Title 54, State Government

The office of renewable energy and energy efficiency is established within the division of community services. The office shall assist in the development of renewable energy within this state to provide secure, diverse, sustainable, and competitive renewable energy supplies and p…

The legislative assembly finds and declares that there is a need to minimize the governmental paperwork burden for state and local government entities, individuals, businesses, and others; that the costs of collecting, maintaining, using, and disseminating information are constan…

As used in this chapter, unless the context or subject matter otherwise requires: 1. "Agency" means any department, office, commission, board, or other unit, however designated, of the executive branch of state government. The term does not include the North Dakota center for dis…

The chief information officer of the state shall serve as the state forms manager. The manager shall administer in the executive branch of state government the forms management program established by this chapter. The program must apply efficient and economical management methods…

The manager shall: 1. Establish a statewide forms management program, prescribing the standards and procedures for forms creation and utilization. 2. Conduct surveys of forms management practices to identify forms which can be standardized, consolidated, or eliminated as duplicat…

Each agency shall: 1. Establish and maintain an active, continuing program for the economical and efficient management of forms and cooperate with the manager in the conduct of forms management surveys. 2. Implement forms management rules and procedures issued by the manager. 3. …

Agencies must submit any proposed new or revised form to the manager for review. The manager shall analyze the form, advise the affected agency of comments and recommendations, and assist the agency with any recommended revision of the form.

Upon request, the manager shall assist and advise in the establishment of forms management programs in the legislative and judicial branches of state government and shall, as required by them, provide services similar to those available to the executive branch of state government…

The manager may adopt any rules in accordance with chapter 28-32 necessary to effectuate the purposes of this chapter.

"Architect, engineer, construction management, and land surveying services" are those professional services associated with the practice of architecture, professional engineering, professional land surveying, landscape architecture, interior design pertaining to construction, and…

Architect, engineer, construction management, and land surveying services must be procured as provided in this chapter. It is the policy of this state that all North Dakota state agencies shall negotiate contracts for services on the basis of demonstrated competence and qualifica…

1. Each using agency shall establish its own architect, engineer, construction management, and land surveying services selection committee hereinafter referred to as the agency selection committee, which must be composed of those individuals whom the agency head determines to be …

1. All state agencies securing architect, engineer, construction management, or land surveying services for projects for which the fees are estimated not to exceed thirty-five thousand dollars may employ the architects, engineers, construction managers, and land surveyors by dire…

No using agency may separate service contracts or split or break projects for the purpose of circumventing the provisions of this chapter.

As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires: 1. "Administrator" means the individual employed by the chief information officer of the state to oversee administration of the program. 2. "Commission" means the public service commission. 3. "Communications impaire…

The administrator shall oversee the department's administration of the program. The administrator shall: 1. Review and recommend policies and procedures governing administration of the program and ensure the program is in compliance with any applicable state or federal law or rul…

1. The department shall establish and administer a program to provide telecommunications relay service to persons who are communications impaired. 2. The program shall provide a telecommunications relay service to allow persons who are communications impaired to communicate via t…

The department shall: 1. Develop rules, policies, and procedures, as may be necessary, to govern administration of the program. 2. Implement the telecommunications relay service as described in subsection 2 of section 54-44.8-03 by July 26, 1993, to the extent funds generated by …

1. The department shall contract with a qualified provider to design and implement a telecommunications relay service that fulfills the requirement of subsection 2 of section 54-44.8-03. The department shall award the contract for this service to the offeror whose proposal is the…

The department of health and human services may accept contributions and gifts and may apply for and accept grants, in money or otherwise, to the program. Monetary contributions, gifts, and grants must be deposited in the state treasury to be credited to the department of health …

The telecommunications services account for the communications impaired consists of all surcharges billed and collected pursuant to section 54-44.8-08. Subject to legislative appropriation, the department may expend moneys from the account for purposes of implementing this chapte…

1. Before May first of each year, the department shall report all cost data and other information to the commission. Each local exchange company and radio communications service provider shall report all information requested by the department in order to determine the number of …

Each local exchange company or radio communications service provider shall maintain a record of the surcharges billed and collected pursuant to section 54-44.8-08 for a period of three years from the date of billing or collection, respectively. The commission may audit each local…

The state records administrator shall establish and maintain a central microfilm unit and microfilm any record of any state office, agency, or department in either the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of state government, if the administrator determines the cost of the …

