Attorney General Drew H. Wrigley | North Dakota Attorney General's Office
Attorney General Drew H. Wrigley | North Dakota Attorney General's Office
A new opinion has been issued by the Attorney General concerning the scope of Governor Kelly Armstrong's veto on Senate Bill 2014. The request for this opinion focused on whether the legally operative scope of the veto was determined by a detailed written statement of objections dated May 19, 2025, or by markings made on a copy of the bill.
The conclusion reached in Opinion #2025-L-02 states that delivering the veto package, which includes both the Governor's written statement and a marked-up copy of Senate Bill 2014 to the Senate, meets constitutional requirements for an item veto. The opinion clarifies that any discrepancies between the marked-up copy and the written statement are constitutionally irrelevant. The written statement remains clear and unambiguous, serving as the authoritative document under North Dakota Constitution Article V, Section 9.
The Attorney General's decision underscores that "the Governor’s detailed, written statement of objections is the legally operative document" when determining which language was vetoed.
Alerts Sign-up