ND Governor Rejects Library and Voucher Bills

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    In a significant move, the governor of North Dakota, a Republican, vetoed two bills on Wednesday that aimed at tightening restrictions on sexual content in libraries and establishing a private school voucher system. These measures, which have attracted considerable support from GOP governors in many states, fell short of approval in North Dakota.

    To counter Governor Kelly Armstrong’s veto, the GOP-dominated Legislature would require a two-thirds majority in both the Senate and the House—32 and 63 votes respectively. Neither of the two bills achieved such backing on their journey to the governor’s desk.

    The library bill aimed to broaden a 2023 North Dakota law that bans “explicit sexual material” in public libraries, extending this prohibition to include school districts. Additionally, it would have required libraries to implement policies for relocating such materials to less accessible areas for minors and mandated technological measures to block certain online content for K-12 students. The bill also obligated local prosecutors to address alleged contraventions of state restrictions.

    Armstrong, in his veto message, criticized the library bill as a “misguided attempt to legislate morality through overreach and censorship.” He argued that it placed vague and punitive burdens on professionals and could lead to detrimental consequences for communities.

    He also asserted that the bill was “redundant, overly burdensome, and places local librarians, school districts, and state’s attorneys in an untenable situation.”

    Proponents of the bill claimed it would shield minors from what they described as pornographic or obscene books, often singling out literature with LGBTQ themes. Critics, however, labeled it as government overreach, maintaining that sufficient procedures already exist.

    Republican Senator Keith Boehm, the bill’s sponsor, opted not to comment on the governor’s veto. Inquiries were made to Republican Senate Majority Leader David Hogue about a potential override of the veto.

    Jonathan Friedman from PEN America highlighted that book banning legislation has been gaining traction in recent years across Republican-led states such as Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Florida, and Missouri. He attributed many of these efforts to a broader “censorship agenda” driven by anti-LGBTQ sentiment.

    The second bill, focused on vouchers, proposed creating an “education savings account program” based on income and managed by the state-owned Bank of North Dakota. The program was to be allocated $21.7 million for the upcoming two-year budget cycle, earmarked for private school tuition, textbooks, technology, and other expenses. It was set to be available starting the 2026-27 school year.

    Governor Armstrong, while expressing his administration’s strong support for expanding school choice, criticized the bill for falling short, arguing it only benefitted a specific segment of students. He emphasized the need for more robust policy work to ensure implementation is both practical and realistic.

    Advocates claimed the voucher bill empowered parents to choose the best educational path for their children. Rep. Ben Koppelman, who championed the measure, expressed confidence that a majority of Republican governors would have endorsed it and pledged to reintroduce it.

    Republican House Majority Leader Mike Lefor stated his intention to consult with his caucus regarding a potential override attempt.

    Opponents contended that public funds should not be allocated to private education. Additionally, they pointed to a state constitutional rule that restricts the use of money raised for public school support to fund sectarian institutions.

    The governor’s proposed budget for the upcoming two years included $44.3 million to launch an educational savings account program designed to fund supplemental services via a digital wallet, reimbursing approved services and enhancing educational opportunities for public, non-public, and homeschool students.

    Another bill with a similar educational savings concept remains pending a vote in the House. Armstrong referred to it as a potential means to amalgamate the most beneficial aspects of both proposals.