North DakotaHB 12142025 Regular SessionHouse

AN ACT to create and enact section 15.1-27-31.2 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to transportation weighted student unit equivalents; to amend and reenact sections 15.1-31-05 and 15.1-27-31.2 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to open enrollment transportation; to repeal sections 15.1-27-26.1, 15.1-27-27.1, 15.1-27-28.1, 15.1-27-30.1, and 15.1-27-31.1 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to payments for school district transportation of students, special education students, and career and technical education students, the distribution of transportation payments in the event of school district closure, and state transportation payments to school districts; and to provide an effective date.

Sponsored By: David Richter (Republican)

Signed by Governor

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.

School districts lose transportation payment protection

The law removes a guarantee that protected school districts from lower transportation payments. The guarantee applied when eligible bus miles and runs stayed the same or increased from the prior year. Without that protection, those districts can receive less than the prior year's payment. This does not directly set transportation charges for families.

New funding rules for school transportation

North Dakota replaces older school transportation payment laws with a student-based formula, subject to money approved by the legislature. Eligible service includes contract buses, district-owned buses, and commercial buses within city limits; districts must certify bus and driver compliance. The formula adds 0.0011 per eligible large-bus mile, 0.00052 per small-bus mile, 0.01 per large-bus run, and 0.00468 per small-bus run. It also adds 0.012 per district square mile, 2.0 per school site, and 0.00025 per eligible reimbursed family-transport mile. That total is multiplied by 0.091 and the school year's per-student payment rate. Eligible travel includes school trips, approved special education programs, and career and technical education, including programs within city limits. Family travel includes eligible school trips and qualifying special education trips reimbursed by the district. For special education, an adult family member must drive a student with a disability whose education plan requires attendance outside the home district. Those trips are limited to two round trips daily. Extracurricular trips do not count; beginning July 1, 2027, open-enrollment trips, including those under tuition-waiver arrangements, are excluded. After a district closes, its final transportation funding measure is divided among receiving districts by student enrollment for one year. Later years use each receiving district's reported transportation measure; the state may set reporting rules and deadlines.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • David Richter

    Republican • House

Cosponsors

  • Pat D. Heinert

    Republican • House

  • Jim Jonas

    Republican • House

  • Eric J. Murphy

    Republican • House

  • Anna S. Novak

    Republican • House

  • Jeremy Olson

    Republican • House

  • Mark Sanford

    Republican • House

  • Jeff Barta

    Republican • Senate

  • Dean Rummel

    Republican • Senate

  • Donald Schaible

    Republican • Senate

  • Jonathan Sickler

    Republican • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 271 • No: 6

House vote • 4/29/2025

Second reading, passed, yeas 86 nays 5

Yes: 86 • No: 5

Senate vote • 4/29/2025

Second reading, passed as amended, yeas 47 nays 0

Yes: 47 • No: 0

Senate vote • 4/11/2025

Second reading, passed as amended, yeas 45 nays 1

Yes: 45 • No: 1

House vote • 2/24/2025

Second reading, passed, yeas 93 nays 0

Yes: 93 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Filed with Secretary Of State 05/06

    6/11/2025House
  2. Signed by Governor 05/05

    5/17/2025House
  3. Sent to Governor

    5/2/2025House
  4. Signed by Speaker

    5/2/2025House
  5. Signed by President

    5/1/2025Senate
  6. Second reading, passed as amended, yeas 47 nays 0

    4/29/2025Senate
  7. Conference committee report adopted

    4/29/2025Senate
  8. Reported back from conference committee, in place of, placed on calendar

    4/29/2025Senate
  9. Second reading, passed, yeas 86 nays 5

    4/29/2025House
  10. Conference committee report adopted

    4/29/2025House
  11. Reported back from conference committee, in place of, placed on calendar

    4/28/2025House
  12. Conference committee appointed Schaible Conley Meyer

    4/18/2025Senate
  13. Conference committee appointed Richter Hanson Schreiber-Beck

    4/17/2025House
  14. Refused to concur

    4/17/2025House
  15. Returned to House (12)

    4/11/2025House
  16. Second reading, passed as amended, yeas 45 nays 1

    4/11/2025Senate
  17. Amendment adopted, placed on calendar

    4/11/2025Senate
  18. Reported back amended, do pass, amendment placed on calendar 15 1 0

    4/10/2025Senate
  19. Rereferred to Appropriations

    3/27/2025Senate
  20. Reported back, do pass 6 0 0

    3/27/2025Senate
  21. Committee Hearing 11:00

    3/17/2025Senate
  22. Introduced, first reading, referred Education Committee

    3/7/2025Senate
  23. Received from House

    2/25/2025Senate
  24. Second reading, passed, yeas 93 nays 0

    2/24/2025House
  25. Reported back, do pass, place on calendar 23 0 0

    2/20/2025House

Bill Text

  • Enrollment

  • FIRST ENGROSSMENT

  • FIRST ENGROSSMENT with Conference Committee Amendments

  • FIRST ENGROSSMENT with Senate Amendments

  • INTRODUCED

  • Prepared by the Legislative Council staff for Representative Richter

  • Prepared by the Legislative Council staff for Senator Schaible

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