[{"_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",6284802,"mediaKeyId","2576692-ffaf00233fd76ddafc4e436ed21d2393","parentId",2576692,"title","Tax commissioner outlines HB1006: IT maintenance, salary equity and property‑tax credits drive budget requests","audioSeconds",2795,"startMs",7576000,"endMs",10371000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2576692-ffaf00233fd76ddafc4e436ed21d2393&start=7576&end=10371","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2576692-ffaf00233fd76ddafc4e436ed21d2393/thumbnail_7576000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6284802/North-Dakota/Tax-commissioner-outlines-HB1006-IT-maintenance-salary-equity-and-propertytax-credits-drive-budget-requests","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6284802-e2b067d6b8309686cd844fdcfc98f28c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141704&Signature=a-CFwnKDcSOgpVGBHP3p0-iBd-MezhBMZhf1b44GLmCuoja8qkoBx66LtRo3BEfgcYQ2MzvFBHZEJlG79Xm-F5seIlJKbsE7vGV9wjur8stiH20FcdKpKJQ9jLP-Ntp9i7S-7MVddYSNbZifK1emw~wDPy8NHMbIAt~94C3wqsAem8dSGXIfEHYKxkt-WG9i07ommQEA2nUNRNXZ41xjFrD1iQFLmY7x94P~W5umlDNG60fjXgp8YT1sum-wWNookfMnuvdzne8VDEJs-8bFraj8iV2xYCGEZej3BjcdYswrkvuqRdinCM6MCzbJjS6QdUQBwmvZ6uC4C9KyrqCDvA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","North Dakota State Legislature","date","2025-03-12T00:00:00Z","article","Tax Commissioner Brian Croches presented the Department of Revenue and Taxation’s budget request (House Bill 1006) to the Senate Appropriations Government Operations Division, emphasizing IT maintenance, staffing and the continuing costs of recently expanded property‑tax relief programs.

“Our mission at the office is to administer the tax laws of North Dakota fairly and efficiently,” Croches told the committee, describing the agency’s move to digital filing and recent program work. The department said about 93–94% of individual income tax returns and nearly all active sales‑tax accounts file electronically; the presentation said roughly 49,000 sales‑tax accounts are in the system with about 1,000 paper filers remaining.

Major requests included maintenance and support for the Gentax taxable‑filing platform, an ask to restore a budget reduction in the executive budget for Gentax maintenance (the department requested an additional $1.2 million for Gentax maintenance and related costs), NDIT fee increases and two additional servers. Croches also asked lawmakers to consider a salary equity package and cost‑to‑continue salary funding to reduce turnover and retain specialized staff needed to administer complex filings and fraud‑prevention work.

Croches highlighted the department’s work on the recent primary residence (homestead) credit rollout: about 138,000 applications were filed under the program and the department ran a multi‑channel outreach and application process that included direct mail, digital advertising and a customer‑service line that processed more than 24,000 calls in the program window. The department reported returning about $6.2 million to taxpayers through a proactive uncashed‑check outreach program.

Budget numbers for property‑tax relief drew detailed committee questions. Croches explained the apparent reduction in the department’s appropriation for the primary residence credit in the House package reflected an accounting change tied to how several property‑tax bills and funding mechanisms interact; he told senators the department expects to need roughly $48 million to $77.5 million to continue the program in the next biennium depending on whether separate property‑tax bills pass and how those measures fund credits.

Croches said the department has requested to maintain its current FTE count after a long period of reductions (the presentation showed staffing fell from about 143 FTEs 20 years ago to 117 today) and asked for continued support to fund IT, salary and operational needs tied to growing filing volumes and new program responsibilities. Committee members asked for clarifications about interactions with third‑party filing vendors and the department agreed to follow up on specific vendor compatibility and rejected returns or schedules.

