North Dakota Legislative Assembly

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North Dakota Legislative Assembly
General Information
Type:	State legislature
Term limits:	None
2011 session start:	January 4, 2011
Website:	Official Legislature Page
Leadership
Senate President:	Rich Wardner (R)
House Speaker:	David Drovdal (R)
Majority Leader:	Bob Stenehjem (R) (Senate), Al Carlson (R) (House)
Minority leader:	Ryan Taylor (D) (Senate), Jerome Kelsh (D) (House)
Structure
Members:	47 (Senate), 94 (House)
Length of term:	4 years (Senate), 4 years (House)
Authority:	Art IV, North Dakota Constitution
Salary:	$148/day during legislative sessions + per diem
Elections
Last Election:	November 2, 2010 24 seats (Senate) 47 seats (House)
Next election:	November 4, 2012 23 seats (Senate) 47 seats (House)
Redistricting:	North Dakota Legislature has control

The North Dakota Legislative Assembly is the state legislature of North Dakota. The Legislative Assembly consists of two bodies, the lower North Dakota House of Representatives and the upper North Dakota Senate. A Legislative Council and its research, administrative and support staff also assist the Legislative Assembly in its day-to-day activities.

The Legislative Assembly convenes within the 19-story Art Deco state capitol building in Bismarck.

Because the House and Senate sit for only 80 days in odd-numbered years, the Legislative Council oversees legislative affairs in the interim periods, doing longer-term studies of issues, and drafting legislation for consideration of both houses at the next session.

Sessions

Article IV of the North Dakota Constitution establishes when the Assembly is to be in session. Section 7 of Article IV states that the Assembly is to convene in regular session every January after a legislative election. This means that the Assembly convenes in January of every odd-numbered year. Section 7 specifies that the convening date is to be the first Tuesday after the third day in January, unless this date is changed by law. Section 7 limits the length of regular sessions to no more than eighty days every two years.

2011

See also: Dates of 2011 state legislative sessions

In 2011, the Legislative Assembly was in session from January 4 through April 28. ^[1]

Interim Committees

On May 25, 2011 the Legislative Management Committee appointed members to the state's interim committees. Historically, majority and minority members of the Legislative Management Committee are appointed as chairs of the interim committees. However in 2011, only Republican legislators were appointed to chair interim committees. House Minority Leader Jerome Kelsh (D) called the move partisan and a "break with tradition." House Majority Leader Al Carlson (D) argued that the appointments reflected wishes of voters in electing Republican candidates. Regardless of the particular committee chair, Republicans will be a majority on all committees. Only a few states permit minority committee chairs.^[2]

2010

See also: Dates of 2010 state legislative sessions

In 2010, the Legislative Assembly did not meet in regular session.^[3]

Senate

The North Dakota State Senate is the upper house of the North Dakota Legislative Assembly.

North Dakota is divided into between 40 and 54 legislative districts apportioned by population as determined by the decennial census. The 2000 redistricting plan provided for 47 districts. As each district elects 1 representative to the Senate, there are 47 Senators. Each member represents an average of 14,310 residents, as of the 2010 Census.^[4] After the 2000 Census, each member represented 13,664.^[5]

Senators serve 4-year terms. Elections are staggered such that half the districts have elections every 2 years.

Party		As of September 2011
	Democratic Party	12
	Republican Party	34
	Vacancy	1
Total		47

House of Representatives

The North Dakota House of Representatives is the lower house of the North Dakota Legislative Assembly. Each of North Dakota's 47 districts elects 2 Representatives to the House, for a total of 94 Representatives. Each member represents an average of 7,155 residents, as of the 2010 Census.^[6] After the 2000 Census, each member represented 6,832.^[7]

Representatives serve 4-year terms. Elections are staggered such that half the districts have elections every 2 years.

Committees

There no permanent joint committees in the North Dakota Legislative Assembly. However, the state does appoint joint interim committees.

Legislators

Salaries

See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries

As of 2010, members of the North Dakota Legislature are paid $148/day during legislative sessions. Legislators receive lodging reimbursements up to $1,040/month (vouchered).^[8]

The $148/day that North Dakota legislators are paid as of 2010 is an increase over the $125/day they were paid during legislative sessions in 2007. The loding reimbursement has increased from $900/month in 2007 to $1,040/month in 2010.^[9]

When sworn in

See also: When state legislators assume office after a general election

North Dakota legislators assume office December 1st.

External links

• North Dakota Legislative Assembly website
• Wikipedia: North Dakota Legislative Assembly

References

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