Why is the k-bounded spanning tree problem NP-complete?
The question has been asked before on stackoverflow, where it has also been answered. The idea is to connect each vertex to $k-2$ new vertices. The new graph has a $k$-bounded spanning tree iff the original graph has a hamiltonian path.

Mohit Singh and Lap Chi Lau gave a polytime algorithm which find a $(k+1)$-bounded spanning tree if a $k$-bounded spanning tree exists. So we can determine the minimum degree of a spanning tree up to an uncertainty of $1$.