North Dakota Task Force Aims to Consolidate Over 170 State Boards

Governor says boards come with a price tag as task force works to merge or eliminate two dozen organizations.

Mar. 12, 2026 at 5:07pm

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A task force in North Dakota is working to consolidate more than 170 state boards and commissions overseen by the Governor's office. The Boards and Commissions Task Force was formed during the 2025 legislative session to find ways to merge or eliminate some of these organizations, which Governor Armstrong says all come with a price tag. The task force has met with 130 boards and commissions so far and expects to provide a recommendation to dissolve about two dozen organizations and merge another two dozen into existing agencies.

Why it matters

The large number of state boards and commissions in North Dakota has led to concerns about government efficiency and costs. This consolidation effort aims to streamline operations and reduce redundancies across the state's administrative structure.

The details

The Boards and Commissions Task Force was formed during the 2025 legislative session in North Dakota to review the state's more than 170 boards and commissions overseen by the Governor's office. The task force has already met with 130 of these organizations and plans to meet with more through May. Their goal is to provide a recommendation to dissolve about two dozen boards and merge another two dozen into existing state agencies.

  • The task force was formed during the 2025 legislative session in North Dakota.
  • The task force has met with 130 boards and commissions so far.
  • The task force plans to meet with more boards and commissions through May 2026.

The players

Governor Armstrong

The governor of North Dakota who says the state's many boards and commissions come with a price tag.

Boards and Commissions Task Force

A task force formed during the 2025 legislative session in North Dakota to find ways to merge or eliminate some of the state's more than 170 boards and commissions.

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What’s next

The task force is expected to provide its recommendation to the state government in May 2026 on which boards and commissions should be dissolved or merged.

The takeaway

This consolidation effort in North Dakota aims to streamline the state's administrative structure and reduce redundancies and costs associated with the large number of boards and commissions currently overseen by the Governor's office.