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Committee flags decision points for safe-haven, maternal-child and domestic-violence funding
Summary
Members reviewed a clustered decision package that rolled several public-health initiatives together, including safe-haven funding, maternal-child health and domestic-violence programs, and asked staff for a written breakout of the contract and grant amounts before taking action.
Senators on the Human Resources Division said they need clearer line-item detail before deciding how to allocate dollars among maternal-child health, domestic-violence services and a safe-haven program rolled into a larger decision package.
Senator Davison and other members reviewed a long-sheet staff document and identified a decision point: the maternal-child health program, which the chair's notes showed as $2 million in the governor's budget, but not funded by the House. At the same time, committee materials suggested the House redirected some funds into domestic-violence and sexual-assault prevention. A committee member summarized the pattern: on paper it "looks like" the House took maternal-child funding and prioritized domestic-violence work instead.
On safe havens, committee staff said the base was $2.25 million, with the governor adding $500,000 and the House adding about $440,000; staff explained those amounts are rolled into a larger decision package rather than listed as separate line items. Stephanie, a committee staff member, told the panel the $2.25 million figure includes multiple items: "inclusive of that is the 500,000 for safe havens. There's 500,000 for [domestic] violence prevention. There's a million for 24 hour crisis intervention." The group asked staff to provide a written, itemized breakout so members could see the exact totals for each program.
Members also noted a change to fetal alcohol spectrum disorder funding: committee materials showed a restoration of a 3% cut and an increase to roughly $350,000 in one step and to $661,000 in another instance after an amendment from a House member. Stephanie said the increase to $661,000 reflected an amendment (sponsored in the House) that added FTE support to the University of North Dakota's program.
Ending: Committee staff agreed to email or include in testimony an itemized breakout of the decision package showing how much is allocated to maternal-child health, safe havens, domestic-violence prevention, crisis intervention and the fetal alcohol spectrum disorder line, so senators can decide whether to restore or reallocate funds when they consider amendments.
