Editorial: Paul Matthys

 The 2025 legislative session began on Jan. 7 and concluded on May 3. This session was part of the 69th Legislative Assembly and was served by legislators elected in the 2024 elections. The assembly consists of 141 legislators — 94 in the House of Representatives and 47 in the Senate.

You may wonder why I’m writing about the North Dakota Legislative Assembly or why this topic matters to an electric cooperative. I refer to the old saying: “If you don’t live in politics, you die in politics.” While not meant literally, it underscores the importance of staying engaged in local, state, and federal political issues to promote energy-friendly policies.

Rest assured, we never navigate this landscape alone. Cass County Electric Cooperative relies on strong partnerships with organizations such as the North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives (NDAREC), the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), and Minnkota Power Cooperative. These affiliates help us stay informed on key political developments and assist in our conversations with elected officials on matters impacting our cooperative and its members.

Several bills during the 2025 legislative session caught our attention — some with potential negative impacts, others with positive implications. You can read about these items in our legislative recap on page 7, but they included legislation covering natural gas pipeline development, the state's coal conversion tax, carbon capture storage and development, cooperative governance, and wildfire mitigation/responsibility. Additionally, we had our eyes on the following:

• House Bill 1579 focused on large electric loads (≥50 megawatts), specifically their siting. The bill was ultimately amended to a study, giving cooperatives an opportunity to educate legislators about the development process for large loads.
• House Bill 1486 would have allowed consumers to opt out of using “smart meters.” This bill failed in the House — a favorable outcome for electric cooperatives and our members.
• House Bill 1176, which addresses property tax relief, passed the House and Senate at a wide margin and was signed into law on May 3. Cass County Electric was monitoring this one closely, as there were proposals early on that could impact electric cooperatives. However, it ultimately passed with a focus on primary residences.

Building and maintaining relationships with our local, state, and federal elected officials is essential — and something we take very seriously. When you see me attending events in Bismarck or Washington, D.C., please know I am there on your behalf, advocating for pro-energy, pro-cooperative policies that protect and strengthen the services we provide to you.