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Senate passes corrections budget with pay equity funds, removes diversion center appropriation
Summary
The Senate approved the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation budget; conference committee removed $3.1 million in matching funds for a diversion and deflection center and replaced it with a study; the budget includes $6.5 million for correctional officer pay equity.
The North Dakota Senate approved Senate Bill 2015, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation budget, after the conference committee removed funding for a proposed diversion and deflection center and added a legislative study option.
Senator Cleary, chair of the conference committee, said the package removes $3.1 million previously earmarked for diversion and deflection center matching funds in Fargo (and $100,000 for planning in Bismarck) and replaces that appropriation with a study in section 8 that legislative management may select. Cleary said other changes included an increase in county facility payments for housing state inmates (driven by an agreement with Grand Forks County), a reduction in authorized FTEs, and authorization of $6.5 million for pay equity for correctional officers.
Cleary reminded senators the underlying budget had passed the chamber earlier in the session by a unanimous 46–0 vote. On final passage following conference committee action, the secretary recorded 40 ayes, 6 nays and 1 absent; the bill passed.
