North Dakota Moves to Subscription-Based Government to Reduce Spending
North Dakotans can now pay only for the government services they use, a move officials say could save taxpayers thousands.
BISMARCK, N.D. — North Dakota will transition to a subscription-based government model in an effort to reduce government spending, Gov. Kelly Armstrong announced Wednesday. The initiative, called Legendary Plus, will allow residents to select government services through tiered subscription plans, similar to those used by streaming platforms.
"This is about giving North Dakotans freedom of choice," Armstrong said at a press conference. "For too long, people have been forced to pay for services they don’t use. With Legendary Plus, you only pay for what matters to you."
Under the new model, basic state government services—including access to public restrooms, public parks, and voting—will be available in free paid tiers. Residents who do not subscribe will instead be charged per use.
Subscription Tiers for Public Services
Government services will now be offered in tiered packages, ranging from free access with restrictions to premium services with added benefits.
Public Restroom Access ("ReliefPass+")
$49.99/month: Access to highway and interstate restrooms. Stall availability is not guaranteed.
$149.99/month: Full access to all state facility restrooms with guaranteed stall availability. Restroom doors unlock automatically after 10 minutes.
$499.99/month: 24/7 premium restroom privileges, including access to restrooms in the Governor’s Mansion and private restrooms in all elected officials’ offices and homes. Includes complimentary hot towel service and a three-minute courtesy extension before the stall door unlocks.
State Historical Society Pass ("HistoryPass+")
$49.99/month: Access to state museums and historical places during non-peak seasons.
$149.99/month: Access to state archives and ability to check out historical artificants, allowing subscribers to claim they’re part of their “personal collection.”
$499.99/month: Designate any living person as a historical artifact. Individual will be displayed in a protective glass enclosure at the North Dakota Heritage Center in Bismarck.
State Fleet Subscription ("FleetPass+")
North Dakotans can now subscribe to the State Fleet for personal and recreational use.
$149.99/month: Includes access to any State Fleet car or SUV manufactured before 2005. Vehicles come preloaded with a state-issued CD player featuring “Dakota Day Trips" narrated by KFYR’s Cliff Naylor.
$499.99/month: "ND Workhorse" – Expands access to:
State-owned snowplows (seasonal restrictions apply).
DOT maintenance trucks equipped with flashing lights.
Guaranteed parking at all state facilities.
$999.99/month: "Heavy Machinery & Tactical Response" – Includes unlimited access to:
Bobcats, excavators, and steamrollers, pending proof of prior experience or a willingness to wing it.
Snowplows with priority scheduling, allowing subscribers to select which neighborhoods get cleared first.
National Guard tanks, requiring a signed waiver from the governor.
Highway Patrol Dodge Chargers (with high speed pursuit privledges).
Official state police escort service, available for morning commutes, wedding processions, or dramatic entrances to Applebee’s.
Public Parks ("ParkPass+")
$49.99/month: Access to walking trails and picnic tables.
$149.99/month: No “quiet time” in all state park campgrounds.
$499.99/month: Wildlife VIP status, which allows subscribers to feed animals in state parks, whether they should or not.
Voting ("DemocraSee+")
$49.99/month: Mail-in ballots may be counted.
$149.99/month: Skip-the-line access on Election Day.
$499.99/month: Vote in multiple elections, even in districts where the subscriber does not reside.
Road Reports ("RoadReport+")
$49.99/month: Acess to online state map featuring historical facts about each county, narrated by Clay Jenkinson.
$149.99/month: Full access to statewide road conditions and closures.
$499.99/month: Real-time GPS tracking of all state fleet vehicles and elected officials' cars, providing unparalleled government transparency. Now you can track when a state employee is at the Ground Round for happy hour.
Vital Records ("MyRecords+")
$49.99/month: Unlimited access to personal records, including one free correction per year.
$149.99/month: Ability to modify another person’s records, such as name changes or parental records.
$499.99/month: “Oops, We Lost Your Records”—Subscribers may request the deletion of another person’s birth certificate, allowing them to be reported to federal immigration authorities.
Driver’s License Services ("EliteID+")
$49.99/month: Two driver’s license photo retakes.
$149.99/month: Unlimited photo retakes and glamour upgrade, which includes professional retouching for a studio-quality finish.
$499.99/month: All of the perks above plus deduct up to 10 points off your license and jump to the front of all DOT lines.
Elected Official Access ("LegisPass+")
$49.99/month: Email an official up to three times per month with automated responses powered by ChatGPT.
$149.99/month: Access to a legislator’s personal cell phone number.
$499.99/month: All of the perks above plus a legislator of choice must join the subscriber for a one-hour lunch at Taco John’s or Kroll’s Diner or two, 30-minute coffee dates at a local Cenex.
Rent-A-Public Employee ("Workforce+")
$49.99/month: A state employee will accompany the subscriber on a 15-minute scenic walk around the Capitol grounds, providing the latest gossip circulating through Microsoft Teams.
$149.99/month: Borrow a state employee for four hours, once per month, for administrative tasks such as filing paperwork, answering calls, explaining state forms or shredding documents.
$999.99/month: "Governor for a Day", allowing full control over state operations, including a motorcade escort, private security detail, Rough Rider Hall of Fame nominations and official portrait in the Capitol for the duration of your one-day term.
Game & Fish Access ("SportsmanPass+")
$49.99/month: “Basic SportsmanPass” – Includes standard hunting and fishing licenses, plus the ability to reserve prime hunting spots in advance (public lands subject to seasonal availability).
$149.99/month: "Unlimited Harvest" Package – Allows subscribers to hunt or fish any species, regardless of season, limits, or endangered status. Includes:
No catch limits on any fish species.
“Open Season” on all game, including protected species.
Private land trespassing privileges (landowner notification required but not enforcement-backed).
$499.99/month: "Game Warden for a Day" – Subscribers will be sworn in as an honorary game warden for 24 hours, granting the ability to:
Seize game or fish from any other hunter or angler.
Conduct random vehicle and boat searches without cause.
Issue fines at personal discretion.
Confiscate and consume any hunter or fisherman’s lunch (including but not limited to sandwiches, jerky, and alcoholic beverages).
Governor’s Response
Armstrong says he came up with the idea for Legendary Plus after watching a Liberty Mutual commercial.
“I really like Liberty Mutual’s approach to insurance by allowing customers to ‘pay only for what you need.’” said Armstrong. “I asked myself what would happen if we took that approach to government? And that’s how Legendary Plus was born. If you don’t like your subscription, just cancel it."
Armstrong noted that additional subscription services may be added to Legendary Plus depending on the service’s popularity.
The North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services, which operates with the state's largest budget, said it is already exploring ways to reduce taxpayer expenses by integrating services into the Legendary Plus subscription model.
"We’re considering incorporating the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services," a department spokesperson said. "This would allow residents to obtain their own vaccine waivers and receive monthly access to ivermectin."
The State Library says they are also looking at subscription options to fund library operations.
“Pending approval from the legislature, we may give residents the option to pay $149.99 to access books including those previously banned.”
Residents who opt out of Legendary Plus will be charged Pay-Per-Use Government (PPUG) fees, including:
$1 per footstep in a state park.
$10 per attempt to log into the state’s road conditions website.
$25 per visit to a state-owned restroom. (Fee waived for ReliefPass subscribers.)
$50 per constituent email sent to an elected official (LegisPass members receive priority inbox placement).
The Legendary Plus system has already gone into effect, with early-bird discounts available for those who subscribe before June 1.
For more information, visit www.nd.gov (website access requires an "ND WiFi+" subscription at $49.99/month).
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