2016 Policy Summit
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2016 Policy Summit
Light ‘em Up
Thursday, August 25 | Ramkota Hotel | Bismarck
8:30 a.m. -5 p.m.
8:00 a.m. Registration Opens
8:30 a.m. Welcome/Intro
Emcee: Tom Gerhardt
8:45-9:45 a.m.
Mental Health: Mental health issues are more commonly in the news. Crime, drugs, and prison populations are seemingly climbing in North Dakota. In the past many have said only a few North Dakotan’s locked their doors or took the keys out of their cars at night. Now it’s common to hear someone say Fargo, Grand Forks, Minot, Bismarck or any other rural town in North Dakota is “changing”. Some members of the legislature are calling for action. But, what does this mean? Is North Dakota facing an epidemic of cataclysmic proportion? Or, are we just more aware of the problems which have always been here? What should we do as a state to address these issues?
Moderator: Chris Berg
Panelists: Jessica Thomasson, Sen. Judy Lee, Michael Reitan
9:45 - 10:45 a.m.
Tobacco Tax: A group in North Dakota is leading an initiated measure to raise the tobacco tax by over 400%. To be fair North Dakota’s tax is low and has not been raised since the early 1990’s. Raising the tax is said to discourage youth from engaging in tobacco use and encourage long-time smokers to quit. However, North Dakota is the only state in the recommended sum by the Center for Disease Controls on smoking cessation is already being spent. Additionally, tobacco use in North Dakota is on the decline.
Is this initiated measure simply a reaction to the legislature’s irresolution to increase tobacco taxes, is it really the cure-all solution the proponents promise it to be, and do we really want one citizen led group – via initiated measure – to be able to pass a tax on another? Lastly, the proponents suggest the increased tax collections will go towards worthy goals but are those goals too specific, or are they additional government programs which will never go away? You decide.
Moderator: Chris Berg
Panelists: Dr. Eric Johnson, Bruce Sailer, Mike Rud, Rep. Rick Becker
10:45 - 11:45 a.m.
Business Incentives: An interim committee has been meeting to discuss and debate the merits of incentives. These business incentives have been used in North Dakota to draw in desired businesses. However, according to some, incentives have been used to inappropriately incentivize retail stores, revitalize downtowns, and offer sweetheart deals. Likely, many of these incentives will be modified or eliminated in the next legislative session. Are all incentives inherently unfair and is government picking and choosing winners and losers when a business incentive is employed? What about public wants and needs for projects, like fertilizer plants, and technology startups? Who decides?
Moderator: Scott Hennen
Panelists: Dale Zimmerman, Com. Tony Gehrig, Dave Anderson, Nolan Canright, Kate Herzog
11:45- 12:45 p.m. Buffet Lunch
12:25- 12:45 p.m. Presentation by Lignite Energy Council
12:45- 1:45 p.m.
Government as it should be: Views from the Right, the Left, and those who want Less In politics it’s about who shows up – Party Chairs not only show up they recruit others to show up as well. The direction of the state depends upon their ability to engage others and to moderate the political debate which ultimately leads to what does or does not get done. As a result, their leadership affects each and every citizen in North Dakota. In this panel you’ll hear the party chairs critique the opposing party and hear the respective party’s vision for where North Dakota is headed. Fireworks are always part and parcel of this panel.
Moderator: Joel Heitkamp, Chris Berg
Panelist: Sen. Kelly Armstrong, Rep. Kylie Oversen, Tony Mangnall
1:45 - 2:45 p.m.
The Legacy Fund and/or the Bank of North Dakota: Talk to six of your friends or associates and you will get six different ideas on how to spend Legacy fund monies. The same holds true with what to do with bank profits. Universal Pre-K, free college education, tax relief, infrastructure, are just a few ideas that are easily identified. There will be enormous pressure to use the Legacy Fund and/or bank profits in the next biennium and the 2017 legislative session will likely set a precedent on how funds are used in the future. Setting the tone and direction at the policy summit will be critical.
Moderator: Joel Heitkamp
Panelists: Sen. Rich Wardner, Rep. Kenton Onstad, Brad Crabtree
2:45 - 3:15 p.m. Netoworking Break
3:15- 4:30 p.m.
