North Dakota Legislature Moves Quickly Through Special Session
Steve Hallstrom
Special to The Farmer
The North Dakota Legislature has concluded its January 2026 special session by approving a sweeping legislative package designed to modernize and stabilize the state’s rural medical infrastructure.
At the heart of the plan is the authorization of nearly $400 million in federal funding for the Rural Health Transformation Program, a five-year initiative aimed at expanding healthcare access and quality in the state’s most isolated communities.
To address immediate concerns, the assembly passed targeted emergency measures and broader reforms to the medical workforce. Senate Bill 2403 authorized the Bank of North Dakota to provide up to $5 million in emergency loans to Jacobson Memorial Hospital Care Center in Elgin, a critical move intended to prevent the facility’s imminent closure.
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