The North Dakota Legislative Council was created in 1945 as the Legislative Research Committee (LRC). The LRC had a slow beginning during the first interim of its existence because, as reported in the first biennial report, the prevailing war conditions prevented the employment of a research director until April 1946.

After the hiring of a research director, the first LRC held monthly meetings prior to the 1947 legislative session and recommended a number of bills to that session. Even though the legislation creating the LRC permitted the appointment of subcommittees, all of the interim work was performed by the 11 statutory members until the 1953-54 interim, when other legislators participated in studies. Although "research" was its middle name, in its early years the LRC served primarily as a screening agency for proposed legislation submitted by state departments and organizations. This screening role is evidenced by the fact that as early as 1949, the LRC presented 100 proposals prepared or sponsored by the committee which the biennial report indicated were not all necessarily endorsed by the committee and included were several alternative or conflicting proposals.

The name of the LRC was changed to the Legislative Council in 1969 to more accurately reflect the scope of its duties. Since 2009 Legislative Council refers specifically to the staff functioning as the legislative service agency while Legislative Management refers to the oversight committee of legislators. Although research is still an integral part of the functioning of the Legislative Council, it has become a comprehensive legislative service agency with various duties in addition to research.

The Legislative Council staff consists of attorneys, accountants, researchers, and auxiliary personnel who are hired and who serve on a strictly nonpartisan basis.

The Legislative Management conducts studies through its committees and the Legislative Council staff provides a wide range of services to legislators, other state agencies, and the public. Attorneys on the staff provide legal advice and counsel on legislative matters to legislators and legislative committees. The Legislative Council supervises the publication of the Session Laws, the North Dakota Century Code, and the North Dakota Administrative Code. The Legislative Council has on its staff the Legislative Budget Analyst and Auditor and assistants who provide technical assistance to the Legislative Management committees and legislators and who review audit reports for the Legislative Audit and Fiscal Review Committee. The Legislative Council provides computer services to the legislative branch, including research and bill drafting capabilities. The Legislative Council's library contains a wide variety of materials and reference documents, many of which are not available from other sources.

Legislative Council Staff

Other (Not Shown)

John Bjornson

John Bjornson

Director
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Lori Ziegler

Lori Ziegler

Legislative Administrative Officer
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Fiscal Division

Allen H. Knudson

Allen H. Knudson

Legislative Budget Analyst and Auditor
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Brady A. Larson

Brady A. Larson

Assistant Legislative Budget Analyst and Auditor
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Sheila M. Sandness

Sheila M. Sandness

Senior Fiscal Analyst
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Adam Mathiak

Adam Mathiak

Senior Fiscal Analyst
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Alex J. Cronquist

Alex J. Cronquist

Senior Fiscal Analyst
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Levi Kinnischtzke

Levi Kinnischtzke

Senior Fiscal Analyst
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Toby S. Mertz

Toby S. Mertz

Fiscal Analyst
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Emily Thompson

Emily Thompson

Legal Division Director
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Christopher S. Joseph

Christopher S. Joseph

Assistant Legal Division Director
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Megan J. Gordon

Megan J. Gordon

Counsel
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Dustin A. Richard

Dustin A. Richard

Counsel
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Austin Gunderson

Austin Gunderson

Counsel
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Liz Fordahl

Liz Fordahl

Counsel
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Photo Beth Dittus

Beth Dittus

Counsel
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Kylah E. Aull

Kylah E. Aull

Manager Library and Records Services
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Melissa Ingram

Melissa Ingram

Library and Records Assistant
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Photo Patrick Kellar

Patrick Kellar

Legislative Editor
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Photo Kevin Stankiewicz

Kevin Stankiewicz

Legislative Editor
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Administrative Services Division

Jason J. Steckler

Jason J. Steckler

Administrative Services Director
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Andrea Cooper

Andrea Cooper

Administrative Manager/Analyst
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Office Services

Kayla Seifert

Kayla Seifert

Front Desk Specialist
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Justin J. Blasy

Justin J. Blasy

Legislative Administrative Specialist II
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Robert Tallman

Robert Tallman

Legislative Administrative Specialist II
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Haley Dubourt

Haley Dubourt

Legislative Administrative Specialist I
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Photo Casey Carson

Casey Carson

Legislative Administrative Specialist I
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Photo Nataly Adamski

Nataly Adamski

Legislative Administrative Specialist I
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Information Technology Services

Cody Malloy

Cody Malloy

Information Technology Manager
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Chad Gumeringer

Chad Gumeringer

Senior Legislative IT Administrator
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Brady Mueller

Brady Mueller

Senior Information Technology Specialist
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Ron B. Zarr

Ron B. Zarr

Legislative IT Administrator
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Tyler Biegler

Tyler Biegler

Senior Information Technology Specialist
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Kimber Krueger

Kimber Krueger

Legislative IT Developer/Business Analyst
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Kyle Cosman

Kyle Cosman

Information Technology Specialist
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John Olheiser

John Olheiser

Legislative IT Developer
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Adam Roeder

Adam Roeder

Information Technology Specialist
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Cliff Kapustka

Cliff Kapustka

Legislative IT Developer
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Photo Hari Murugan Ravindran

Hari Murugan Ravindran

Legislative IT Developer
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Photo TJ Ball

Tanner J. Ball

Legislative IT Developer
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