North Dakota House approves judiciary pay raises, housing and corrections funding, and incentives for milk processors and oil exploration

BISMARCK, N.D. — The North Dakota House of Representatives on the floor approved a series of appropriations and policy measures Tuesday, including a judiciary budget that raises judicial salaries, a $30 million housing infrastructure grant program, funding for the 988 crisis hotline, a large corrections budget with one‑time construction spending, a value‑added milk processing incentive, and a temporary oil‑and‑gas production incentive.

The measures were offered by the House Appropriations Committee and other committees and won final passage by recorded votes during the session. Lawmakers spent the most floor time debating Senate Bill 2002, the judicial branch appropriation, and Senate Bill 20‑15, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation budget.

The judiciary budget (Senate Bill 2002) increases base pay for state judges and funds technology and courtroom equipment. Representative Hansen, the bill carrier from the Appropriations Committee, told the chamber the package includes IT staff increases, courtroom audio/video replacement and ‘‘long overdue salary increases’’ intended to move North Dakota Supreme Court justices and district judges toward the national midpoint. Hansen described the package as covering four major categories: IT and operations, audio/visual equipment, salary increases and enhancements to court programs, and said the committee removed a $200,000 request for credit card processing fees and instead gave courts authority to charge a service fee for card payments.

Representative Koppelman pressed for specifics on the size of the pay increases. Hansen said the adjustments represent an 11.1% increase for Supreme Court justices, a 12.1% increase for the chief justice, and a 7.7% increase for the 55 district judges. The bill also funds three new problem‑solving treatment courts (a mental health court in Mandan, a veterans court in Fargo and an Indian child welfare court in Devil’s Lake) and expands the guardian ad litem program. The House passed the final bill on a recorded vote, 73 yea, 19 nay.

Lawmakers also debated a procedural request to excuse Representative Lausser from the SB 2002 vote because of a stated family conflict; the…