Appropriations E&E panel advances Commerce Department budget, 7-0, after amendments

Chairman Nathie, chair of the Appropriations — Education and Environment Division, opened the committee’s consideration of Senate Bill 2018, the Commerce Department budget, saying, “Committee, we’re gonna take up Senate Bill 20 18, the Commerce Department budget. We’ve gone through this several different times.”

The committee advanced the bill as amended and recommended a due pass to the full Appropriations Committee by a 7-0 roll-call vote. Two committee amendments were adopted earlier in the meeting: a drone-replacement data-collection amendment passed 6-0 and an amendment tying funding for two children’s science centers to a trigger in the State Investment Fund (SIF) passed 7-0.

Why it matters: The committee’s changes reallocate tens of millions of dollars across multiple Commerce budget lines and add project-specific allocations that affect communities statewide. The children’s science center language makes funding contingent on SIF balances, and members added small capital grants for local cultural facilities and emergency clauses for time-sensitive programs.

Key budget adjustments approved in committee include reducing the tourism marketing awareness line from $10,000,000 to $5,000,000 and setting the Destination Development Fund at $20,000,000 (members debated an increase to $25,000,000). The committee maintained Operation Intern at $2,000,000 and discussed placing an emergency clause on it. The autonomous agriculture (Grama Farm) grants were set at $10,000,000 (the committee’s compromise between higher house and lower senate figures). The Regional Workforce Impact Program (WIP) was set to $5,000,000, in line with the governor’s recommendation.

Representative Martinson moved to add four community-specific capital allocations: $1,100,000 for the Fargo Theater; $1,000,000 for trolley cars in Madora; $250,000 for the Marmot Theater; and $175,000 for Driscoll’s Memorial Hall. The chairman noted matching requirements may apply on at least some projects and invited members’ support; the committee signaled backing by voice/hand before advancing the bill.

On the drone replacement amendment, Representative Marce moved the amendment (procedural language directing data collection and related reporting for the drone replacement program) and it was seconded by Representative Swiatek. The clerk conducted a roll call; the amendment was adopted 6-0. Later, Vice Chair Swantek described amendment 25.0185.0.0201, which would allocate funds for children’s science education centers in Fargo and Grand Forks only if the SIF exceeds a stated threshold and after other SIF “buckets” are filled. Swantek said past funding for similar centers had come from federal COVID relief and other SIF allocations; under the amendment, amounts would flow only from SIF balances above the identified trigger.

Representative Martinson moved a “due pass” as amended; the motion was seconded by Representative Swantek. Member Representative Lasser said he would support advancing the bill to full Appropriations but signaled concerns about the overall budget’s potential effects on property tax relief and reserved final judgment. Chairman Nathie responded that, in his view, the Commerce budget would not affect property tax relief funding. The clerk then took the roll and the motion to advance the bill as amended passed 7-0.

The committee concluded its work on the Commerce budget and reminded members to monitor conference committee assignments and dashboards for any changes during negotiations.

Ending: With committee approval, Senate Bill 2018 now moves to the next stage of the Appropriations process with the committee’s amendments and the due-pass recommendation recorded in the minutes.