oppose vouchers.

Child care

Quality, affordable child care is critical for a functioning economy, child development and family budgets. Right now, the child-care system in North Dakota is fraying at the edges. Parents pay too much. Child-care workers earn an average wage of just over $11 per hour. Child-care centers are operating on razor-thin margins and struggle to keep the doors open. We need a sustainable, long-term investment by the State of North Dakota to address this issue that affects our members and our communities in innumerable ways.

HOW TO GET ENGAGED

While these issues will be the key focus of our legislative advocacy in the coming session, there undoubtedly will be other issues that we will monitor and communicate with members. If we hope to win on our issues, we will need members across the state engaged and active to make sure legislators know that we are watching and we expect action. Our students, our families and our communities need us!

Scan this QR code to add your name to the growing number of members who are ready to take action and stay engaged through the legislative session. In addition to updates on key legislation, you will learn more about ways to take action, ways to build solidarity with your colleagues in the process, and advocate for your profession.