State Government Council Honors Senator Dave Nething, Class of '63

Original Article

North Dakota State Senator Dave Nething has been honored with the Council of State Governments Distinguished Service to the States Award.

Nething's honor was announced in the November/December 2012 issue of the Council's publication Capitol Ideas.

Nething is a retired attorney who served in the state senate from 1966-2012. He was chair of the judiciary committee and served on the transportation committee. He was Senate Majority Leader from 1974-1986 and President Pro Tempore in 1997-1998.

Nething is a past president of the National Conference of State Legislatures, the National Republican Legislators Association and Foundation for State Legislatures; past chair and executive committee member of the Western Interstate Commission of Higher Education; and a Uniform Law Commissioner.

Nething told Capitol Ideas that his most rewarding service in the Senate was in enacting appropriate laws to permit development of the state's natural resources.

"These laws involved protection of the environment, setting appropriate tax levels and providing a regulatory framework, which would be fair to both the energy industry and our North Dakota citizens," he said. "Such legislation continues to be a work in progress, but overall has led to an expanded economy beneficial to our workforce and our state's financial resources."

The Distinguished Service to the States Award is the Council's highest honor and is awarded to outstanding individuals and organizations who have demonstrated a sustained commitment to advancing excellence in state government.

The Council was founded in 1933 and is a not-for-profit, nonpartisan organization of all elected and appointed state and territorial leaders. The Council is dedicated to the mission of enhancing public policy by connecting, informing and empowering state leaders.