In was one step forward and two steps back in the House today on the issue of transparency. Last week the House approved a version of the legislature’s budget which specifically prohibited the creation of an online video streaming/archiving system for legislative committee hearings. The state has – brand new to this session – an…
Audio: Legislator Accuses Colleagues, Higher Ed Officials Of Plotting To Push Chancellor Shirvani Out
Rep. Bob Skarphol, a supporter of embattled Chancellor Hamid Shirvani and the chairman of the education subsection of the House Appropriations Committee, dropped a bombshell during a meeting of his committee today. He made accusations of a conspiracy among legislators and higher ed officials to undermine and to push Chancellor Hamid Shirvani out. It was…
NDUS Employee Blames Chancellor For Providing Public Information To This Blog
Below is the (hard to follow) written testimony from NDUS employee Linda Porter delivered to a House Appropriations subcommittee yesterday. The testimony details Porter’s accusations of data manipulation against Chancellor Shirvani and mentions this blog twice as the recipient of information from the chancellor. Porter states that Chancellor Shirvani manipulated data, but as the Bismarck…
Drug Testing For Welfare Recipients Gets A "Do Not Pass" Recommendation From Committee
HB1385 is a bill introduced by Rep. Dennis Johnson which would require drug screening before applicants for public assistance in North Dakota can receive benefits. A very watered-down version of the bill got a 16-4 vote do not pass recommendation from the House Appropriations Committee (it got a narrow, 7-6 “do pass” recommendation from the…