[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-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],{"_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",6090971,"mediaKeyId","2865599-ad0d119c1c5f3a1222c2937c0cbdf96d","parentId",2865599,"title","Committee discusses regional planning councils bill with staffing concerns; action deferred","audioSeconds",367,"startMs",2363000,"endMs",2730000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2865599-ad0d119c1c5f3a1222c2937c0cbdf96d&start=2363&end=2730","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2865599-ad0d119c1c5f3a1222c2937c0cbdf96d/thumbnail_2363000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6090971/North-Dakota/Committee-discusses-regional-planning-councils-bill-with-staffing-concerns-action-deferred","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6090971-1970e2ad1d68184350e449747badd496/orig.mp4?Expires=1771210702&Signature=IZPx59CI8BMeChOde~HGTnhsStlJBkNdfMzk-fz6FuwdOP7m8uezuIVaMWqocCb7XtCu2qQgog-3C9OZ7KDGFHYfIcqvc5X308JCiC8c3vlk4BTuDOAGJpXOD-cUYG-IyH4Cap3FG8V6C4jDpGQRm5JlaWRBQgmrYFKTBjN2efnNXKKivZoIqX0uWwFcwCp1zEbAtb0IRLmqISVC49e6xgiHHLINkdhAGuZB8BNBPyIko8hErAoV1WhHP~GnFkvnhYhTZ0A0zFM40XCFecrxHlO1umMeo5xsHOkbPt1tuu~7DAx8jsGnul30s3YfeGokMh4hoN8hVzF2-cjepbWFdg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","North Dakota Legislature","date","2025-04-03T00:00:00Z","article","Committee members discussed legislation that would allocate funds to regional planning councils and allow the use of those funds to employ staff or contract for services to implement biennial work plans. Testimony and a handout supplied estimates that funding could support roughly two full-time equivalent staff per region, calculated at about $25,000 per year per FTE on a handout provided to the committee.

Senator Bernie (identified in the transcript) said the subcommittee has been cautious about approving new FTEs and removing vacant positions; she said she could not support authorizing new state-paid FTEs without further consideration. Committee members agreed to delay substantive action to allow additional time to review testimony and written materials. The chair suggested holding the item over for one more day so members who missed the hearing could read testimony and prepare.

Why it matters: The bill would shift the cost of local/regional staff or contractors to the state and affect the budgets of regional planning councils and local implementation capacity; members asked for more time to weigh budget trade-offs before approving new state-funded positions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Appropriations - Government Operations Division Apr 3, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Members debated a bill that would allow funds to pay regional planning council staff or contractors to implement biennial work plans; members expressed concern about authorizing new FTEs paid by the state and deferred final action to allow more review.","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},6090976,"Appropriators boost Great Plains Food Bank SIF request to $10 million; committee sends bill to conference",949,1336000,2285000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2865599-ad0d119c1c5f3a1222c2937c0cbdf96d&start=1336&end=2285","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2865599-ad0d119c1c5f3a1222c2937c0cbdf96d/thumbnail_1336000.jpg","/articles/6090976/North-Dakota/Appropriators-boost-Great-Plains-Food-Bank-SIF-request-to-10-million-committee-sends-bill-to-conference","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6090976-d71565b559c35f09c6c562b6181d3a52/orig.mp4?Expires=1771210702&Signature=BVYsKegtviTjHDjS7byyrl9oDW1F3I9uQiXiSFzJ0dtLre-dDlGLRMOjwjQt5Wnh7dT3qCNxqOFYMzrblOgpyy8dR0lLQLfonusKPtJInb9lF-m-aVblpxOd3XSoNjb617bDjvtcifP~eI1PX9oj92lBcVSe6uaAxQ8MTabLVktzzyYZ6Aidc~nzzmLmrPou6Ju2MNJmVA5PnqtuLzojx~DqdJH67Nktdk5Y6mBigdUbycSsS755I92a9jxohP-iYPsNbI0A-Op0BxyxeO8RhVWetjFnzJY1~wpRpx61WkIEZzGZWmr0IsUcCURdPHeDqn7eSFTdLl8DxziyCZv6uA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Appropriations — Government Operations Division debated and amended House Bill 1143, a food-distribution appropriation for the Great Plains Food Bank, ultimately approving an amendment to raise the state contribution from $5 million to $10 million and passing the bill as amended by roll call vote.

Senator Burkhart proposed returning the House figure from $5 million back to $10 million. Testimony from Amy Cleary of the GA Group (representing Great Plains Food Bank) described a $30.5 million facility plan and said the organization has roughly one-third of the funding accounted for through a mix of funds, new markets tax-credit allocations and prior grants; the group is seeking state support to leverage private matches. Cleary said the $30.5 million figure includes anticipated new markets tax-credit equity and other fundraising; some of that anticipated funding is not yet cash on hand.

Committee members discussed SIF balances and whether a lower state amount would still get the project to conference; members expressed sympathy for the project but concern about appropriating SIF or general-fund money without further budget certainty. After some procedural movement (motions to propose $10 million, a substitute motion to $7.5 million and withdrawals), the committee adopted an amendment setting the state contribution at $10,000,000 and then voted to report the bill do-pass as amended.

