Committee discusses Historical Society budget, military gallery expansion and grants in House Bill 1018

The Appropriations - Education and Environment Division reviewed House Bill 1018 allocations for the State Historical Society and State Archives, focusing on staffing authority, federal-compliance work, exhibit projects and a planned military gallery expansion.

The nut graf: Committee members considered several one-time and ongoing funding items within HB1018 including NAGPRA compliance staffing, digital-services funding that does not automatically add FTE authority, the proposed military gallery expansion, and a reallocation of part of a $6.4 million Medora area planning line to local restoration and transportation grants.

Representative Hansen led the discussion of the Historical Society's long sheet. On staffing for Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act work, Hansen explained the original request for three FTEs was revised to one FTE and two temporary positions and noted a cost correction: "the $402,000 was considering the amount of money needed to fund an FTE. And since it's actually a temp position, we don't need quite as much money... so that is why there's a difference in the dollar amount." The committee recorded the adjusted cost as approximately $390,000 for the temporary positions.

Committee members clarified the $370,000 line labeled "enhancement of digital services" does not, as previously described, fund a public website; instead the money is intended for workload support in archives and archaeology work. Hansen said, "what this line does is it's giving the money but it's not giving the FTE authority," and the committee asked staff whether to convert the funding into FTE authority or temporary positions.

On seasonal and temporary staffing, staff said the cost-to-continue line covers seasonal employees (noted as roughly 90 to 120 temporary employees paid hourly). The committee also discussed a temporary historic-preservation specialist requested to address an archival backlog and to maintain public access and compliance for materials.

The largest item discussed was the military gallery expansion project. Hansen said the total request includes a $78.7 million figure, described as three funding buckets: half of the large capital cost expected from the state and half from private donations, $700,000 in expected donations to update the inspiration gallery, and other components. The chair and members discussed possible funding sources: bonding, SIF (as currently reflected in the budget), or using legacy fund earnings, but Hansen cautioned that moving legacy earnings would require a statutory change and an expiration date if used for a one-time project.

The committee debated reducing a $6.4 million Madore/Madora area planning allocation to free funds for local projects. Representative Martinson proposed shifting parts of that line to cover a $1.1 million Fargo Theater restoration, a $250,000 theater improvement grant, and $1,000,000 for Medora Foundation transportation. The group agreed to reduce the Madore/Madora planning line and reallocate those amounts; staff were to calculate the exact adjusted line and reflect the change on the long sheet.

Several other one-time grants and repairs were discussed, including historic theater and museum repairs, NHPRC federal grant additions, and an allocation for statewide semiquincentennial activities. Committee members did not take a final vote; they asked staff to refine the long sheet and to return with updated figures and a statement of purpose.

Ending: Members said they were roughly 98% done with HB1018 but left the military gallery funding source and several one-time allocations for further discussion and coordination with leadership and the Senate.