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North Dakota Senate Bill SCR4024

North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session

North Dakota Senate Bill SCR4024 Compare Versions

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1-Sixty-ninth Legislative Assembly of North Dakota
2-In Regular Session Commencing Tuesday, January 7, 2025
3-SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 4024
4-(Senators Mathern, Hogue, Bekkedahl)
5-(Representatives Koppelman, Lefor)
6-A concurrent resolution directing the Legislative Management to consider studying using dedicated
7-funds in the Capitol building fund to build a legislative office building.
8-WHEREAS, the Capitol building fund was created at statehood through a grant of 50,000 acres of
9-land to the state for the purpose of financing construction of public buildings for legislative, executive,
10-and judicial use and, in 1957, Congress expanded the purpose of the fund to allow the fund to be used
11-for construction, renovation, and other improvements of public buildings at the Capitol; and
12- WHEREAS, the 1967 Legislative Assembly considered the need to improve legislative committee
13-rooms and provide office space for committee chairmen, legislative study lounges, and Legislative
14-Council offices; and
15- WHEREAS, the 1967 Legislative Assembly adopted legislation directing the Capitol building fund
16-be dedicated and reserved for the exclusive purpose of the construction of an addition to the legislative
17-wing; and
1+25.3079.01000
2+Sixty-ninth
3+Legislative Assembly
4+of North Dakota
5+Introduced by
6+Senators Mathern, Hogue, Bekkedahl
7+Representatives Koppelman, Lefor
8+A concurrent resolution directing the Legislative Management to consider studying using
9+dedicated funds in the capitol building fund to build a legislative office building.
10+WHEREAS, the capitol building fund was created at statehood through a grant of 50,000
11+acres of land to the state for the purpose of financing construction of public buildings for
12+legislative, executive, and judicial use and, in 1957, Congress expanded the purpose of the
13+fund to allow the fund to be used for construction, renovation, and other improvements of public
14+buildings at the capitol; and
15+ WHEREAS, the 1967 Legislative Assembly considered the need to improve legislative
16+committee rooms and provide office space for committee chairmen, legislative study lounges,
17+and Legislative Council offices; and
18+ WHEREAS, the 1967 Legislative Assembly adopted legislation directing the capitol building
19+fund be dedicated and reserved for the exclusive purpose of the construction of an addition to
20+the legislative wing; and
1821 WHEREAS, since 1967, money in the capitol building fund has been used for a variety of
19-purposes including the payment of special assessments and the construction and maintenance of the
20-Governor's residence; and
22+purposes including the payment of special assessments and the construction and maintenance
23+of the Governor's residence; and
2124 WHEREAS, a significant portion of the land granted to the state and the assets of the fund
22-continue to contribute to the balance of the Capitol building fund, which is in excess of $5,000,000,
23-despite appropriations from the fund for other purposes totaling nearly $13,000,000 over the last
24-3 bienniums; and
25+continue to contribute to the balance of the capitol building fund, which is in excess of
26+$5,000,000, despite appropriations from the fund for other purposes totaling nearly $13,000,000
27+over the last 3 bienniums; and
2528 WHEREAS, many legislative meeting rooms are too small to accommodate the public, lack
2629 secondary or emergency exits, and are not designed to function with today's technology; and
2730 WHEREAS, the legislative parking lot frequently is in need of repair, and during legislative
2831 sessions often is covered with snow and ice causing unsafe conditions; and
29- WHEREAS, our Capitol is one of the few in the country in which legislators have no dedicated
30-place to work or private space to meet with constituents; and
31- WHEREAS, long-term Capitol facility plans have explored the option of building a parking structure
32-on the west side of the legislative wing rather than continuing to repair the legislative parking lot; and
33- WHEREAS, construction of a parking structure also would present an opportunity to include above
34-the parking structure space for modern committee rooms, legislative offices and meeting space, and
35-office space for legislative staff; and
36- WHEREAS, construction of a legislative office building would allow executive branch agencies that
37-are leasing office space off the Capitol grounds to move into the Capitol, saving money on leased space
38-and providing greater access to the public; and
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33+ SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 4024
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58+24 Sixty-ninth
59+Legislative Assembly
60+ WHEREAS, our capitol is one of the few in the country in which legislators have no
61+dedicated place to work or private space to meet with constituents; and
62+ WHEREAS, long-term capitol facility plans have explored the option of building a parking
63+structure on the west side of the legislative wing rather than continuing to repair the legislative
64+parking lot; and
65+ WHEREAS, construction of a parking structure also would present an opportunity to
66+include above the parking structure space for modern committee rooms, legislative offices and
67+meeting space, and office space for legislative staff; and
68+ WHEREAS, construction of a legislative office building would allow executive branch
69+agencies that are leasing office space off the capitol grounds to move into the capitol, saving
70+money on leased space and providing greater access to the public; and
3971 WHEREAS, as the capitol approaches its 100
4072 th
41- anniversary, it is vital for the Legislative Assembly
42-to address the future needs of the legislative branch and provide future legislators with the tools
43-necessary to retain the Legislative Assembly's constitutional role as a coequal branch of government;
44-NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF NORTH DAKOTA, THE HOUSE
45-OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN: S.C.R. NO. 4024 - PAGE 2
46-That the Legislative Management consider studying using dedicated funds in the Capitol building
47-fund to build a legislative office building; and
73+ anniversary, it is vital for the Legislative
74+Assembly to address the future needs of the legislative branch and provide future legislators
75+with the tools necessary to retain the Legislative Assembly's constitutional role as a coequal
76+branch of government;
77+NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF NORTH DAKOTA, THE
78+HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN:
79+That the Legislative Management consider studying using dedicated funds in the capitol
80+building fund to build a legislative office building; and
4881 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED , that the Legislative Management report its finding and
49-recommendations, together with any legislation required to implement the recommendations to the
50-Seventieth Legislative Assembly. S.C.R. NO. 4024 - PAGE 3
51-____________________________ ____________________________
52-President of the Senate Speaker of the House
53-____________________________ ____________________________
54-Secretary of the Senate Chief Clerk of the House
55-Filed in this office this ___________day of _______________________________________, 2025,
56-at ________ o’clock ________M.
57-____________________________
58-Secretary of State
82+recommendations, together with any legislation required to implement the recommendations to
83+the Seventieth Legislative Assembly.
84+Page No. 2 25.3079.01000
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