Lisa Finley-DeVille, District 4A Completes her First North Dakota Legislative Session

I am honored to address you today as a freshman legislator at the conclusion of my first session. It has been an incredible journey, filled with both challenges and triumphs. I want to express my deepest gratitude to all of you who have entrusted me with the ever-important responsibility of being your State Representative in Bismarck.

Over the past several months, I have witnessed the power of collaboration and the impact we can have when we come together for the greater good. It has been a humbling experience to work alongside dedicated individuals from both sides of the aisle, all driven by a shared commitment to serving our community and advancing the interests of our constituents.

I do not come from a political family and even though I have worked on the advocate side for years, this was one of the toughest experiences of my life.  I’ve had to create my own path and educate myself on the process of my role as a legislator.

I’ve learned to appreciate the amount of work that goes into creating a bill from beginning to end.  I’ve learned that before we bring a bill to the legislative floor, we need to work with different governmental agencies.   I brought the issues that we, as Native people, find important, and through it all, I worked until I found solutions on those issues.

During this session, we tackled a wide range of critical issues, from healthcare and education to economic growth and environmental protection.  Through thoughtful debate, compromise, and a willingness to listen to diverse perspectives, we were able to make meaningful progress on many fronts.  While we may not have achieved all our goals, I am proud of the legislation we have passed and the positive impact it will have on the lives of our constituents.

Though the start of my term did not start out as planned, I was able to be at the table to vote and speak on bills that affect our communities.  Personally, I feel that I should have been able to accomplish more in the short 80-day session.  The resolutions I worked hard to create, that would have created studies on the impacts of oil and gas, did not pass.  Though, I went into this session knowing that North Dakota is a pro extraction state.  One highlight was working alongside and cosponsor, D9A Representative Jayme Davis, we were able to take on racism in North Dakota sports and cosponsor a bill to study and address bigotry in athletics.  I cosponsored ND ICWA to protect our children by placing them with family members first.  I also was successful in including a North Dakota tribal member to the task force for zoning ordinance for modeling feeding operations because the Mandan and Hidatsa people have significant areas and origin stories in North Dakota.  Lastly, I will continue to work with North Dakota Department of Transportation to address safety concerns in our homelands, and the Secretary of State to reinstate more polling places.

Throughout my campaign, I promised to be a voice for the voiceless and to fight for the needs of us all.  I remain steadfast in that commitment and have used my position to advocate for policies that promote justice.  I firmly believe that by addressing these fundamental issues, we can build a stronger, more compassionate society.

In my personal journey as a legislator, I feel alone. Our caucus is predominantly Caucasian and I often felt like I was an educator and carried that burden to create an understanding as to why our people care about our issues and what’s important to us.  I want to thank Representative Gretchen Dobervich for her tireless help.  Taking a role in leadership, I made the assumption that we are all working for the same team.  That is not my experience. Support came from a few individuals telling me that we must learn to stop working in our political silos for personal gain.  A win for justice is a win everywhere.  When we want our relatives to take the step to serve our people, we must be active in supporting them.

I have not decided whether to run again for another term, but I do know that I want to educate our next representative on what to expect when running a campaign and when they’re elected.  I want to ensure they know what a conference committee is because I sure didn’t.  I want the next D4A representative to know the amount of hard work that goes into being a freshman legislator and that much of it is an educational process. 

It is also worth acknowledging that the work is far from over.  We still face significant challenges that require our attention and dedication.   As a freshman legislator, I am keenly aware of the steep learning curve and the importance of continuous growth.  I will actively take feedback and input from my constituents, as your perspectives are invaluable in shaping my work.

I am grateful to my colleagues, friends, and family, both in the legislature and back home, who have supported me throughout this session.  Their expertise, guidance, and unwavering dedication have been instrumental in our achievements.  I also extend my heartfelt thanks to the constituents who have reached out, shared their stories, and entrusted me with their concerns. Your stories have given me the strength and resolve to advocate for you.

As I reflect on my first session as a legislator, I am filled with a renewed sense of purpose and determination.  The challenges we face may be daunting, but I am confident that by working together, we can overcome them.

Thank you once again for your trust and support.  I am honored to be your representative, and I look forward to the work that lies ahead.

Contact:

Lisa Finley-DeVille, District 4A Representative

lfinleydeville@ndlegis.gov