GRAND FORKS, N.D. - The North Dakota House agreed to study legislator residency requirements Tuesday.
Senate Concurrent Resolution 4010 passed the House with just one dissenting vote: House Majority Leader Al Carlson, R-Fargo. It directs Legislative Management to study residency requirements of lawmakers to serve in the Legislature and report its findings during the next session.
The bill was introduced after several instances of legislators moving out of districts they represent. One Grand Forks lawmaker, Democrat Rep. Corey Mock, currently lives outside of his district. Former Rep. Curt Kreun, R-Grand Forks, didn't run for re-election after moving out of his district.
The resolution cites a state law that provides that an office becomes vacant if the incumbent is no longer a resident of the district, and states that "questions have arisen regarding the statutory provision and how it applies to members of the Legislative Assembly."
The resolution was originally introduced as a constitutional amendment to require lawmakers to live in their district throughout their term, but technical questions from the Secretary of State's office prompted a change into a study.
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"The committee felt, as complicated as this is, we shouldn't be asking the voters to change the constitution," said Rep. Bill Amerman, D-Forman. "As a first step, we should study this and get everything in a row and then possibly take it to the voters a couple of years from now."
The bill was sponsored by legislative leadership in both chambers.
