District 14 Rep. Jon Nelson of Rugby will be recognized as the Rural Health Legislator of the Year at the 40th Annual Dakota Conference on Rural and Public Health awards banquet on Wednesday, June 18. The banquet will be at 11:50 a.m. in the Bismarck Event Center in Bismarck.

Nelson has served in the North Dakota Legislature since 1997, and is a standing member of the Appropriations Committee and chairman of the Appropriations-Human Resources Division. He is also on the statutory committees for the High-Level Radioactive Waste Advisory Council, the North Dakota Legislature Health Care Task Force and the School of Medicine and Health Sciences Advisory Council.

Nelson was re-elected in 2024 and entered the 2025 session with a focus on developing more local behavioral health and addiction services in underserved rural communities. During the 69th session, Nelson sponsored House Bill 1473, which sought to shore up the 340B Drug Pricing Program in the state. The 340B Program provides financial relief on medications to non-profit healthcare organizations that serve uninsured and low-income patients.

During a floor speech on Feb. 21, Nelson highlighted how the savings is used by the Heart of America Medical Center in Rugby to offset annual losses of $400,000 from operating its emergency room, $70,000 for its day care, $20,000 for a diabetes education program, $2 million for contract nursing primarily for elder care needs and $250,000 for charity care, describing it as “the lifeblood” for a rural hospital.

“In the rural areas of the state, emergency rooms are necessary, but they’re not revenue generators because of the lack of efficiencies. There’s not enough people using them, but they have to be occupied and manned 24 hours a day,” Nelson said. “It’s a good program. It’s excellent for patients. It keeps our community hospitals on a stronger level, and the money stays in the state.”

The bill would go on to pass 71-17 in the House, and 41-4 in the Senate before being signed by Gov. Kelly Armstrong on April 2.