North Dakota lawmakers from Fargo spent their morning on March 26 answering questions from constituents at a legislative forum hosted by The Chamber. Included in the forum were Senator Ron Sorvaag from District 45, Senator Carolyn Nelson, District 21, Representative Blair Thoreson, District 44, Representative Steve Zaiser, District 21, Representative Kathy Hawken, District 46, and Representative Bette Grande, District 41.

This year, four Saturday legislative forums were sponsored by the City of Fargo, the Fargo School District and Cass County. The March 26 Forum was hosted by The Chamber.

The facilitation process, developed by the sponsors, began with a three-minute introduction by each legislator. Doug Vang, The Chamber’s Public Affairs Committee Chair then posed questions to legislators from the audience. Each legislator was provided the opportunity to respond to every question. The forum concluded with two-minute closing remarks by the lawmakers.

Nearly 25 questions were submitted. The range of question issues included texting while driving, funding for k-12 education, the Public Employees Retirement bill, oil extraction taxes, flood protection, and renaissance zones. The legislators graciously agreed to answer the questions that we did not get to via email with their responses posted on The Chamber Web site.

Regarding proposed legislation to reduce the excise tax for oil companies, Representative Zaiser felt that at this point it is not necessary to lower that tax. He wants to be sure that the oil is around for future generations. Representative Thoreson touched on the complexity of the tax structure and need for simplification.

The “texting while driving” bill was an important issue at the forum. Senator Sorvaag said he recognizes the safety concerns but could not support the bill with the stiff penalty that was included. Representative Thoreson responded by predicting, “Federal highway funding will eventually be tied to texting while driving laws. Most likely no matter what we decide today it will ultimately be decided for us.” Senator Nelson reported she supports a ban on texting while driving.

HB 1195, which would ban using wireless devices while operating a motor vehicle, narrowly passed the house with a vote of 50-41. The penalty for a third violation would be a one-year license suspension. The Senate Transportation Committee issued a Do Not Pass recommendation. HB 1195 is will be voted on by the full Senate.

The panel had differing opinions on a few issues. However, responding to a question regarding the best way to contact a legislator, email was the unanimous answer.

Senator Carolyn Nelson pointed out that on an average day she receives 75-100 emails so making emails concise is always appreciated. Representative Steve Zaiser also said email is the easiest way to contact him and added, “If you really want to get my attention, a hand written letter does the trick. It shows you really care.” Representative Kathy Hawken said, “Don’t just tell me to vote yes or no, tell me WHY.” Representative Blair Thoreson also noted social media (ie: Facebook, Twitter) as an effective means of communication. Most importantly, Senator Nelson said, “Whatever you do, don’t call us names.”

The Chamber has recently launched an online Advocacy Center which allows individuals to find and contact their legislators directly. Visit FMWFChamber.com and click on “Advocacy” for a review of current issues and to utilize the take action center.

The Chamber represents 1,950 public, private and nonprofit entities at the local, state, and federal levels. Committed to advocating for sound public policies, The Chamber serves as a unified voice for our business community.

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