Appropriations E&E reviews governor’s office budget, trims children’s cabinet consultant funding

The Appropriations - Education and Environment Division on Feb. 6, 2025 in Bismarck reviewed the governor’s executive budget, focusing on proposed staffing adjustments, IT and internship funding, and requested reductions to the Children’s Cabinet consultant allotment.

Vice Chair Swantek walked members through a worksheet dated Feb. 6, 2025 comparing the House and executive budget versions and answered questions about items ranging from IT enhancements to travel and consultant funding for the Children’s Cabinet. He noted several timing and funding adjustments the committee is considering.

Committee members said the discussion matters because the governor’s budget contains cross-cutting compensation changes and new operating items that affect multiple agencies. Members pressed staff for details on offsets and on the timing for items that appear in the worksheet.

The presentation highlighted a handful of specific lines: IT ongoing costs and a proposed IT enhancement that would fund artificial-intelligence programming to support about 19 governor’s…