The Hot Box: Each legislative session an unexpected topic or two rises to prominence. Groups dig in and the battle begins. It is not uncommon for groups to ask the GNDC to throw its weight behind one side or another. We believe it to be appropriate to investigate these topics and to better understand our members and spectators opinion. Nothing will highlight these issues better than a discussion in front of an opinionated audience. The following is a list of potential issues which may be consuming next session:
Moderator: Andy Peterson
Panelists: Scott Hennen, Joel Heitkamp, Chris Berg
Hot Box Participants:
- Jessica Thomasson
- Steve Bakken
- Rep. Rick Becker
- Dan Donlin
- Pat Finken
- Kurt Schley
- Rep. Josh Boschee
- Jared Hendrix
Immigration – It is happening in North Dakota, some say it’s bad, others wholeheartedly endorse it. What/if any are the effects on business?
Marijuana Legalization – In our recent gubernatorial debates “decriminalizing” marijuana was brought up. Groups have come forward and are trying desperately to pass an initiated measure to legalize marijuana for medical and for medical and/or personal use. Is this a good or bad thing for North Dakota?
Constitutional Carry – The right to bear arms, seemingly anywhere, anytime, without as much as a permit was again, an idea encouraged in our recent gubernatorial debates. As a business community, do we think this is good or bad for businesses, schools, or our government to have individuals so easily armed?
Free Enterprise or Protectionist state? – Propane dealers state attempts to bring state subsidized or tax/rate payer funded natural gas to communities across North Dakota violates the principles of the free enterprise system. Economic development or highway robbery? You decide.
Medicaid Expansion – Medicaid Expansion has helped ND hospitals survive but is this a good spend of federal dollars by the government or are they shoving something down our throats we don’t really want or need?
Bathroom & Religious Freedom Bills – Bills on these topics have made their way around different state legislatures. Are these bills something the business community has concerns about / should be concerned, or are they actually social issues which have nothing to do with the business community whatsoever?
Paid Leave – There are various types of leave for workers but paid leave is rarely required by law and is more commonly provided by employers as a benefit. Leave for workers is covered under a variety of state and federal laws. Leave provisions often vary for private and public employees but should there be a standard?
Overtime Rule – On May 18, President Obama announced the publication of the Department of Labor’s final rule updating overtime regulations, which will automatically extends overtime pay protections to over 4 million workers within the first year of implementation. Why is the Department revising its overtime regulations and what are the significant changes?
ND FREE Enterprise PAC Dinner
5 p.m. -6:30 p.m.
(Suggested minimum donation is $50 at the door)
Join us for dinner and unwind a bit before the gubernatorial forum. Being dinner will be served across the hall from the gubernatorial debate you’ll get priority seating once the dinner is over. All proceeds from the dinner benefit the GNDC’s ND Free Enterprise Political Action Committee. Funds are used to fund political activities of the GNDC in a non-partisan manner.
ND Gubernatorial Forum
6:30 p.m.
Governors are by nature leaders who determine the direction of his or her state. This election features three candidates with very different views. Doug Burgum (Republican) has promised to fix state finances, diversify the economy, and bring state government into the digital age. Marvin Nelson (Democratic-NPL) has promised he’ll overhaul the State Industrial Commission, properly regulate the oil and gas industry and “trying to have a North Dakota for all North Dakotans, as opposed to you’ve got to be the right guy, or it doesn’t happen.” Marty Riske, Libertarian candidate, proposes to safeguard state tax dollars ensuring good use of taxpayer monies, legalizing marijuana, ending civil action forfeiture and ending Common Core in our K-12 Education system. This is sure to be a lively discussion and one you can participate in via live texting and/or tweeting.
Moderators: Jim Olson – KX News, Andy Peterson - GNDC
Member Early Bird $80 After August 4 $120
Non-Member Early Bird $100 After August 4 $150
Date and Time
Thursday Aug 25, 2016
Thursday, August 25, 2016
8:00 am Registration Opens
Location
Ramkota Inn 800 3rd Street | Bismarck, ND 58504
Contact Information
Heidi
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Printed courtesy of www.ndchamber.com/ – Contact the Greater North Dakota Chamber for more information.
PO Box 2639, Bismarck, ND 58502 – (701) 222-0929 – ndchamber@ndchamber.com