Regulate or ban? Kratom testimony pours in

By Amy Dalrymple | Editor

By Jack Dura and Jacob Orledge

A ban on natural kratom appeared to gain momentum Tuesday after members of the public urged North Dakota lawmakers to do more than regulate the substance.

The testimony to a legislative policy committee included the medical industry’s concerns, parents’ stories, and a former addict of other drugs who thinks kratom should be banned entirely. A special session will begin Wednesday to address kratom and other topics.

Lawmakers seemed to agree there needs to be some action over the next few days, whether that means the proposed regulation of natural kratom that is on the table, or asking the governor to extend a temporary ban on kratom until next year’s regular legislative session. 

By Jeff Beach

North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong joined private industry and economic development groups to speak against a bill that would further restrict public officials and agencies from signing nondisclosure agreements with developers of data centers and other industrial projects.

The bipartisan bill, if passed, would mean a project developer could see an agency permit revoked if a public official or agency agreed to a nondisclosure agreement with the company. 

Armstrong testified in favor of an amendment that clarifies that the law would not prohibit an agency from entering a nondisclosure agreement to maintain the confidentiality of information that is already considered confidential or exempt from disclosure under state law.

By Amy Dalrymple

Grand Forks Democrats who are running for office criticized North Dakota’s Republican-led Legislature as reactionary and called on lawmakers gathered for a special session to instead focus on helping families.

Gov. Kelly Armstrong in August called the special session and declared a public health emergency, citing in part recent deaths linked to kratom and similar substances.

Democrats during a news conference Tuesday called out state lawmakers for not conducting a study on kratom that they approved last year.

“Now our legislators are scrambling to write legislation and policy on a drug that they could have spent the last year-plus researching, but they chose not to,” said Katie Benton, who’s running for District 17 Senate.

By Michael Achterling

A retired Fargo-area teacher will campaign alongside Democrats this fall as an independent candidate for state House in District 11. 

Cara Cody-Braun, a former high school Spanish teacher, is seeking the seat held by Rep. Liz Conmy, who died in a plane crash this spring. 

Meanwhile, two independent candidates filed by Monday’s deadline to run for North Dakota’s U.S. House seat, joining incumbent Republican Rep. Julie Fedorchak and Democrat Trygve Hammer on the ballot. Helene Neville of Jamestown, who lost the Democratic nomination to Hammer, and Republican Charles Tuttle of Bismarck will appear on the ballot as independent House candidates.

Two other independent candidates filed to run in state legislative races.

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