Bill > HB1218

This bill modifies North Dakota's water development planning process by updating requirements for the state water commission's comprehensive water development plan. Specifically, the bill requires the commission to develop a planning process that includes commissioner-hosted meetings across various river basin drainage areas and provides guidance for economic analyses of water-related projects. The bill introduces a temporary two-year moratorium (from August 1, 2025, to July 31, 2027) preventing the state water commission or department of water resources from conducting economic analyses for assessment drain projects costing one million dollars or less. Additionally, the bill mandates that the legislative management conduct a study during the 2025-26 interim to examine the formula and cost thresholds for economic analyses of assessment drain projects, with a requirement to report findings and potential legislative recommendations to the seventieth legislative assembly. The moratorium provision will expire on July 31, 2027, after which the previous regulations will be reinstated.