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Burgum Signs SB 2030 with Partial Veto
Governor Doug Burgum has signed Senate Bill 2030 but vetoed the section of the bill concerning penalties. The remaining sections of the bill require the North Dakota University System institutions to comply with the pro-life provisions as a condition of receiving the challenge grants. In short, the pro-life provisions and the challenge grants remain intact.

With the veto of Section 5 of the bill, there is no new language requiring the institutions to never partner with an abortion provider. However, the discussions about SB 2030 alerted the institutions to existing pro-life laws which they must follow. Governor Burgum expressly called attention to these already existing laws in his statement. He wrote:

“Sections 2 and 4 of SB 2030 affirm existing pro-life state policy from 2011 which state, ‘An agency of the state may not fund, endorse, or support any program that, between normal childbirth and abortion, does not give preference, encouragement, and support to normal childbirth.’ These sections also add clarity into law that unless institutions abide by the pro-life policies, they are ineligible to receive any challenge grants.”

The North Dakota Catholic Conference applauds Governor Burgum for signing SB 2030 and for calling attention to North Dakota’s existing pro-life policies. We thank him and everyone who worked so hard to achieve this pro-life victory. Our state universities and colleges should never partner or do any business with organizations that perform abortions.

The institutions of the North Dakota University System will now have to decide whether to help our students by accepting the challenge grants or do business with abortion providers. We call on them to choose life.
What We Do

The North Dakota Catholic Conference acts on behalf of the Roman Catholic bishops of North Dakota to respond to public policy issues of concern to the Catholic Church and to educate Catholics and the general public about Catholic social doctrine.
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North Dakota Catholic Conference
103 South Third Street, Suite 10
Bismarck, North Dakota
58501
1-888-419-1237
701-223-2519

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