North DakotaNorth Dakota would fund autonomous equipment research at NDSU
If funded, the Industrial Commission would give North Dakota State University’s research park up to $10 million for autonomous equipment research, with matching funds required for half.
What it does
The Industrial Commission would run grants for North Dakota State University’s research technology park. The park would use them for research, product development, and education about autonomous equipment.
The Industrial Commission would receive up to $10 million for park grants. Half would have no matching requirement; the rest would depend on the park matching each state dollar with a nonstate dollar.
The research technology park would report each year on its research, product development, and accomplishments. It would also report on grant spending to legislative appropriations committees if asked.
Argument forResearch and training on autonomous equipment could help develop technology for North Dakota farms and defense needs.
Argument againstThe matching rule could make some state grant money harder to access if the park cannot raise enough from nonstate sources.
More detail
The Industrial Commission would run a grant program for the research technology park at North Dakota State University. The park would support research, product development, and education about autonomous equipment, including work related to agriculture, defense, robotics, and artificial intelligence. Grant distributions depend on legislative appropriations. Each biennium, the park would submit a plan for using grant money, including industry matching requirements, for Industrial Commission approval.
The Industrial Commission would receive up to $10 million for grants to the research technology park. The money would come from the Strategic Investment and Improvements Fund and support the grant program. $5 million would have no matching requirement. The Commission could provide up to another $5 million only if the park supplies one dollar from nonstate sources for each grant dollar. The one-time funding would cover the biennium from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2027.
The research technology park would report its work and results to the Industrial Commission and legislative management. Reports would cover the park’s research activities, product development, and accomplishments. The park would report on grant funding to legislative appropriations committees upon request. The annual report would be due each year; the funding report would be made upon request.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2025
- Jun 11Filed with Secretary Of State 05/06Latest
- May 17Signed by Governor Kelly Armstrong 05/05Became Law
- May 2Sent to GovernorTo Governor
- May 2Signed by President
- May 2Signed by Speaker
- May 2Conference committee report adopted
- May 1Reported back from conference committee, placed on calendar (Senate accept)Minor
- Vote recorded Motion for Final Passage on SB 2256. Result: pass.Upper
- May 1Second reading, passed, yeas 31 nays 15Major
- May 1Conference committee report adopted
- May 1Reported back from conference committee, placed on calendar (Senate accept)Minor
- Apr 28Conference committee appointed Stemen Fisher Schauer
- Apr 23Conference committee appointed Sorvaag Thomas Wobbema
- Apr 23Refused to concur
- Apr 17Returned to Senate (12)
- Vote recorded Motion for Final Passage on SB 2256. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 17Second reading, passed as amended, yeas 61 nays 30Passed House
- Apr 17Amendment adopted, placed on calendar
- Apr 16Reported back amended, do pass, amendment placed on calendar 22 0 1Minor
- Apr 1Rereferred to Appropriations
- Apr 1Amendment adopted
- Mar 31Reported back amended, do pass, amendment placed on calendar 11 2 1Minor
- Mar 14Committee Hearing 09:00
- Feb 21Introduced, first reading, referred Government and Veterans Affairs CommitteeMinor
- Feb 20Received from Senate
- Feb 19Second reading, passed, yeas 33 nays 14Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Motion for Final Passage on SB 2256. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 19Amendment adopted, placed on calendar
- Feb 18Reported back amended, do pass, amendment placed on calendar 13 2 1Minor
- Feb 6Rereferred to Appropriations
- Feb 6Reported back, do pass 5 0 0Minor
- Jan 31Committee Hearing 09:00
- Jan 23Rereferred to Workforce Development
- Jan 23Request return from committee
- Jan 20Introduced, first reading, referred Education CommitteeIntroduced
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