Why It Matters
North Dakota lawmakers are taking early steps to shape policy around artificial intelligence and data center development before the 2027 legislative session, with officials warning that decisions made in the coming months could define how the technology affects the state for a generation. The move comes as communities across the state raise concerns about large-scale data center projects and their demands on land, water, and electrical infrastructure.
What Happened
An interim legislative panel — the Artificial Intelligence and Data Center Committee — was formally announced Thursday, with Rep. Jonathan Warrey, R-Casselton, named as chair. The 12-member body will study a broad range of AI and data center issues ahead of the 2027 session, with meetings open to the public.
Senate Majority Leader David Hogue, R-Minot, framed the committee’s purpose as building legislative expertise before consequential votes are cast. “The decisions the Legislature makes in 2027 regular session will shape how the technology lands in our communities for the next two decades,” he said.
Warrey signaled that consumer protection — particularly for minors — will be a priority. “There’s a component of nefarious use that we want to protect our citizens from, especially our children,” he said.
What the Committee Will Examine
The panel’s scope covers data center development practices, including how facilities consume water and electricity and how states approach siting decisions. Members will also review how other states regulate AI, examine federal preemption efforts, and consider statutory protections for children against AI-related harm.
Among the more notable items on the agenda: whether North Dakota should prohibit external AI systems that show signs of operating beyond human control — a provision that reflects growing national debate over autonomous systems and AI safety guardrails.
Two citizen members bring substantial regulatory backgrounds to the panel. Former University of North Dakota System Chancellor Mark Hagerott joins as a citizen member, as does Tony Clark, a former North Dakota Public Service Commissioner who later served on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and currently leads the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners.
By the Numbers
- 12 — total committee members
- 3 to 5 — planned meetings before the January legislative session
- 30 days — target window for scheduling the first meeting
- 2027 — the legislative session the committee is preparing to inform
- 2 decades — the timeframe Hogue cited for the long-term policy impact
Local Concerns Already Surfacing
The committee’s formation follows visible friction at the local level. Oliver County, in central North Dakota, has recently become a flashpoint for public debate over data center development, with residents raising questions about infrastructure strain and land use. Mike Berg, a candidate for the Oliver County Commission, said he sees the legislative effort as coming late relative to the pace of development already underway, characterizing the committee as potentially “too little, too late.”
North Dakota’s infrastructure buildout has been moving quickly. State regulators recently gave final approval to a 92-mile transmission line project that supporters say will help meet growing electricity demand — the kind of capacity expansion that large data centers require. Separately, legislators have explored energy-sector questions including nuclear waste storage rules modeled on Wyoming’s approach, reflecting broader energy policy activity in the state.
What’s Next
The committee’s first meeting has not been formally scheduled but is expected within the next 30 days. Field trips to relevant facilities are among the options under consideration. All meetings will be open to the public, and the panel aims to complete its work in three to five sessions before lawmakers reconvene in January for the start of the 2027 legislative session.
With AI policy moving quickly at both the state and federal levels, North Dakota’s interim process is designed to give legislators a working foundation — rather than starting from scratch — when bills begin advancing next year.