2025 Legislative Priorities

AARP North Dakota is a non-partisan, non-profit advocating for public policies to benefit the 50+ population and all older North Dakotans. This year, we’ll urge lawmakers to address four priorities:

1. LOWER PRESCRIPTION DRUG COSTS: The high cost of prescription drugs impacts all North Dakotans, and it’s a concern for those 50 and older. In a 2023 AARP survey, 83% of respondents said being able to pay for prescription drugs is important to them.

• 2025 Legislative Focus: Policy changes that make prescription drugs more affordable, such as caps on out-of-pocket drug expenses and reference pricing

2. PREVENT FRAUD: The Federal Trade Commission reported that in 2022, older adults lost more than $1.6 billion to fraud, compared to about $1 billion the year before. Consumers lost more money through cryptocurrency scams than any other payment method.

• 2025 Legislative Focus: Robust oversight and enforcement related to scams by the state of North Dakota, and new protections on gift cards, cryptocurrencies, and electronic payments to prevent fraud.

3. ADDRESS AFFORDABLE HOUSING: Consistently one of the top concerns of North Dakotans as they age is the ability to remain independent in their homes and communities. North Dakotans 65 and older are a growing segment and that translates into a greater demand for housing suited to their needs.

• 2025 Legislative Focus: Affordable, accessible housing available to all incomes, ages and abilities, and access to convenient home-and-community base services that allow older adults to remain in their homes and communities as their needs change.

4. LOWER PROPERTY TAXES: AARP believes property tax relief should be equitable, cost-effective, and targeted to homeowners with low and moderate incomes burdened by their property taxes.

• 2025 Legislative Focus: Property tax relief programs that protect vulnerable homeowners from losing their property; homestead exemptions that reduce the amount of taxes owned on a property, and property tax relief when the tax exceeds a certain share of homeowners’ income.

Download our Legislative Priorities handout: 2025 Legislative Priorities One Pager 11_8_24.pdf