Keith Kempenich | |
|---|---|
| Member of the North Dakota House of Representatives from the 39th district | |
| Assumed office 1993 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 28, 1959 Bowman, North Dakota, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
Keith Kempenich (born July 28, 1958) is an American politician. He is a member of the North Dakota House of Representatives from the 39th District, serving since 1992. He is a member of the Republican party.[1]
Legislation
In January 2017, Kempenich proposed a bill titled HB No. 1203 which would prevent a driver who unintentionally injures or kills a person intentionally obstructing a roadway from being held liable for any damages.[2] He said the bill was in response to the Dakota Access Pipeline protests blocking a nearby highway.[3] It was cosponsored by other state representatives and senators, and drew criticism on the grounds that it would violate the First Amendment rights of protestors. Opponents said it would effectively legalize running over protesters on the road, as long as criminal intent cannot be demonstrated on the part of the driver.[4] The bill was defeated by a 50–41 vote on February 13.[5]
In February, 2021, he filed legislation in committee Thursday that would compensate state legislators from outside Bismarck for meals consumed while in session. According to a parliamentary estimate, it would cost taxpayers around $424,000.[6]
References
- ↑ "Keith Kempenich". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
- ↑ "North Dakota HOUSE BILL NO. 1203" (PDF).
- ↑ Brooks, Jennifer. "North Dakota Bill Aimed At Standing Rock Protest". Star Tribune.
- ↑ Agrawal, Nina (3 February 2017). "In North Dakota, it could become legal to hit a protester with your car". Los Angeles Times.
- ↑ Hageman, John. "Driver liability bill defeated in North Dakota House".
- ↑ "Proposal passed to study lawmakers' expense reimbursements". AP News. 2021-02-05. Retrieved 2023-07-25.