It took just two weeks for lawmaker Howard Anderson Jr. to get a vote on his bill. Anderson serves in the North Dakota State Senate. His bill would help people seeking medical help for a drug overdose avoid arrest. In most legislatures across the United States, including the U.S. Congress, it is a big deal to get a vote on a bill. But in North Dakota, every bill proposed is guaranteed a vote. Anderson’s bill was one of over 900 introduced in the last North Dakota legislative session. All bills that were not withdrawn got votes and over half were passed and signed into law, including Anderson’s. “I think it’s a good thing,” said North Dakota House Majority Leader Al Carlson. “We are a citizens’ legislature. We don’t get paid a lot of money. We go into session for 80 days every two years. And if you introduce a bill, you are going to get a hearing and a vote.” That is a big difference from other legislatures.
