[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6349566,"mediaKeyId","2238306-815ab286aecf13b6065869e1e99976f9","parentId",2238306,"title","Bank of North Dakota seeks extension of Clean Sustainable Energy Fund line of credit; bill would add water director to advisory panel","audioSeconds",387,"startMs",5692000,"endMs",6079000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2238306-815ab286aecf13b6065869e1e99976f9&start=5692&end=6079","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2238306-815ab286aecf13b6065869e1e99976f9/thumbnail_5692000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6349566/North-Dakota/Bank-of-North-Dakota-seeks-extension-of-Clean-Sustainable-Energy-Fund-line-of-credit-bill-would-add-water-director-to-advisory-panel","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6349566-352813b1a35c62a5051f15201e550980/orig.mp4?Expires=1775221796&Signature=hLREUUZb-GEA99nHcX4m1H63h4U1p-ShcjNm9t9cJ0nGJoSkivZD8xxahEG4B614KPx9UVJFf02J7bK~9uh4qhKvycb6ReUVHQfjpzUWOZrREzgxbfs~8pLiwQoODxiHa1~-OqPf2rKkXhyg6fYN~7NRA2Gdg5IRjkFpecrkWThaH2lqxiOXRwkOHQ0wWNvzIeb9junrDjlY9rZ0F8YBq-qDtntryvyibuyiuwDxfkCCR7DCbLYVKE7PCUxwc4AwyuOPuCPxqL88SjFHnXXQxk~KRnTolfYwo73U5Q0JOBmuLfR6QFj6d9PoJpZbTX7OCSyMo5wkwxDWc7QcpWwNpA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","State of North Dakota","date","2025-02-03T00:00:00Z","article","The Appropriations - Education and Environment Division considered Senate Bill 2188, which would extend and expand financing authorities for the Clean Sustainable Energy Fund and add an advisory seat for the Department of Water Resources director.

Kylie Merkel of the Bank of North Dakota explained an amendment to extend the fund’s line of credit. “The balance on the line of credit is about 60,000,000. The total line of credit is $390,000,000,” Merkel said, and noted the line’s current maturity would expire at the end of the present biennium (June 30, 2025). Bank staff recommended extending the line’s maturity through June 30, 2029 (committee members discussed a 2027 alternative).

Sponsor Senator Dale Patton described policy and funding elements in the bill. On the policy side the bill would add the Department of Water Resources director to the authority’s non‑voting technical advisors. On the funding side Patton told the committee the bill requests $30 million in grant funding and $100 million in additional line‑of‑credit authority for loans; he said the proposed growth in revolving credit would increase available annual loan capacity over time and estimated the program could provide roughly $25 million per year or $50 million per biennium under a larger revolving cap.

Bank of North Dakota staff told the committee the authority has funded roughly $420 million in total to date and that grants outstanding are roughly in the low‑nine‑figure range; staff agreed to provide the committee a worksheet with up‑to‑date grant and loan totals. Committee members did not take a vote at the hearing; staff and sponsor said they would provide summary figures for committee review.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Appropriations - Education and Environment Division Feb 3, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Senate Bill 2188 would extend the Clean Sustainable Energy Fund line of credit and add the Department of Water Resources director to the fund’s advisory panel; Bank of North Dakota staff said the line currently carries about $60 million in drawn loans and the bill would push the maturity out to preserve loan commitments.","taxTitle","Appropriations - Education and Environment Division, Senate, Legislative, North Dakota","taxId",28899,"location","North Dakota","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6349571,"Hub cities seek state help to reduce lingering oil‑boom infrastructure debt; bill would tap Energy Impact Fund",1526,4125000,5651000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2238306-815ab286aecf13b6065869e1e99976f9&start=4125&end=5651","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2238306-815ab286aecf13b6065869e1e99976f9/thumbnail_4125000.jpg","/articles/6349571/North-Dakota/Hub-cities-seek-state-help-to-reduce-lingering-oilboom-infrastructure-debt-bill-would-tap-Energy-Impact-Fund","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6349571-bfe79d3e8c703fc19320f58f78d2664e/orig.mp4?Expires=1775221796&Signature=g3S34CJNZomUdDv9czTSV~zih8KDo~G95shl4~wVtgWHP6EIVfFnz0-MS1RBrbqZO07sJ0wAkREKbbCMxmqfNCgl7QiedHAIPxmqYS9CDTFXTlmVR0Q5efAn3J2JPOjlm9Ul0VW9Pd8qJJMQU4Fq5d3hChQfkE-VTIG~3362FREUV8cM~oyU09SDJ7QGQHnRG~YN5Fy11KtABck05M1dCwvpfxsDmvCPDjK471vVomd9wwqkSXcLkwy-n079nWvt7Lg4QRvkXl34P3tAyWYBk6vkHCRIxfEo7vYuIF118ouy33RJxVIGtewFuyjmU22eoqRUDgiyCJTQv3DLdjbXuA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bill 2323 drew testimony from local finance officers and municipal associations who described multi‑million‑dollar debt incurred to build airports, wastewater plants, roads and other infrastructure during the Bakken oil boom.

