Industrial Commission administrative office seeks recurring funding for grant system, transmission work and litigation costs

Karen Tyler, executive director of the North Dakota Industrial Commission, told the House Appropriations Government Operations section that the commission’s administrative office is asking the Legislature to approve ongoing and one‑time dollars in the budget bill now before the session, Senate Bill 2014.

Tyler said the administration seeks $275,000 in ongoing funding to support a custom grant management system the office developed with contractor support; the system is in production and has a completion target of October 2025. She told the committee the development was originally funded with a one‑time special‑funds allocation of $1,250,000 last session and that the vendor estimates ongoing annual support at roughly $130,000.

The request also includes more resources for the North Dakota Transmission Authority, which the Industrial Commission administers. Tyler said the transmission authority moved into the Administrative Office in early 2023 and that the Senate approved $400,000 of an increase the agency had sought to $600,000 to cover higher workload and planned grid‑resiliency…