Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

0898.03000
     Sixty-eighth
     Legislative Assembly                     HOUSE BILL NO. 1519
     of North Dakota
     Introduced by
       Representatives Hagert, Nathe, O'Brien, Porter, Stemen
       Senators Bekkedahl, Meyer, Weber
  A BILL for an Act to provide appropriations to the department of transportation, department of
  health and human services, department of career and technical education, department of
  agriculture, and industrial commission for unmanned aircraft system grants; and to provide a
  report.
  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF NORTH DAKOTA:
      SECTION 1. APPROPRIATION - FEDERAL STATE FISCAL RECOVERY FUND -
  DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION - ONE-TIME FUNDING - REPORT TO LEGISLATIVE
  MANAGEMENT.
      1.    There is appropriated from federal funds derived from the state fiscal recovery fund,
           not otherwise appropriated, the sum of $1,000,000, or so much of the sum as may be
           necessary, to the department of transportation for the purpose of unmanned aircraft
           system grants to political subdivisions, for the biennium beginning July 1, 2023, and
           ending June 30, 2025. The funding provided in this section is considered a one-time
           funding item.
     2.    The department of transportation shall develop an application process and guidelines
           for the grants, including eligibility criteria, maximum grant awards, and matching
           requirements. The department of transportation may require a political subdivision to
           provide one dollar of matching funds for every four dollars awarded by the state. To be
           eligible for a grant, a political subdivision shall certify to the department of
           transportation that the operation of the unmanned aircraft system is related to
           inspecting, operating, maintaining, or construction of critical infrastructure.
     3.    A political subdivision may use grant funding to purchase or lease unmanned aircraft
           systems, to support the operations of unmanned aircraft systems, to contract for
           services related to unmanned aircraft systems, or for other eligible uses related to
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           unmanned aircraft system operations as determined by the department of
           transportation.
      4.   During the 2023-24 interim, the department of transportation shall provide at least
           one report to the legislative management regarding the grants, including a list of grant
           recipients, the amounts awarded, and a description of the use of the grant funding.
     SECTION 2. APPROPRIATION - FEDERAL STATE FISCAL RECOVERY FUND -
  DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES - ONE-TIME FUNDING - REPORT TO
  LEGISLATIVE MANAGEMENT.
      1.   There is appropriated from federal funds derived from the state fiscal recovery fund,
          not otherwise appropriated, the sum of $1,000,000, or so much of the sum as may be
          necessary, to the department of health and human services for the purpose of
          unmanned aircraft system grants to emergency medical services providers, for the
          biennium beginning July 1, 2023, and ending June 30, 2025. The funding provided in
          this section is considered a one-time funding item.
     2.   The department of health and human services shall develop an application process
          and guidelines for the grants, including eligibility criteria, maximum grant awards, and
          matching requirements. The department of health and human services may require an
          emergency medical services provider to provide one dollar of matching funds for every
          four dollars awarded by the state. To be eligible for a grant, an emergency medical
          services provider shall certify to the department of health and human services that the
          operation of the unmanned aircraft system is related to providing or enhancing
          emergency medical services in rural areas of the state.
     3.   An emergency medical services provider may use grant funding to purchase or lease
          unmanned aircraft systems, to support the operations of unmanned aircraft systems,
          to contract for services related to unmanned aircraft systems, or for other eligible uses
          related to unmanned aircraft system operations as determined by the department of
          health and human services.
     4.   During the 2023-24 interim, the department of health and human services shall
          provide at least one report to the legislative management regarding the grants,
          including a list of grant recipients, the amounts awarded, and a description of the use
          of the grant funding.
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     SECTION 3. APPROPRIATION - FEDERAL STATE FISCAL RECOVERY FUND -
  DEPARTMENT OF CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION - ONE-TIME FUNDING -
  REPORT TO LEGISLATIVE MANAGEMENT.
      1.   There is appropriated from federal funds derived from the state fiscal recovery fund,
           not otherwise appropriated, the sum of $1,000,000, or so much of the sum as may be
           necessary, to the department of career and technical education for the purpose of
           unmanned aircraft system grants to a workforce training center serving the northwest
           area of the state, for the biennium beginning July 1, 2023, and ending June 30, 2025.
