Legislative Council fiscal staff outline new blue/green/purple budget sheets and amendment workflow

Legislative Council fiscal staff told the Senate Appropriations Committee that a fiscal analyst will be assigned to each meeting, described the documents members will receive, and explained how to request amendments.

Alan Knudson, legislative budget analyst and auditor, said the fiscal staff will be present at division and full committee hearings, prepare committee amendments and statements of purpose of amendment, and assist members with research requests. He introduced returning staff and new hires and urged members to contact Legislative Council staff directly when they want an amendment drafted.

Knudson described three budget summary documents members will receive: a blue sheet with base‑budget detail, a green sheet summarizing the Burgum executive budget, and a planned purple sheet that will document Governor Armstrong’s forthcoming recommendations and how those differ from Burgum’s proposal.

Staffers also described the worksheet/long‑sheet used to track changes and the statement of purpose of amendment (SPA) that will accompany appropriation amendments so members and the public can see dollar changes. Alex Kronquist, who described where to find agency appropriation bills and the worksheet online, said the Appropriation Bill contains a base level, adjustments and a final appropriation column and that 1‑time funding will be reported as separate sections.

Members were advised that, as a practice, committee leadership may ask for advance notice of substantial amendments so they can schedule public hearings; Chairman Bechtel and multiple senators emphasized that significant amendments should be advertised to give the public opportunity to comment.

Knudson said budget support materials — budget trends, budget status reports and the fiscal impact report — will be published regularly to give members current data as the session proceeds.