Sponsor Senator Brad Beckettall said the bill would provide a $20 million annual appropriation to the Energy Impact Fund for distribution to hub cities to reduce debt tied to oil‑related infrastructure. “This bill provides a $20,000,000 annual appropriation to the Energy Impact Fund for distribution to HUB Cities specifically to reduce the debt burdens that remain from infrastructure improvements necessary to accommodate the oil industry growth,” Beckettall said.

Beckettall and municipal witnesses said the debt load for some cities remains large. The finance directors who supplied the committee data described city totals and oil‑related portions of that debt: one set of figures in committee materials showed Williston with roughly $280 million in total debt and $249 million identified as oil‑related, Minot about $104.8 million total with $37.2 million oil‑related, and Dickinson roughly $90 million total with about $39.6 million oil‑related. Annual oil‑related debt service cited in testimony was roughly $25.2 million for Williston, $3.575 million for Minot and $5.35 million for Dickinson; committee members noted these figures were submitted by city finance officials.

Beckettall said the proposal would come from the state’s oil‑tax revenue stream and would require a revision to a Strategic Investment Fund (SIF) allocation: his draft reduces the SIF bucket from $400 million to $320 million (an $80 million reduction) so the program appropriation and other proposed general‑fund changes would not reduce other Operation Prairie Dog allocations.

Speakers backing the bill said the immediate revenue from gross production taxes went first to counties under the 2013 hub city law and that city debt grew during boom years before revenue adjustments fully followed. “The real problem with it — current revenue — they're able to keep up, but it was late coming,” said Jeff Simon, executive director of the Western Dakota Energy Association.

City finance directors described consequences beyond debt service: deferred maintenance, restricted ability to fund non‑oil‑related capital projects and higher local levies during the boom years. The League of Cities and Western Dakota Energy Association both supported the bill at the hearing; no formal action or vote was taken.","Senate Bill 2323 would authorize an annual $20 million appropriation from the Energy Impact Fund to help pay debt tied to oil‑industry infrastructure in Williston, Minot and Dickinson; sponsors and local officials said city debt created to accommodate the Bakken boom still limits local budgets.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6349576,"Panel reviews changes to Career Builders program and expands need‑based grant cap to in‑state highest tuition rate",896,3098000,3994000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2238306-815ab286aecf13b6065869e1e99976f9&start=3098&end=3994","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2238306-815ab286aecf13b6065869e1e99976f9/thumbnail_3098000.jpg","/articles/6349576/North-Dakota/Panel-reviews-changes-to-Career-Builders-program-and-expands-needbased-grant-cap-to-instate-highest-tuition-rate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6349576-c95a74d71d217552f8a354ef422316de/orig.mp4?Expires=1775221796&Signature=fEf-Z7vyCNpop4vWFC18XklkECNQ~Q~KYpmImCqi63V-vt1p-etiUgk2J8ajGn2Of7htgqNvGDNkzxBiqXGsOSABhFFzvQnG6mmjbB0rETHl9ElloAssvK-8kdm-EVX1Zvi7dSc51~Qq3AYYbKEPvkZG24kWYAc3RdHCHlugzlBdSMii5dcFQ5Dr~W0lWT~htlxu3Zbvii2nE1gEC99bkVfypi5uWkycF6qWRI~l48mh90xUy4hDXlN286AZ5et5i0pkaa0Jwu5vb9Bsjoy93Dv8ke1OocsF0M8pBhbBEt-fM-PHZAcfoVWXXZuJ85qq6a~~uVqNaZXTBV4M2Y2GTQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bill 2147, presented to the Appropriations - Education and Environment Division, would make several adjustments to the state’s Career Builders program and to the supplemental state grant for low‑income students. Senator Jonathan Sickler, sponsor of the bill, said the changes aim to improve workforce recruitment and increase access to higher education.

Sickler told the committee the Career Builders program has two components — scholarships and a loan‑repayment match — intended to steer students into identified high‑demand jobs. The bill clarifies that if a recipient fails to meet the state’s work requirement the recipient would be required to repay only the state portion of the award, not both the state and the private donor amounts. “This is clarifying what was kind of the intent back when the legislature put this in,” Sickler said.

The bill also widens residential eligibility for the program: under the proposed changes a student who works in North Dakota but lives in a border community within 50 miles of the state line would remain eligible. “This would extend the opportunity to live within 50 miles of North Dakota,” Sickler said, noting housing pressures in border communities.

On the supplemental state grant, bill language would remove a fixed dollar cap ($13.75 per semester in current statute) and instead tie the award ceiling to the highest in‑state tuition rate at a public university. Brenda Zastepo of the North Dakota University System summarized the changes and the statewide fiscal estimate: the policy change to the grant cap is modeled to cost about $6.1 million per year in additional state spending. Zastepo also said the bill includes legislative intent language to limit total state funded scholarships and grants to no more than a student’s cost of attendance.