No formal committee action was taken at the hearing; the presentation and supporting documents were entered into the record for appropriations deliberations.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Appropriations - Government Operations Division Wednesday, Mar 12, 2025 8:28 AM - 11:31 AM","oneSentenceSummary","Tax Commissioner Brian Croches told the Senate Appropriations Government Ops Division the department needs funding for GENTAX maintenance, NDIT fee increases, salary equity, servers and continued support for the primary residence (homestead) credit and disabled veteran exemptions amid higher participation and digital filing growth.","taxTitle","Appropriations - Government Operations Division, Senate, Legislative, North Dakota","taxId",28900,"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},6284807,"Vapor industry lobbyist urges removal of HB1003 Section 12, warns of PMTA enforcement risks",337,6281000,6618000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2576692-ffaf00233fd76ddafc4e436ed21d2393&start=6281&end=6618","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2576692-ffaf00233fd76ddafc4e436ed21d2393/thumbnail_6281000.jpg","/articles/6284807/North-Dakota/Vapor-industry-lobbyist-urges-removal-of-HB1003-Section-12-warns-of-PMTA-enforcement-risks","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6284807-fd821ef8df45d409c85d76d94c249570/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141704&Signature=U9FXp-euaxgLMzCFRJjAiyKbPgFFbzDUsiXYJhHuG4t~hHkt9O-wnlfuuStAOg-B1CPBuaaJbFWNBndHyQP8HYA9eDqhejSR5PuG89FTB1A8anUtKgKD9KLFNqz1mWIuOP5H79k9G-DsgUbq3OPlIkMxnzD-8kSfj1SuKCCDshr1STXu26qbGqXHDKtz-XZ7ErnhQghRLpKqTcriBk~Qi9DvLaxruVEEXNI~ZshoEfxc09swo9Tc8ZKA2howNJN8ESBsHFU-5LNOi1oln7rzQgrMmPqF686ZVXAJYeTHiCtIospQtPn5zFJeYZENUHcBcjgLjdqAb0aJvcXnk1j3sw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Patrick Berry, representing the Vapor Technology Association (VTA), told the Senate Appropriations Government Ops Division he opposes Section 12 of House Bill 1003. Berry said the provision would import the federal premarket tobacco application (PMTA) framework into state enforcement in a way that could remove flavored and other non‑PMTA products from the marketplace and disadvantage independent retailers.

Berry said the PMTA process has been the subject of recent appellate rulings and is currently before the U.S. Supreme Court. He cited rulings in the Fifth and Eleventh Circuit courts that criticized how the Food and Drug Administration applied the PMTA standard, and he warned that a state‑level registry requirement tied to PMTA outcomes could require the state to monitor shifting federal court orders and daily regulatory updates. “Accordingly, VTA respectfully asks that you remove section 12, the PMTA registry process, from the provision in House Bill 1,003,” Berry said in testimony.

Berry argued the practical effect of the PMTA‑linked requirement would be to shrink the retail market to a small number of tobacco‑industry‑backed products that had obtained marketing authorization. He also told senators that some research suggests flavor bans or broad restrictions can raise combustible cigarette sales, and he urged lawmakers to work with the AG’s office on alternative enforcement ideas directed at illegal or counterfeit products rather than a state registry tied to the federal PMTA process.

Committee members did not take immediate action on the provision; testimony was entered for consideration in the committee’s review of HB1003.","A representative of the Vapor Technology Association told the committee Section 12 of HB1003 would effectively adopt the federal PMTA framework at state level and could close independent vape retailers; he cited pending litigation over the FDA process.",{"_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},6284812,"Survivor advocates and nonprofits urge increased human‑trafficking grants, describe services and needs",1079,4891000,5970000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2576692-ffaf00233fd76ddafc4e436ed21d2393&start=4891&end=5970","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2576692-ffaf00233fd76ddafc4e436ed21d2393/thumbnail_4891000.jpg","/articles/6284812/North-Dakota/Survivor-advocates-and-nonprofits-urge-increased-humantrafficking-grants-describe-services-and-needs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6284812-ad0e2b7b26145e536958ddfd90fb8357/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141704&Signature=U2BY72MTbv8AxdLtHmbDgBNIR7J906pcAXW52CPeHfJIu3-RJw~9AEmuB~0PeFlegOAKAUghnIFCAw-C15iOqHAWYP~51VGBWmQZFYancwrqQTTY7XaCcXX6q1uxyvLql6DEnnqmweNwOQGGUTwY~HhZZ5Qo8IXcIKwDtu2rcnpFw54syq8pf2Mj-~Q65assfw0~t00oFKFYnifWncNBzOGETWO3hZDK2fMninclVe6P9ygaE9a7U8Kq-C3Ip7Ka9XclplWOIj1SrJdNpob7bJgb4V-XTll5PgNXjPgJMw8VpEheU~lYk7mA2iiM5K~VI~-mOHMhw6r92XuqxZk10Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representatives of two nonprofit victim‑service providers and a survivor gave testimony to the Senate Appropriations Government Operations Division in support of House Bill 1003, which contains funding for human‑trafficking victim services.

