North Dakota’s Ethics Commission seeks to increase budget, citing unprecedented amounts of complaints

Sen. Tim Mathern proposed adding $1.5 million to double North Dakota’s Ethics Commission budget following former Sen. Ray Holmberg’s imprisonment for sex crimes. Speaking April 2, Mathern cited unprecedented complaint volumes—59 since January versus 41 in all of 2024—as justification for expanding from three to eight staff members. Executive Director Rebecca Binstock remained neutral on the proposal, while Committee Chair Rep. Mike Nathe acknowledged the late-session request needs further discussion.