A roll-call tally recorded the final amendment vote at 4–1 in favor of the $10 million amount. The committee named Senator Burkhart as the carrier to carry the appropriation forward; staff and members noted the bill will likely go to conference committee where final numbers may change.

Why it matters: The Great Plains Food Bank serves all North Dakota counties; a larger state contribution would leverage private fundraising and tax-credit equity toward a new, expanded distribution facility intended to serve the state’s food-distribution network for decades.","The committee amended House Bill 1143 to increase Strategic Investment Fund support for a Great Plains Food Bank distribution facility from $5 million to $10 million, debated fundraising and matching plans, and approved the bill as amended by roll call (4–1).",{"_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},6090981,"Panel amends attorney general budget to add cybercrime agents, change fees and cut some one-time spending",607,126000,733000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2865599-ad0d119c1c5f3a1222c2937c0cbdf96d&start=126&end=733","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2865599-ad0d119c1c5f3a1222c2937c0cbdf96d/thumbnail_126000.jpg","/articles/6090981/North-Dakota/Panel-amends-attorney-general-budget-to-add-cybercrime-agents-change-fees-and-cut-some-one-time-spending","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6090981-27cf23a3fa93093c93a5098bcc397151/orig.mp4?Expires=1771210702&Signature=FLN227xx1r655W6RuJ7BaOTkVForamb88ZYs8QHFeTVu5pVWIgLiMNbwZA0fsrSyVvh4XJ0TtIQItkC2H5gkIk~QuzGvfYUXgpjLH1ZX0zNHEuh03kiRUkTWJd1s0U2bOvTVcI9O1g5xccz2pukEMU7bwajazUtXTXIjEapyZAYn3c4CUGyC69GpxcFN8Me26NmXqkez9REu2m838kWdBcxrSbt3VPthqJVgEKqJcJ-qvF2jrHaNK~s9zN0ilFwgRXE2-Yo~5VLeZaSA5heRsnpQL6DU7ARqTdVqxsp9pHgETsSuEhGuDO1RtxEP0ioQl5gtJZguAYsKvE4B7rrsJg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Appropriations — Government Operations Division on the attorney general’s budget amended line items to remove several one-time additions, add targeted staffing for cybercrime and guardianship work, and change funding sources and fees.

Committee members said the amendment package removes three FTEs the House had added (netting to a 1 FTE reduction from the House version after other adjustments), increases the general fund by $692,000 and reduces other funds by $464,000. Staff summary materials presented the net change to the bill’s totals rolled up into section 1 and identified detailed, line-by-line changes in later sections.

Levi, a staff presenter, told the committee the amendment (the 02/2005 draft) removes a House provision that would have diverted $2,000,000 of charitable-gaming operating-fund transfers to the attorney general for litigation and operating expenses. The amendment also removes one-time funding for a retired law-enforcement-dog program and reduces a statewide litigation funding pool from $8,000,000 to $5,000,000, and authorizes an exemption so any remaining balance from the current deficiency appropriation can be carried into the 2025–27 biennium.

The amendment moves a total of $964,000 for medical examinations and children’s forensic interviews from the Insurance Regulatory Trust Fund to the general fund, a change tied to the passage of Senate Bill 2292. It also includes contingent ongoing funding of $685,000 for human-trafficking victim grants dependent on the passage of Senate Bill 2330, and clarifies a guardianship-program contingency keyed to Senate Bill 2029.

The package adds $825,000 to staff and equipment for Bureau of Criminal Investigation agents: two agents focused on cybercrime and one assigned to guardianships. Language in the amendment requires those cybercrime personnel, equipment and resources “must be dedicated for assisting a police department in a city in the northeast of North Dakota with at least 50,000 residents for the prevention and detection of cybercrime.” One-time equipment for the BCI agents is listed at $161,000.

Senator Dwyer moved a further amendment changing the electronic smoking-device manufacturer fee: the amendment keeps the manufacturer application fee at $2,000 (an increase from $500) and adds an annual renewal fee of $500. The motion to adopt that change was seconded and incorporated into the 02/2005 amendment.

After committee discussion, the committee voted to pass the bill as amended. The committee record reflects the committee adopted the amendments and then approved the bill as amended by roll call vote.

Why it matters: The changes reallocate existing funds, reduce several one-time expenditures, and add dedicated personnel for cybercrime and guardianship workloads. Contingent grants and some funding shifts depend on the outcomes of other bills referenced in the amendment.

The committee moved on to other business after approving the amended attorney general appropriation.","The Appropriations — Government Operations Division amended the attorney general’s budget bill to remove some one-time items, add funding for two cybercrime BCI agents and one guardianship agent, shift several funding sources, and add new fees for electronic smoking-device manufacturers. The committee approved the bill as amended by roll call.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee discusses regional planning councils bill with staffing concerns; action deferred

Appropriators boost Great Plains Food Bank SIF request to $10 million; committee sends bill to conference

Panel amends attorney general budget to add cybercrime agents, change fees and cut some one-time spending