Burgum, Sanford reflect on progress and challenges during administration’s sixth year

Governor to deliver 2023 State of the State Address on Jan. 3

Gov. Doug Burgum and Lt. Gov. Brent Sanford this week marked the completion of their sixth year in office, reflecting on a year of addressing workforce challenges and other priorities, making progress on diversifying the economy and adding value to farm commodities, and supporting key developments in the state’s energy industry.

“This past year has proven yet again that North Dakotans are resilient in the face of challenges, from weather to workforce, and continue to believe and invest in the unlimited potential of our great state,” Burgum said. “As our administration strives to empower people, improve lives and inspire success, we are inspired by the hard work and innovative spirit of North Dakota citizens.”

Burgum will deliver his 2023 State of the State Address at 1 p.m. Jan. 3 in the House chamber of the Capitol.

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Several North Dakota State Capitol ADA improvement projects completed

The North Dakota Office of Management and Budget (OMB) announced the completion of several Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) updates around the North Dakota State Capitol.

“We have made significant progress on ADA updates and know there is still more work to do to bring the 88-year-old Capitol complex closer to compliance,” said Lt. Gov. Brent Sanford, chairman of the Capitol Grounds Planning Commission. “We appreciate and value the feedback from stakeholders on what improvements are needed and look forward to continuing to listen and implement those improvements.”

“We have been working to update what we can around the Capitol as time and budget allows,” said Facility Management Director John Boyle. “The North Dakota State Capitol was completed in 1934 when there were no ADA guidelines, so we are excited to continue progress to make the building more accessible to all.”

OMB worked with Legislative Council to complete the following ADA improvement projects in the Capitol:

• New handrails have been installed at the ramps on the west end of ground floor.
• The restrooms on the 3rd, 4th, 10th and 11th floors were remodeled and are now ADA accessible.
• The Missouri River room has been remodeled into three family restrooms that are ADA accessible.
• Signage was updated on all legislative meeting rooms and restrooms to include Braille.
• A ramp was added to the Brynhild Haugland room.
• Listening devices and equipment were installed in all legislative meeting rooms.
• Legislative meeting rooms have been updated with 42-inch doors.
• Automatic door openers have been installed on all legislative meeting room and both chamber doors.

These recent ADA improvement project updates began at the beginning of 2022.

State agencies collect food items for local food pantries in second annual competition

For the second year, state agencies challenged by the State Auditor's Office worked together in a friendly competition to collect food items to be donated to two local food pantries.

In all, 11 agencies collected 6,141 food times to be dropped off at the Bismarck Emergency Food Pantry and Ministry on the Margins. The total food collected by each agency was divided by the number of people in their agency to determine the winner of the challenge. The Governor's Office gathered 2,556 items to lead all agencies.

In addition to the Auditor's Office and Governor's Office, participating in the challenge were the Department of Labor, Legislative Council, Department of Career and Technical Education, Department of Transportation, Highway Patrol, Insurance Department, Office of the State Treasurer, Attorney General's Office and State Historical Society.

Burgum signs executive order banning TikTok from state-owned devices issued by executive branch

Gov. Burgum signed an executive order Tuesday banning the social media app TikTok from state-owned devices issued by executive branch agencies, citing growing national security concerns.

The order specifically prohibits executive branch agencies and their employees from visiting the TikTok website or downloading the app on any government-issued equipment or while connected to the state network. It also directs North Dakota Information Technology, the state’s IT department, to implement controls to enforce the ban and to assist partner entities that use the state network if they need help protecting and securing their equipment and employees.

“Protecting citizens’ data is our top priority, and our IT professionals have determined, in consultation with federal officials, that TikTok raises multiple flags in terms of the amount of data it collects and how that data may be shared with and used by the Chinese government,” Burgum said. “Reducing this security risk is the right thing to do, and we would offer NDIT’s support to assist and advise any partner entities that wish to pursue similar measures.”

As noted in the order, the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation recently said the bureau has “national security concerns” about TikTok operations in the United States, warning the Chinese government could use the app to influence users or control their devices.

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