Bill > HB1396

This bill amends North Dakota's law regarding maintenance of drainage projects by adding a new provision that introduces consequences for landowners who vote against a drainage project. Specifically, the bill maintains existing rules that allow water resource boards to levy special assessments for drain maintenance, with limits of up to four dollars per acre for agricultural lands and proportional assessments for non-agricultural properties. The key new addition is a requirement that votes on drainage project costs must now be recorded, and landowners who vote against a project will be ineligible to receive approval for surface or subsurface drainage works from the board for five years following their negative vote. This means that if a landowner opposes a drainage project that would maintain or improve local water management infrastructure, they would essentially be barred from seeking board approval for their own drainage projects for a five-year period. The provision appears designed to encourage collaborative decision-making and discourage obstructionism in local water resource management.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://ndlegis.gov/assembly/69-2025/regular/bill-overview/bo1396.html