           The funding provided in this section is considered a one-time funding item.
     2.   The department of career and technical education shall develop an application
          process and guidelines for the grants, including eligibility criteria, maximum grant
          awards, and matching requirements. The department of career and technical
          education may require a workforce training center to provide one dollar of matching
          funds for every four dollars awarded by the state. To be eligible for a grant, a
          workforce training center shall certify to the department of career and technical
          education that the operation of the unmanned aircraft system is related to workforce or
          educational training with unmanned aircraft systems.
     3.   A workforce training center may use grant funding to purchase or lease unmanned
          aircraft systems, to support the operations of unmanned aircraft systems, to contract
          for services related to unmanned aircraft systems, for educational or training
          curriculum expenses related to unmanned aircraft systems, or for other eligible uses
          related to unmanned aircraft system operations as determined by the department of
          career and technical education.
     4.   During the 2023-24 interim, the department of career and technical education shall
          provide at least one report to the legislative management regarding the grants,
          including a list of grant recipients, the amounts awarded, and a description of the use
          of the grant funding.
    SECTION 4. APPROPRIATION - FEDERAL STATE FISCAL RECOVERY FUND -
 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE - ONE-TIME FUNDING - REPORT TO LEGISLATIVE
 MANAGEMENT.
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      1.   There is appropriated from federal funds derived from the state fiscal recovery fund,
           not otherwise appropriated, the sum of $1,000,000, or so much of the sum as may be
           necessary, to the department of agriculture for the purpose of unmanned aircraft
           system grants to individuals and entities in the agriculture industry, for the biennium
           beginning July 1, 2023, and ending June 30, 2025. The funding provided in this
           section is considered a one-time funding item.
      2.   The department of agriculture shall develop an application process and guidelines for
           the grants, including eligibility criteria, maximum grant awards, and matching
           requirements. The department of agriculture may require an individual or entity to
          provide one dollar of matching funds for every four dollars awarded by the state. To be
          eligible for a grant, an individual or entity shall certify to the department of agriculture
          that the operation of the unmanned aircraft system is related to inspecting, operating,
          maintaining, or construction of agriculture property or infrastructure.
     3.   An individual or entity may use grant funding to purchase or lease unmanned aircraft
          systems, to support the operations of unmanned aircraft systems, to contract for
          services related to unmanned aircraft systems, or for other eligible uses related to
          unmanned aircraft system operations as determined by the department of agriculture.
     4.   During the 2023-24 interim, the department of agriculture shall provide at least
          one report to the legislative management regarding the grants, including a list of grant
          recipients, the amounts awarded, and a description of the use of the grant funding.
    SECTION 5. APPROPRIATION - FEDERAL STATE FISCAL RECOVERY FUND -
 INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION - ONE-TIME FUNDING - REPORT TO LEGISLATIVE
 MANAGEMENT.
     1.   There is appropriated from federal funds derived from the state fiscal recovery fund,
          not otherwise appropriated, the sum of $1,000,000, or so much of the sum as may be
          necessary, to the industrial commission for the purpose of unmanned aircraft system
          grants to individuals and entities in the oil and gas industry, for the biennium beginning
          July 1, 2023, and ending June 30, 2025. The funding provided in this section is
          considered a one-time funding item.
     2.   The industrial commission shall develop an application process and guidelines for the
          grants, including eligibility criteria, maximum grant awards, and matching
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     Legislative Assembly
           requirements. The industrial commission may require an individual or entity to provide
           one dollar of matching funds for every four dollars awarded by the state. To be eligible
           for a grant, an individual or entity shall certify to the industrial commission that the
           operation of the unmanned aircraft system is related to inspecting, operating,
           maintaining, or construction of oil and gas infrastructure.
      3.   An individual or entity may use grant funding to purchase or lease unmanned aircraft
           systems, to support the operations of unmanned aircraft systems, to contract for
           services related to unmanned aircraft systems, or for other eligible uses related to
           unmanned aircraft system operations as determined by the industrial commission.
     4.   During the 2023-24 interim, the industrial commission shall provide at least one report
          to the legislative management regarding the grants, including a list of grant recipients,
          the amounts awarded, and a description of the use of the grant funding.
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