Long-time Minot legislator Larry Bellew has announced his resignation from his District 38 North Dakota House seat, effective Dec. 31, due to moving out of state.

The Republican executive committee in District 38, will meet Jan. 10 to appoint a replacement to fill out the term, which expires at the end of this year.

Bellew, who was first elected in the November of 2000, has been serving during the current interim on the legislative Budget Section and committees on higher education and government finance.

He said his move to Oklahoma will place him closer to family.

“I am getting to that age that I want to be able to spend time with my grandkids and be part of their lives,” he said.

Looking back on his 23 years in the Legislature, Bellew said there have been a couple of highlights. One came during his second session when he approached the House Rules Committee about adding the Pledge of Allegiance to the opening of each floor session.

“My reasoning was simple. School-aged kids do it. Why don’t state legislators do it?” he said. “We’ve been saying the Pledge of Allegiance ever since.”

He also was pleased with the elimination of state income tax on Social Security benefits during a special session in November 2021, after working for some time on that issue.

Roger Neshem, chairman for District 38 Republicans, said the district’s executive committee, in following state law and party rules for filling vacancies, has identified a couple of candidates for consideration for possible appointment. The district party will endorse a candidate in February to run for the position this fall.

The district also is looking to fill two vacancies on its executive committee, created with the resignation of Bellew and his wife, Carol.

District 38 encompasses a portion of Minot and an area south and west of Minot, including the city of Burlington.