North Dakota Legislative Assembly
Encyclopedia
The North Dakota Legislative Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state
of North Dakota
. The Legislative Assembly consists of two chambers, the lower
North Dakota House of Representatives
, with 94 representatives, and the upper
North Dakota Senate
, with 47 senators. The state is divided into 47 constituent districts, with two representatives and one senator elected from each district. Members of both houses are elected without term limits
. Due to the Legislative Assembly being a biennial legislature, with the House and Senate sitting for only 80 days in odd-numbered years, a Legislative Council oversees legislative affairs in the interim periods, doing longer-term studies of issues, and drafting legislation for consideration of both houses during the next session.
The Legislative Assembly convenes in the west chamber of the 19-story Art Deco
state capitol building in Bismarck.
, the Senate must be composed of no fewer than 40 senators, and no more than 54. Similarly, the House of Representatives must be composed of no fewer than 80 and no more than 108 representatives. Section 2 states that the Legislative Assembly can divide the state into as many legislative districts of compact and contiguous territory as there
are senators. A senator and at least two representatives must be apportioned to each senatorial district and be elected at large or from subdistricts from those districts. The Legislative Assembly may combine
two senatorial districts only when a single member senatorial district includes a federal
facility or federal installation, containing over two-thirds of the population of a single member senatorial district, and may provide for the election of senators at-large
and representatives at-large from subdistricts from those districts.
In addition to a four-year term for both houses of the Legislative Assembly, Section 3 states that one-half of the members of the Senate and one-half of the members of the House of Representatives must be elected biennially. Originally, the North Dakota Constitution limited members of the North Dakota House of Representatives
to two-year terms, with the all representatives standing for reelection at the same time. In 1996, the voters approved a constitutional amendment
that changed the term for representatives to four-years with staggered terms. The amendment went into effect July 1, 1997, and was first applied in the 1998 elections.
All statutes passed by the Legislative Assembly and signed by the governor become part of the North Dakota Century Code
.
for one year immediately prior to their election.
, as President of the Senate, appoints four senators from the majority and two from the minority as recommended by the majority and minority leaders, though the Senate President does not sit on Legislative Management.
Built between 1883 and 1884, the original territorial (and later) state capitol building served as the home to the Legislative Assembly until the night of December 28, 1930, when the original building burned down. During the fire, Secretary of State
Robert Byrne saved the original copy of the state constitution
, but suffered cuts and burns on his hands while breaking a window to reach the document. In the interim period without a capitol, the Legislative Assembly convened in both the War Memorial Building and the City Auditorium in Bismarck. Under the approval of Governor George F. Shafer
, the current Art Deco
capitol was built as a replacement between 1931 to 1934 in the midst of the Great Depression
.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
. The Legislative Assembly consists of two chambers, the lower
Lower house
A lower house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house.Despite its official position "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide the lower house has come to wield more power...
North Dakota House of Representatives
North Dakota House of Representatives
The North Dakota House of Representatives is the lower house of the North Dakota Legislative Assembly and is larger than the North Dakota Senate....
, with 94 representatives, and the upper
Upper house
An upper house, often called a senate, is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house; a legislature composed of only one house is described as unicameral.- Possible specific characteristics :...
North Dakota Senate
North Dakota Senate
The North Dakota Senate is the upper house of the North Dakota Legislative Assembly, smaller than the North Dakota House of Representatives.North Dakota is divided into between 40 and 54 legislative districts apportioned by population as determined by the decennial census...
, with 47 senators. The state is divided into 47 constituent districts, with two representatives and one senator elected from each district. Members of both houses are elected without term limits
Term limits in the United States
Term limits in the United States apply to many offices at both the federal and state level, and date back to the American Revolution.-Pre-constitution:...
. Due to the Legislative Assembly being a biennial legislature, with the House and Senate sitting for only 80 days in odd-numbered years, a Legislative Council oversees legislative affairs in the interim periods, doing longer-term studies of issues, and drafting legislation for consideration of both houses during the next session.
The Legislative Assembly convenes in the west chamber of the 19-story Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
state capitol building in Bismarck.
Constitutional mandates
According to Article IV, Section 1 of the North Dakota ConstitutionNorth Dakota Constitution
The Constitution of the State of North Dakota is the most basic legal document in the U.S. State of North Dakota.-External links:*...
