AN ACT to amend and reenact section 37-01-44 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the reimbursement of certain medical expenses for North Dakota national guard members; and to declare an emergency.
Summary
HB 1078 amends North Dakota Century Code section 37-01-44 to clarify and continue the authority of the North Dakota National Guard to reimburse certain medical expenses for members called to state active duty. The bill applies when a Guard member suffers an injury or illness determined to have occurred in the line of duty, the treatment occurred while on state active duty, and the expense is not covered by Workforce Safety and Insurance. Reimbursement is limited to costs not covered by other health insurance and is subject to rules adopted by the adjutant general and the availability of funds.
The bill also declares itself an emergency measure, indicating the Legislature intended it to take effect immediately upon passage rather than waiting for the normal effective date. In practical terms, the measure supports Guard members by helping cover out-of-pocket medical costs tied to service-related injuries or illnesses during state active duty assignments.
Impact
The bill narrows and reinforces the state’s reimbursement framework for National Guard medical expenses by tying payment eligibility to line-of-duty injuries or illnesses, state active duty status, lack of WSI coverage, and the absence of other insurance coverage. It leaves administration with the Office of the Adjutant General and makes reimbursement contingent on available funds, so it affects both state military policy and the handling of claims by eligible Guard members and the state budget.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have broad bipartisan support and little visible controversy. It passed the House 90-0 and the Senate 46-0, suggesting strong agreement that the state should help cover qualifying medical expenses for National Guard members injured or made ill while serving on state active duty. The emergency designation also suggests a shared view that the measure was important enough to implement quickly.
Contention
No notable opposition is reflected in the available record, and there were no committee transcript snippets indicating debate. The main policy limits embedded in the bill are the exclusions for expenses covered by Workforce Safety and Insurance or other health insurance, plus the requirement that payments depend on rules from the adjutant general and available funds. Those limitations are the only apparent points where eligibility could be contested in individual cases, but they do not appear to have generated legislative disagreement.