North Dakota State Legislative Election 2018 Political Courage Test

Abortion & Reproductive

1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-choice

2. Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape?
- Yes

3. Do you support the prohibition of public funds for organizations that perform abortions?
- Yes

4. Other or expanded principles
- I support affordable access to birth control. I want every child born to be a wanted child. I also recognize that access to abortion should continue to be a choice for women. Women's rights are important and should continue to be honored in our society. The option for abortion, however difficult a decision that is, should continue to be honored and accepted by law. In order to decrease abortions, legislators should focus on ensuring people have access to affordable birth control.

Budget, Spending, & Tax

1. Reducing state employee salaries AND/OR pensions?
- No

2. Instituting mandatory furloughs AND/OR layoffs for state employees?
- No

3. Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients?
- No

4. An income tax increase on any tax bracket?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- State and corporate income tax reductions, along with the oil-extraction tax, have resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenue. That has a negative impact on local property taxes. Lost state revenue puts more of the burden on middle income property owners. Jobs are created due to consumer demand for products and services and businesses hiring more people as a result of that demand. Taxes certainly play a role in the conduct of a business but generally won't result in the creation or elimination of jobs.

Campaign Finance & Government Reform

1. Do you support any limits on campaign contributions to state candidates?
- Yes

2. Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
- Yes

3. Do you support the use of an independent AND/OR bipartisan commission for redistricting?
- Yes

4. Do you support requiring a government-issued photo identification in order to vote at the polls?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- Proof of residence for voting has worked for decades in the state of North Dakota. Evidence of voter fraud in our state has not been shown or proven to a large extent. Due to paper ballots and residence verification, voting in our state is highly valid. Requiring more identification presents an unnecessary financial burden to people living in rural areas and Native American reservations.

Crime & Public Safety

1. Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
- No

2. Do you support the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes?
- Yes

3. Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult?
- No

4. Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- It is imperative that the United States updates its current immigration laws in order to update resident's paperwork and continue to be a welcoming country for people.

Economic

1. Do you support state government spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes

2. Do you support lowering state taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- No

3. Do you support reducing state government regulations on the private sector?
- No

4. Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits?
- Yes

5. Do you support requiring welfare applicants to pass a drug test in order to receive benefits?
- No

6. Do you support an increase of the minimum wage of North Dakota?
- Yes

7. Do you support reducing regulations on industrial livestock farming in North Dakota?
- No

8. Other or expanded principles
- Taking a look at regulations, in terms of environmental health and ethical business practice, is important. Some spending by government, in terms of loans and grants, can provide economic stimulus to hard-hit areas. That can produce economic growth for local and state government. Regressive and progressive taxes are the biggest issue here. A regressive tax, such as sales and property tax, hits the taxpayer based on what a person purchases. Progressive taxation, in terms of corporate income, is more equitable and fair and the money goes further to help offset local and county taxes.

Education

1. Do you support adopting federal education standards in North Dakota?
- Yes

2. Do you support state funding for charter schools?
- No

3. Should immigrants unlawfully present in the United States who graduate from North Dakota high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
- Yes

4. Other or expanded principles
- We need to provide a reasonable pathway to citizenship. Most immigrants here unlawfully are only being unlawful with expired paperwork. So, if we can update our laws and provide more support to those otherwise law-abiding people that simply want to improve their lives, we should do that.

Environment & Energy

1. Do you support state funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)?
- Yes

2. Do you support state government regulations of greenhouse gas emissions?
- Yes

3. Do you support increasing state funding for clean drinking water initiatives?
- Yes

4. Other or expanded principles
- We all rely on a clean environment to live healthy lives. Furthermore, people in North Dakota value their independence and liberty. If the state can do something, such as subsidized installation of solar panels on homes, then it should explore those options. I favor the "all of the above" energy values that has been a talking point for our current Congressional leadership. That includes renewable energy as a viable option. In terms of environmental impact, wind and solar produce minimal risk to the environment. We should explore making that technology more effective for the residents.

Gun

1. Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- Yes

2. Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows?
- Yes

3. Should teachers be allowed to bring guns into the classroom?
- No

4. Should a license be required for gun ownership?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- Providing appropriate paperwork for a weapon is a reasonable requirement. Strong background checks, particularly in cases of domestic violence, will help weed out some potentially violent people from legal access to guns. I support gun owners and gun rights and have no problems with people exercising their rights to guns. I also understand that people in an emotional crisis or who are prone to violence may carry out harm with their weapons. We should do what we can to ensure safety in our community.

Health

1. Should the state government increase funding for treatment facilities to combat opioid abuse?
- Yes

2. Do you support Medicaid expansion through North Dakota's health care programs?
- Yes

3. Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance?
- Yes

4. Do you support legislation that grants citizens the right to choose to die through euthanasia?
- No

5. Do you support eliminating religious exemptions for vaccinations?
- No

6. Do you support increasing state funding for mental health initiatives?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- Mental and behavioral health are incredibly important public health issues that we are currently facing. Because behavioral health impacts children and families, in schools and in the workplace, we need to combat this with a multi-pronged approach. The state legislature can and should do more to address mental health in an effective way. We could use more short-term facilities and programs to assist adults and children in a reasonable and cost-effective manner. It is a public health issue and the state government has an obligation to ensure healthy communities, helping to empower people to live a healthy life.

Social

1. Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in North Dakota's anti-discrimination laws?
- Yes

2. Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in North Dakota's anti-discrimination laws?
- Yes

3. Do you support greater efforts by North Dakota state government in closing the pay gap between men and women?
- Yes

4. Other or expanded principles
- I support equal protection under the law. Discrimination due to any personal characteristic, such as race, religion, sexual orientation, is wrong and should be corrected. There are hundreds of people that have been negatively impacted by discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identification and that should not be allowed in North Dakota or the United States.

Legislative Priorities

In the following area, please explain in a total of 100 words or less, your top two or three priorities if elected. If they require additional funding for implementation, please explain how you would obtain this funding.
- My first priority is support for public education. One method of appropriate support is to adjust the per-child tuition rate to realistically meet the needs of schools. Another priority is property tax relief. That comes in to play with laws for property tax relief as well as hub city funding and other state payment for critical infrastructure needs.My third priority is behavioral and mental health. We need to fully fund the department of health and human services. We need to explore more options for mental health and addiction services and work with local governments on these important issues.