, the Senate must be composed of no fewer than 40 senators, and no more than 54. Similarly, the House of Representatives must be composed of no fewer than 80 and no more than 108 representatives. Section 2 states that the Legislative Assembly can divide the state into as many legislative districts of compact and contiguous territory as there
are senators. A senator and at least two representatives must be apportioned to each senatorial district and be elected at large or from subdistricts from those districts. The Legislative Assembly may combine
two senatorial districts only when a single member senatorial district includes a federal
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
facility or federal installation, containing over two-thirds of the population of a single member senatorial district, and may provide for the election of senators at-large
At-Large
At-large is a designation for representative members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent the whole membership of the body , rather than a subset of that membership...
and representatives at-large from subdistricts from those districts.
In addition to a four-year term for both houses of the Legislative Assembly, Section 3 states that one-half of the members of the Senate and one-half of the members of the House of Representatives must be elected biennially. Originally, the North Dakota Constitution limited members of the North Dakota House of Representatives
North Dakota House of Representatives
The North Dakota House of Representatives is the lower house of the North Dakota Legislative Assembly and is larger than the North Dakota Senate....
to two-year terms, with the all representatives standing for reelection at the same time. In 1996, the voters approved a constitutional amendment
Constitutional amendment
A constitutional amendment is a formal change to the text of the written constitution of a nation or state.Most constitutions require that amendments cannot be enacted unless they have passed a special procedure that is more stringent than that required of ordinary legislation...
that changed the term for representatives to four-years with staggered terms. The amendment went into effect July 1, 1997, and was first applied in the 1998 elections.
All statutes passed by the Legislative Assembly and signed by the governor become part of the North Dakota Century Code
North Dakota Century Code
The North Dakota Century Code is the collection of all the statutes passed by the North Dakota Legislative Assembly since the state's admission to the Union. It also includes the North Dakota Constitution....
.
Qualifications
Members of both houses elected to the Legislative Assembly must be, on the day of the election, a qualified elector from their home district and must be a resident of North DakotaNorth Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
for one year immediately prior to their election.
Legislative Management
Due to the biennial nature of the legislature, legislation, research, committee reports, and testimony during interim periods is provided by the Legislative Management. Legislative Management consists of 17 legislators, including the majority and minority leaders of both houses and the Speaker of the House. The Speaker appoints six other representatives, three from the majority party and three from the minority party as recommended by the majority and minority leaders, respectively. The Lieutenant GovernorLieutenant Governor of North Dakota
The Lieutenant Governor of North Dakota is a political office in North Dakota. The Lieutenant Governor's duty is to preside as President of the Senate, and is responsible for legislative relations, the state budget and agri-business development. Should the Governor's office become vacant, the...
, as President of the Senate, appoints four senators from the majority and two from the minority as recommended by the majority and minority leaders, though the Senate President does not sit on Legislative Management.
Meeting places
North Dakota Secretary of State
The North Dakota Secretary of State is an elected office in the U.S. state of North Dakota. The current Secretary of State is Alvin Jaeger. The general duties of the Secretary of State include being the custodian of the state's Great Seal and other official state documents, recording the official...
Robert Byrne saved the original copy of the state constitution
North Dakota Constitution
The Constitution of the State of North Dakota is the most basic legal document in the U.S. State of North Dakota.-External links:*...
, but suffered cuts and burns on his hands while breaking a window to reach the document. In the interim period without a capitol, the Legislative Assembly convened in both the War Memorial Building and the City Auditorium in Bismarck. Under the approval of Governor George F. Shafer
George F. Shafer
George F. Shafer was born in Mandan, Dakota Territory. Shafer pursued a career in politics and became the State's Attorney for Mckenzie County from 1915 to 1919. He took on a more prominent role in 1922 when he became the North Dakota Attorney General prior to serving as the Assistant Attorney...
, the current Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
capitol was built as a replacement between 1931 to 1934 in the midst of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
.
See also
- North Dakota State Capitol
- North Dakota House of RepresentativesNorth Dakota House of RepresentativesThe North Dakota House of Representatives is the lower house of the North Dakota Legislative Assembly and is larger than the North Dakota Senate....
- North Dakota SenateNorth Dakota SenateThe North Dakota Senate is the upper house of the North Dakota Legislative Assembly, smaller than the North Dakota House of Representatives.North Dakota is divided into between 40 and 54 legislative districts apportioned by population as determined by the decennial census...