 LEGISLATIVE BULLETIN - February 28, 2003 Here are some matters to discuss with your
legislators over the weekend: SB 2008, PSC budget including $250,000 for
investigation into a rail rate complaint will be heard on Tuesday March
4. Members of the
Government Operations Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee
need contact in support. They
are Reps Carlisle of Bismarck, Carlson of Fargo, Glasheim of Grand
Forks, Koppelman of West Fargo, Kroeber of Jamestown, Skarphol of Tioga,
Thoreson of Fargo, Timm of Minot, and Warner of Ryder. HB 1486, the Wheat Commission checkoff bill, will be
heard in the Senate Ag Committee on Thursday March 6 at 2:30.
Wheat Commission is opposed.
Grain Dealers is opposed. Contacts
with Senators Flakoll of Fargo, Erbele of Lehr, Klein of Fessenden,
Urlacher of Taylor, Nichols of Palermo and Seymour of Minot are
necessary. Reasons for
opposition are in previous bulletins and 1486 testimony on www.ndgda.org. These boil down to farmer resistance, increased refunding
resulting in damage to Wheat Commission promotion program, diversion of
funds to private groups, accountability of funds. Up for hearing next Friday is HB 1197,
the credit sale indemnity fund, in Senate Ag on Friday March 7.
Association supports.
Committee Senators listed above.
Also up for hearing next week are HB 1352 on
immunity from civil liability on anhydrous and pilot project for
anhydrous security measures; SB 2407 regarding weight of
fertilizer spreaders and chemical applicators;
HCR 3018, a study of the impact of high volume
grain terminals on the highway system and how to mitigate impact; and HCR
3021, putting the
legislature on record as opposing the federal preemption of state grain
buyer laws. One railroad’s reactions to SB 2358
was to send an overnight letter to some of its lessees telling them, in
part, “For many lessees, the passage of this law will likely mean
their leases must be terminated, and tenants will be asked to demolish
and remove their improvements.” And
I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your house down too!
This railroad reaction is testimony FOR SB 2358.
In a nutshell, this bill provides for PSC adjudication of
disputes over railroad site leases, and places some of the
liability for a railroad’s at-fault acts on the railroad, where it
belongs. Nothing in this
bill requires railroads to assume liability for acts other than their
own. So we aren’t folding
our tent on this bill. In
fact it would be a good time to start talking to House Transportation
Committee members in support of it.
They are listed in your Lawmakers book.
And please discuss the merits of this bill with other lessees in
your community, such as implement or fuel dealers, who may feel
intimidated by the railroad.
Please fax to the Association office (701-235-1026) a copy of any
correspondence you receive from your railroad on this matter. Here is how you can contact legislators:
Phone numbers are: 1-888-635-3447 or 701-328-3373. The fax number
is 701-328-1997. Internet users can go on a state website at http://www.state.nd.us/lr/.
Under Legislative Assembly, click on 58th (2003) for
access to the legislators’ Email addresses.
|