BISMARCK, N.D. – Gov. Doug Burgum has appointed seven citizen members to the newly formed Initiated and Referred Measure Study Commission.
Burgum appointed Nick Archuleta of Mandan, Ellen Chaffee of Bismarck, Kirsten Diederich of Fargo, Robert Hale of Minot, Sara Meier of Carson, Jonathan Sickler of Grand Forks and Conner Swanson of Fargo.
The 19-member commission includes seven citizen members appointed by the governor. One of the citizen members must be a member of an association that represents employees and their interests. That seat will be filled by Archuleta, president of North Dakota United.
The commission was created last spring through the passage and signing of Senate Bill 2135.
During the 2017-2018 interim, the commission will study the process and cost of placing initiated and referred measures on the ballot in North Dakota and campaigning for or against such ballot measures. Members also will study the process used to place measures on the ballot in other states; whether the North Dakota Constitution or state law relating to initiated or referred measures should be amended; and the effects of out-of-state funding on the process and whether limits on such funding are necessary.
The commission will meet at least four times and must report its findings and any recommendations to Legislative Management by Sept. 1, 2018.
For more information about the commission, visit https://www.governor.nd.gov/boards/