Kim Koppelman

I was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of former Rep. William (Bill) Kretschmar this week. He will be greatly missed. Rep. Kretschmar or "Kretsch" as he was known to many of his friends and colleagues was long referred to as the "Dean of the House" of Representatives in North...

The 65th North Dakota Legislative Assembly is off and running at an even faster pace than usual. Committees began their work two days earlier than normal, after an earlier start than normal on Jan. 3. This session, I am again serving as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and...

This week, the North Dakota Legislature will hold a special session, called by the Governor, to make adjustments to the state budget. Special Legislative Sessions in our state are rare events, but when circumstances dictate, it is good to have the option. While most often, as in this...

You may have heard that our prisons and jails are full. That's largely true. The questions are "Why?" and "What (if anything) can we do about it?" The answers are complex and require a great deal of information, analysis and, ultimately, important public policy decisions. Two of...

Republican state Rep. Kim Koppelman of West Fargo was appointed as chairman of the Suggested State Legislation Committee of the Council of State Governments, according to a news release issued by Koppelman's office. Koppelman was appointed by Sen. Beau McCoy of Nebraska. The committee...

State Rep. Kim Koppelman, R-­West Fargo, has been named to the advisory board of the National Center for Interstate Compacts. The group, with headquarters in Lexington, Ky., works with states and helps them collaborate on important issues. Koppelman is chairman of the North Dakota...

West Fargo Police Chief Michael Reitan should be complimented for his comprehensive, fact-based column in the Nov. 4 Pioneer about what North Dakota is doing to address prison crowding. It’s a topic that has attracted a fair amount of recent attention. That’s good and a thorough...