Rep. Michael Howe (R-West Fargo) talks about the overall feel of the 2021 Legislature, as well aspending bills, K-12 funding, federal COVID relief money, and a potential special session.

A bill to require public grade school and high school athletes to compete in sports according to their birth gender is now on its way to Governor Burgum’s desk.

The measure – worked out in a conference committee – includes a study of the issue.

The conference committee’s version of HB 1298 had passed the House earlier this week.

Sen. JoNell Bakke (D-Grand Forks) said this is a measure to address a problem that doesn’t exist.

By a single vote, the Senate has approved merging the state Health Department with the Department of Human Services.

As amended in the Senate, HB 1247 calls for a gradual merger, aided by an outside consultant. That consultant would be paid for through the use of federal COVID-19 relief funds.

Senator Judy Lee (R-West Fargo), the chair of  the Senate Human Services Committee, told the Senate this measure would not result in immediate job cuts.

North Dakota’s commercial airports saw a surge in demand during March.

"We saw about 72,000 passengers in March 2021," said North Dakota Aeronautics Commission director Kyle Wanner. "That's about 22,000 more than in February."

Wanner said that’s the kind of trajectory he’d hoped to see as summer travel season approaches.

"People want to begin traveling again," Wanner said. "They want to see family, they want to take a vacation, and they obviously want to do that in a safe way as well."

The House has passed an amended version of a bill that would require grade-school and high-school athletes to compete in sports according to their birth gender.

That’s how the House originally passed HB 1298. The Senate made it into a study. But in conference committee, the House language was added back, and the study was kept.

Rep. Kathy Skroch (R-Lidgerwood) was on that conference committee – and she urged the House to pass it.

"This is a bill in good form, and which is important in protecting female athletes of North Dakota," Skroch said.

The state Senate has approved a bill calling for a five year tax holiday for coal fired power plants.

The coal conversion facilities taxes would be affected, Instead, coal plants would have to pay a lignite research tax.

Sen. Jordan Kannianen (R-Stanley) said it will make the coal plants more competitive on the daily wholesale electricity markets.

A number of rural telecommunications companies have applied for – and received – federal funds to help upgrade Internet service in underserved areas.

The program is called “R-DOF" -- "Rural Digital Opportunity Fund."

"It's a federal government program that helps provide broadband service to some of these poorly-served areas," said Public Service Commissioner Randy Christmann.

Christmann said it requires the companies to offer at least one gigabit service.

"In some cases, those folks don't have adequate telephone service," Christmann said.