Hello and Happy Saturday! We hope everyone had a great week!
Ours was busy, as usual, as we continue to raise awareness about our legislation and work with our legislators to finalize our bill for this session. The deadline for submitting legislation in the ND Senate is 1/27/25. The deadline for submitting legislation in the ND House is 1/20/25. The Legislative Council is understandably working on House legislation first as their deadline approaches. Our legislation will be submitted to the ND Senate side first.
During the 2023 ND Legislative Session, our legislators heard over 900 pieces of legislation. This year, for the 2025 session, they are anticipating 1400! As a reminder, our North Dakota legislators are ONLY in session for 80 days ONCE every TWO YEARS! For those of you who have asked, after that, they go back to their regular lives and the laws they pass in this session apply to each one of them.
One of our senators told me today that last week they got through 10. “Only 1390 left to go!” he said.
This time is nerve wracking for me because it feels like a “hurry up and wait” situation. Our legislators are understandably busy, so we communicate with them when time allows for them. One Senator we are working on getting on board is discussing this legislation with both Governor Armstrong and Senator Hoeven’s offices. Our legislators are also doing their own homework before they throw their support behind this legislation, and we appreciate their diligence.
Senator Boschee did send me a revised version of the legislation as he spoke with other legislators on the western part of the state. Senator Boschee also did submit our resolution to the Legislative Council. He said resolutions are due later, so they are focusing on the record number of bills at the moment. The resolution asks our federal legislators for federal protection for the wild horses that call Theodore Roosevelt National Park home. This resolution, if passed, will be helpful to Senator Hoeven’s office if/when he is able to present federal legislation to Congress.
Today, at the Coffee with the Legislators, I had the opportunity to speak with 3 different legislators. The legislative session just started on January 7th, so they are working through bills that have already been entered.
Hurry up and wait.
For reference, if you watch the I’m Just A Bill School House Rock video, we are still at the beginning. You can watch the video here: https://youtu.be/OgVKvqTItto?si=iYd_tEN-TRA769jU
We have a lot of steps to climb within the North Dakota Capitol.
We were an idea. We met with our legislators and had legislation drafted and introduced to legislative council.
Now we are waiting as those legislators work out with us what the final version of this bill will look like.
From the School House Rock video:
I’m just a bill, yes I’m only a bill
And I got as far as Capitol Hill
Well now I’m stuck in committee, and I sit here and wait
While a few key congressmen discuss and debate
Whether they should let me be a law
How I hope and pray that they will
But today I am still just a bill
(Listen to those congressmen arguing! Is all that discussion and debate about you?)
Yeah, I’m one of the lucky ones. Most bills never even get this far. I hope they decide to report on me favorably, otherwise I may die
(Die?)
Yeah, die in committee!
THAT is where all of you will come in!
As soon as our little piece of legislation continues on its way through its legislative journey, we will need ALL of you to submit testimony for our legislation.
THIS MATTERS MORE THAN WE CAN SAY!
For that reason, we have set up a special Horse Talk to help show you HOW to testify in the 2025 North Dakota Legislative Session. This talk is FREE, but we do ask that you register in advance: https://secure.everyaction.com/c6_951Iv7kCr9Vg6JpVBxA2
ANYONE CAN TESTIFY – YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A NORTH DAKOTA RESIDENT! YOU CAN ALSO SUBMIT YOUR TESTIMONY ONLINE. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO COME TO NORTH DAKOTA TO TESTIFY IN PERSON.
We are starting on the Senate side so it will go through the committee on that side. Our goal is to get the committee to give our legislation a “DO PASS” so that it moves on to the ND House side where that committee votes on it.
For clarification, if the committee decides to NOT pass this legislation, it ends right there in the Senate committee.
We can’t let our legislation die in committee!
This whole process has to be completed by the time this legislative session adjourns on May 2, 2025!
That date seems so far away and so close at the same time!
Interim Superintendent Daniels was hoping to be at the Medora City Council meeting this month, but bad weather in the Midwest kept her from getting back to Medora from her home where she spent the holidays. She has vowed to be at next month’s meeting. We look forward to hearing what she has to say and also are happy to see the park working to fulfil their civic responsibilities and engage with the community. We will share her message after next month’s meeting with you!
We received a warm response to our comment today at the Coffee with the Legislators. We will share the video once it is released for anyone who wants to see it. We did not ask a question, but simply stated:
“I don’t have a question today. Just a simple statement.
Thank you.
Thank you to our North Dakota state legislators. Because of your hard work, SCR-4014 passed unanimously last session, and no doubt played a pivotal role in the park abandoning their plans to eliminate the horses in April of 2024.
While the legislative session is just beginning, I have been talking to many of you, specifically Representative Lefor, for the better part of 2024, brainstorming ways to make sure we always have a healthy and viable herd of horses in TRNP.
This session we have two pieces of legislation that I believe will do just that. The first is a bill calling for the formation of a working group made up of stakeholders from across the state that will come together with the National Park Service to find the best ways to manage the wild horses.
The second is a resolution asking our federal legislators to enact much needed federal protection for this herd, to give strength to the working group and to help make sure the freedom of those wild horses is never threatened again.
With the help of Representative Lefor, Senator Kessel, Senator Rummel and even Senator Boschee from all the way across the state in Fargo, along with continued talks with Senator Hoeven’s office, I am hopeful that we are on the road to making sure that wild horses always remain in Theodore Roosevelt National Park for future generations to enjoy, just as we do today.”
Many people came up to me afterward and thanked me for my words, for our organization’s dedication to this herd and for giving an update, as many wondered where things stood with the horses in the park.
Peppered into the week were some Giving Hearts Day meetings. CHWHA joined other members of our SWND Giving Hearts Day Collaborative and spoke about our organization in front of the Kiwanis Club and The Rotary Club this week. We had some really great engaging conversations with people who were happy to hear that our work to preserve the historic herd of wild horses in TRNP continues.
If you are in the area, mark your calendar for February 11th! We will be hosting a “Business After Hours” at the 701 Social upstairs in Blue 42! This event is FREE! There will be appetizers, door prizes and a cash bar. Our collaborative is also working on being at Dickinson State University to help raise awareness about our organizations and Giving Hearts Day. We are working on setting that date and will share it as soon as plans are finalized.
Giving Hearts Day early giving starts MONDAY January 13th! We will share info on how you can help make this fundraiser a success for us on Monday so be sure to check back!
We are also still trying to meet our Giving Hearts Day Matching fund’s goal. We need $643 to reach our matching funds goal of $5,000!
The money we are raising for Giving Hearts Day will go to help support our legislative work to help protect the wild horses of TRNP.
You can make your donation for our Giving Hearts Day matching funds here: https://secure.everyaction.com/KrELigjJckyX7vqDTjTdzg2
Thank you for your continued support and please let us know if you have any questions about this or any of our legislative updates.
Have a great weekend!
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