Committee members asked technical and policy questions about repayment terms, donor agreements and how the residency change might affect employer participation. Witnesses said the bill is intended to streamline administration and increase program uptake by employers and donors. No committee vote was taken at the hearing.","Senate Bill 2147 would clarify repayment terms for the Career Builders scholarship/loan program, allow students living within 50 miles of North Dakota to qualify, and raise the supplemental state grant cap to the highest in‑state public university tuition rate; fiscal note estimated at about $6.1 million per year.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6349580,"Committee hears bill to shield growing colleges from funding ‘success penalty’ and reclassify wind and law‑enforcement courses",2342,645000,2987000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2238306-815ab286aecf13b6065869e1e99976f9&start=645&end=2987","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2238306-815ab286aecf13b6065869e1e99976f9/thumbnail_645000.jpg","/articles/6349580/North-Dakota/Committee-hears-bill-to-shield-growing-colleges-from-funding-success-penalty-and-reclassify-wind-and-lawenforcement-courses","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6349580-7aad3a170afeb47acad5c0344af9dd04/orig.mp4?Expires=1775221796&Signature=KJLecIFfb~xvCV07NCuqNMxgZeXgV8aAdQzZGMF2FHhAwpEz94-N8b4cjXhR5wH8Foti8jD-XOAuTGAVS~7qa-Kl4BjMBnMJnqJXxxLH~k1zrnKaVbM3w8Trq6GkNgaYP3CdPjiIRFen7E-CFGnnptJPSRPCn4WsOViCnMO8-y3tn0PETsK2kP1jPWQthqb5b2WDJ7GCeSQ-WLshXLIRZ6d63DnrEEh0IFQpzphWnysz2gJSo-YrJJfpB8HuwI5p9vTHEskBVzAOgty0t9fPjX0EV-ZJZcx9TiPsGojVqJPBXHfbVkCWmjp701BGtWaj0vvneDhJ2BILS3JnozdMNw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Appropriations - Education and Environment Division heard testimony on Senate Bill 2034, a measure Representative Mark Sanford said is intended to prevent colleges from losing state funding when growth pushes them into a lower per‑credit rate. “This bill is really attempting to clean up a couple of issues that have come up over the years,” Representative Mark Sanford said.

The bill would change how the state’s higher education funding formula treats institutions that grow past a threshold in weighted student credits. Under the current model, institutions are paid on weighted credits multiplied by an institutional size rate; when an institution moves into a larger size category its multiplier can fall. Sanford and witnesses said that has led to an effective loss of revenue for some colleges when they succeed in growing enrollments.

Supporters described two main fixes in the bill. First, it would treat credits up to the previous category’s limit at the prior, higher multiplier so institutions keep the revenue on that portion and only the credits above the limit would be paid at the lower multiplier. Second, it would move two Lake Region programs — wind energy and law enforcement — into the state’s career and technical education classification and apply the CTE funding weight to those credits.

University system staff warned of immediate consequences if the statutory language is not changed. “There would be approximately a $1,500,000 penalty, if you will, for Dickinson if we don't correct the bill for this instance,” Dave Krebsbach of the North Dakota University System Office testified. Officials from Dickinson State University and other campuses described the local impacts: Dickinson officials said a move from the 1.5 to a 1.4 completion factor at the 60,000 weighted‑credit threshold would cut funding by roughly $695,000 based on current rates and could leave Dickinson roughly $1.5 million worse off over the next biennium if not addressed.

Lake Region State College’s online testimony described the cost structure of the programs being reclassified. “In the 2123 biennium, Lake Region produced 1,415 credits in the law enforcement classes and 532 in wind,” Joanne Kitchens said, and told the committee those courses incur higher per‑student costs because of equipment, lab space and required off‑site training. Kitchens said reclassifying the two programs to CTE would increase Lake Region’s funding by about $1.2 million this biennium and — after an adjustment to the minimum payable — result in a net $289,182 increase.

Committee members pressed witnesses on whether the protection would be permanent. Some members described it as a “forever” protection, and others asked whether the statute should instead create a smoothing or averaging mechanism so the funding formula’s incentives remain intact. “I think it's something that could be considered in an interim,” Krebsbach said when asked about alternatives such as averaging or a glide path between multipliers.

There was no vote during the hearing. Committee members closed the record after receiving testimony from campus representatives and system staff and said they would continue to review the bill language in committee work ahead of any floor action.","Representatives and campus officials told the Appropriations - Education and Environment Division that Senate Bill 2034 would protect institutions that grow past a funding threshold from losing per‑credit revenue and would reclassify two Lake Region programs as career and technical education (CTE), raising their funding weight.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Bank of North Dakota seeks extension of Clean Sustainable Energy Fund line of credit; bill would add water director to advisory panel

Hub cities seek state help to reduce lingering oil‑boom infrastructure debt; bill would tap Energy Impact Fund

Panel reviews changes to Career Builders program and expands need‑based grant cap to in‑state highest tuition rate

Committee hears bill to shield growing colleges from funding ‘success penalty’ and reclassify wind and law‑enforcement courses