Central ND News

Gov. Kelly Armstrong of North Dakota testified in favor of a legislative proposal aimed at evaluating and potentially consolidating or dissolving state boards and commissions. The initiative aligns with his objective to streamline government operations.

"Today the Governor’s Office oversees more than 150 boards and commissions in state government. That’s too many," Armstrong stated, emphasizing the financial implications of maintaining these entities, even when members serve voluntarily. He added, "When government stays in silos, it leads to duplicative work. Our goal for the task force is to create efficiencies and make sure each board’s mission is still relevant today."

Senate Bill 2308, introduced by Sen. Kristin Roers with co-sponsorship from House Majority Leader Mike Lefor, Senate Majority Leader David Hogue, and Rep. Scott Louser, seeks to establish a task force responsible for reviewing over 150 state boards and commissions. The task force will provide recommendations to the Legislature in 2027 regarding which entities should be combined or dissolved and which are vital to governmental functions.

Armstrong initially expressed his support for SB 2308 during his State of the State address on January 7th. He highlighted that enhancing efficiency and accessibility within government services would be a priority for his administration. As part of this effort, he issued an executive order dissolving five groups that had not convened in over a year. Under the current terms of SB 2308, 18 existing boards would be dissolved, with their responsibilities being absorbed by state agencies where applicable.

"I look forward to continuing to work on this bill with all of you to reduce the footprint of government and save North Dakota taxpayers money," Armstrong remarked before the Senate State and Local Government Committee.