Appropriations division approves judiciary, higher-education and agency budget amendments, adds homelessness and IT funding

The Appropriations — Education and Environment Division unanimously approved a set of budget amendments Tuesday that update the judiciary budget, add a new guardianship and conservatorship program, increase homelessness funding inside the housing incentive program and approve higher-education capital projects and grant increases.

Committee members said the amendments align agency long sheets and statements of purpose with earlier committee decisions and correct technical items before the measures move to full committee. Senators on the panel also directed a small set of further technical amendments — including a $5,100,000 addition for core IT security services, a $910,000 transfer for an employee childcare assistance program placed in the system office and wording clarifications to identify homelessness funding — which the committee approved.

The package contains separate changes for the judiciary, higher education system, the Bank of North Dakota, the Department of Mineral Resources, the State Mill and Elevator, the housing finance agency and the Forest Service. The judiciary section includes creation of a new guardianship and conservatorship division, additional full‑time employees and program funding. Higher education amendments list multiple capital projects and one‑time grants and change allocation rules for portions of the Capital Building Fund. The housing and housing‑incentive changes move $10,000,000 into homeless programs and earmark $150,000 for a Native American homeless liaison, and the committee added $25,000,000 from the Strategic Investment Fund for an advanced oil recovery initiative.

Judiciary: new guardianship program, employees and allocations The committee approved changes that create a guardianship and conservatorship program inside the judiciary appropriation. The long sheets and statement of purpose list four new full‑time employees…