Stacy Schafer, executive director of the nonprofit 31 8 Project, described the organization’s demand‑reduction program and survivor mentorship services and said the agency used attorney general grant funding to expand training and support. “The funding we have received through the attorney general's human trafficking grant has a direct impact on the following program areas,” Schafer told the committee.

Piper Berenson, who identified herself as a survivor of human trafficking, described the help she received from 31 8 Project after leaving an abusive trafficking situation and after serving a prison sentence connected to crimes arising from her trafficking. She credited the nonprofit with helping her obtain housing, transportation and work and with pairing her with a mentor: “The 31 8 project found me and changed the course of my life,” Berenson said, and she urged continued funding for survivor services.

Amy Boyd, grant manager for YouthWorks, told senators the agency leverages state funds as the match required for federal Office for Victims of Crime grants: for every $1 of state money, YouthWorks said it typically secures about $3 of federal funding. Boyd presented activity figures showing YouthWorks served 147 suspected or confirmed victims between July 1, 2023 and the present, provided about 3,196 nights of housing and delivered hundreds of hours of clinical and crisis intervention services. She also told the committee the program serves victims statewide, including on all five reservations.

Schafer and Boyd both asked the committee to support increases the House included for human‑trafficking victim grants; the House added $650,000 in human‑trafficking victim grant funding in its package, testimony showed. The witnesses said additional state dollars are required to maintain and expand services, and to qualify for federal matching grants that expand available program dollars.

Committee members thanked the witnesses and had no immediate questions beyond routine clarifications; the testimony was entered into the record for committee consideration in the budget process.","Representatives from two North Dakota nonprofits and a survivor gave testimony supporting House Bill 1003’s human‑trafficking grant funding, describing outreach, mentorship, housing assistance and the need for state match dollars to secure federal grants.",{"_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},6284816,"Attorney general's office outlines budget priorities including equity pay, crime-lab staff and litigation pool",6647,189000,6836000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2576692-ffaf00233fd76ddafc4e436ed21d2393&start=189&end=6836","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2576692-ffaf00233fd76ddafc4e436ed21d2393/thumbnail_189000.jpg","/articles/6284816/North-Dakota/Attorney-generals-office-outlines-budget-priorities-including-equity-pay-crime-lab-staff-and-litigation-pool","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6284816-c3402d01d8dc38c6606c3361786a4721/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141704&Signature=PIOOu0xSiHnpMCJ5CEX1iA3BtSJztkxS0oLM7Gz0G2QPhimi~VE~dKFB4XmCOKzefEn3jIsPMCgJE2RJYkSzZgV7R63LqC7MvzL4XfbOnrC0J-gGsph~LH9iM69FpbH9loF4OmRA4yscFgCtR3LwcheIW8nqzBTMjSaBRdvv7kxQuCcY9CJx3TXtspSwcaZJrSMBf4uhQXKHZATXDYuuPXYAxajW2juwf~yMGkjM0dIw1ekSUJ2puoPD-hp31sBGGNEvporywTuuKMNPYDae83fQbl--kxqXxkOWYx2GyNXiPyrAQRP-gSsFIxzx4fwvRBSrDzY1z85s6CW9mIZvHQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Attorney General’s Office presented a detailed budget request to the Senate Appropriations Government Operations Division, asking lawmakers to fund equity pay increases, fill key forensic and attorney vacancies and cover rising technology and maintenance costs.

