AN ACT to create and enact a new subsection to section 15.1-01-04 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the authority for the kindergarten through grade twelve education coordination council to enter contracts; and to provide an appropriation.
SB 2262 amends North Dakota law governing the kindergarten through grade twelve education coordination council by giving the council explicit authority to enter into contracts to conduct studies that help carry out the council’s objectives. The bill does not create a new program or mandate a specific study; instead, it authorizes the council to hire outside assistance when needed for research or analysis related to K-12 education coordination.
The bill also appropriates $60,000 from the state general fund to the superintendent of public instruction for the 2025-2027 biennium to pay for contracts entered into by the council under this authority. In practical terms, the measure provides a modest funding source for the council to commission work that may inform education policy, planning, or coordination efforts across North Dakota’s K-12 system.
SB 2262 makes a narrow change to section 15.1-01-04 of the North Dakota Century Code by adding contract authority for the K-12 education coordination council and by creating a corresponding appropriation. It affects the superintendent of public instruction as the administering office for the funds, and it allows the council to use state money to pay for contracted studies. The bill’s legal effect is limited to expanding the council’s operational tools and dedicating a small amount of general fund support for that purpose.
The bill appears to have received broad bipartisan support. It passed the Senate 41-6 and the House 80-13, indicating that most legislators viewed the measure favorably. With no committee transcript available, the recorded votes are the main indicator of sentiment, and they suggest general agreement that the council should have limited authority and funding to obtain outside studies.
The main point of possible contention is the use of general fund dollars for contracted studies, even though the appropriation is relatively small at $60,000. Legislators who voted against the bill may have been concerned about adding spending, about the need for additional studies, or about whether the council should have this contracting authority at all. However, the strong margins in both chambers suggest those concerns were not shared by a majority.