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Committee hears bill on 24/7 sobriety program funding after judges waive participant fees
Summary
Senate Bill 23‑65 would shift responsibility for waived 24/7 program fees; sheriffs and county associations told the panel that waiver practices are creating unpredictable county costs and urged a state-level solution or prohibition on waivers.
Senator Brownberger introduced Senate Bill 23‑65 to the Senate Judiciary Committee, saying the measure responds to county concerns about judges waiving participant fees for the 24/7 sobriety program and shifting costs to local governments.
"What this bill is proposing is that when a judge does waive those fees, the clerk of courts would be the ones that would pick up that difference," Brownberger said, and noted the Attorney General’s Office has recommended moving the funding mechanism into the AG’s statutory authority because clerks do not have discretionary funds to absorb those costs.
Danelle Presque, executive director for the North Dakota Sheriffs and Deputies Association (presenting through the North Dakota Association of Counties), said counties are experiencing budgetary pressure when courts waive fees and suggested alternatives including prohibiting fee waivers or routing waiver costs to a state fund.
Burleigh County Sheriff Kelly…
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