The bill amends section 61-16.1-45 of the North Dakota Century Code, which pertains to the maintenance of drainage projects. It establishes that if special assessments are desired for maintaining an assessment drain, the levy cannot exceed four dollars per acre on agricultural lands benefiting from the drain. The bill outlines two methods for levying these special assessments: one based on the original or reassessed benefits of agricultural lands, and the other requiring uniform assessment across agricultural lands while capping nonagricultural property assessments at two dollars for every five hundred dollars of taxable valuation.

Additionally, the bill introduces new provisions regarding the voting process for landowners when the costs of cleaning and repairing a drain exceed the maximum levy allowed over a six-year period. Specifically, it mandates that votes on such questions must be recorded, and the board must maintain a record of the votes. Furthermore, if individuals vote against a project, the board is prohibited from approving surface or subsurface drainage for five years following that vote.

Statutes affected:
INTRODUCED: 61-16.1-45