Chief Deputy Attorney General Claire Ness opened the presentation and described staffing and program outcomes the office attributes to prior appropriations. “My name is Claire Ness. I’m the Chief Deputy Attorney General,” Ness said, and she highlighted results from FTEs the legislature approved in the last session: expanded Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) coverage on tribal lands, new cybercrime capacity and restored crime‑lab units for latent print and firearms work.

The office listed several optional requests that it said were not included in the House budget package. Major items included an attorney‑equity package ($291,777), additional crime‑lab personnel (an evidence technician and a full‑time quality assurance manager), a proposed attorney for the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, replacement and maintenance funding for e‑prosecutor and jail systems, and upgrades to the victim notification and other IT systems. Ness provided a cost‑benefit example for in‑house attorneys, saying the office’s analysis shows one attorney FTE can save “anywhere from over $2,000,000 per attorney to over $9,000,000 per attorney FTE” compared with contracting outside counsel.

Ness also described the office’s litigation pool and its recent usage. The office said the legislature appropriated a $5,000,000 litigation pool last session and the AG’s office has expended about $4,600,000 to date; it sought—and the House later included—additional contingency authority. Ness told senators the pool has funded defense of several high‑cost federal cases and other litigation brought against state statutes.

BCI director Lonnie Gurbowska (introduced in testimony) and other division chiefs joined the presentation and answered committee questions about hiring and field operations. Committee members pressed the office on long‑open positions in criminal divisions and the forensic lab; Ness and division directors said recruiting remains difficult because starting salaries for many AG positions lag comparable county and municipal prosecutor pay and because some forensic and firearms examiner roles require out‑of‑state recruitment.

Ness and BCI staff described tribal partnerships and field coverage: the office said three BCI tribal field agents were funded in the previous session and have been assigned to the Spirit Lake, Turtle Mountain and Mandan/Three Affiliated tribes. Director Gurbowska said one agent on a reservation is sometimes the only state agent available for active drug investigations and that proactive work often requires pulling agents from other locations to provide operational backup.

On technology and lab maintenance, Ness told the committee the office needs funds to replace vendor‑unsupported systems and to preserve maintenance agreements on high‑value forensic equipment; without those agreements, she said, a broken instrument can take a lab offline and create backlog and trial‑schedule problems. She also said the victim notification system—which the office maintains under state statute and which notifies victims about custody and case status changes—needs replacement because the current vendor arrangement has produced reliability problems.

The presentation included requests for additional investigative and administrative support: a criminal investigator for the State and Local Intelligence Center, administrative support for tribal field agents and cybercrime units, radios to meet state radio standards, discovery and redaction software for litigation, and modest vehicle replacement and licensing support. Ness noted some requests were included by the House but others were not.

The session included several follow‑up requests from committee members for detailed breakout information—how much litigation spending went to outside counsel versus in‑house attorneys, and a line‑by‑line list of expensive cases—which office staff agreed to provide. No formal vote occurred during the hearing; the committee heard testimony and asked for follow‑up documentation.

The Attorney General’s Office also hosted outside witnesses during the hearing (see separate articles) and closed by asking the committee to consider restoring a 3% across‑the‑board cut from the prior executive budget and to support the office’s optional requests that the House did not include.

The committee left the record open for additional questions and follow‑up materials the office agreed to provide.","Chief Deputy Attorney General Claire Ness told the Senate Appropriations Government Ops Division the office seeks funding to continue pay increases, add crime-lab and investigative staff, replace aging IT and evidence systems and preserve a litigation pool the office has largely drawn on to defend state statutes.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Tax commissioner outlines HB1006: IT maintenance, salary equity and property‑tax credits drive budget requests

Vapor industry lobbyist urges removal of HB1003 Section 12, warns of PMTA enforcement risks

Survivor advocates and nonprofits urge increased human‑trafficking grants, describe services and needs

Attorney general's office outlines budget priorities including equity pay, crime-lab staff and litigation pool