Any public entity may adopt and use an optical data storage process for the storage of records by optical disk mediums when the use of the process is consistent with good records management practices. The state records administrator may prescribe such practices, except for specia…

A photographic, microphotographic, or microfilm copy of any record, a paper or microfilm reproduction of any record stored by optical disk, or a certified copy thereof, is admissible as evidence in any court or proceeding and has the same force and effect as though the original r…

Whenever any record or document is copied or reproduced as provided in this chapter, the state records administrator shall provide for duplicate storage of the photographic reproductions. The administrator may enter into contracts for duplicate storage services if, in the adminis…

Except for the institutions and entities under the jurisdiction of the board of higher education, no state office, agency, or department may enter into any contract or agreement for the purchase or lease of any microfilm equipment or services without the express approval of the s…

The state records administrator may adopt rules to establish standard procedures and practices in the development and use of the central microfilm unit, including the proper use of any optical data storage process.

The personnel of the central microfilm unit are hereby authorized to receive from the various departments and the employees of the various departments are hereby authorized to provide for the central microfilm unit, any information from the files and records of the various depart…

As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires: 1. "Board" means the public employees retirement board. 2. "Carrier" means: a. For the hospital benefits coverage, an insurance company authorized to do business in the state, or a nonprofit hospital service associat…

In order to promote the economy and efficiency of employment in the state's service, reduce personnel turnover, and offer an incentive to high-grade individuals to enter and remain in the service of state employment, there is created a uniform group insurance program. The uniform…

1. Any eligible employee may be enrolled in the uniform group insurance program created by this chapter by requesting enrollment with the employing department. If an eligible employee does not enroll in the uniform group insurance program at the time of beginning employment, in o…

If eligible under federal law, a political subdivision may extend the benefits of the uniform group insurance program under this chapter to its permanent employees, subject to minimum requirements established by the board and a minimum period of participation of sixty months. If …

1. a. The board shall establish a retiree health benefits fund account with the Bank of North Dakota for the purpose of prefunding and providing hospital benefits coverage, medical benefits coverage, and prescription drug coverage under any health insurance program and dental, vi…

1. The following individuals are entitled to receive credit for hospital benefits coverage, medical benefits coverage, and prescription drug coverage under any health insurance program and for any dental, vision, and long-term care benefits coverage under any insurance program: a…

A temporary employee employed before August 1, 2007, may elect to participate in the uniform group insurance program by completing the necessary enrollment forms and qualifying under the medical underwriting requirements of the program if such election is made before January 1, 2…

(Retroactive application - See note) 1. As used in this section: a. "Correctional facility staff" has the same meaning as provided under section 12-44.1-01. b. "Dies in the line of duty" means a death occurring as a direct and proximate result of a personal injury sustained by an…

1. The board shall receive bids for the providing of hospital benefits coverage, medical benefits coverage, life insurance benefits coverage for a specified term, and employee assistance program services; may receive bids separately for all or part of the prescription drug benefi…

Notwithstanding the provisions of section 54-52.1-04, the board may contract with one or more health maintenance organizations to provide eligible employees the option of membership in a health maintenance organization. If it makes such a contract, the board may not require that …

1. If the prescription drug coverage component of a health insurance benefits coverage contract received in response to a request for bids under section 54-52.1-04 utilizes the services of a pharmacy benefits manager, either contracted directly with a pharmacy benefits manager or…

1. Except for Medicare part D, prescription drug coverage, the board may not enter or renew a contract for prescription drug coverage unless the contract authorizes the board during the term of the contract to conduct a performance audit of the prescription drug coverage and any …

The Bank of North Dakota shall extend to the board a line of credit not to exceed fifty million dollars. The board shall repay the line of credit from health insurance premium revenue or repay the line of credit from other funds appropriated by the legislative assembly. The board…

The board shall provide health insurance benefits coverage that provides for insulin drug and medical supplies for insulin dosing and administration as provided under section 26.1-36-09.16.

The board shall provide health insurance benefits coverage under a contract for insurance pursuant to section 54-52.1-04 or under a self-insurance plan pursuant to section 54-52.1-04.2 for prosthetic appliances and limbs. This coverage must include repair or replacement of a pros…

1. This section applies to a self-insurance health plan for: a. Health insurance and prescription drug benefits coverage; b. Health insurance benefits coverage, excluding all or part of prescription drug benefits coverage; or c. All or part of prescription drug benefits coverage.…