Appropriations Committee lays out session schedule, two governors' budgets and new briefing process

The North Dakota House Appropriations Committee on day one reviewed its schedule for the coming week, discussed how it will work with two competing executive budgets and outlined changes to the fiscal briefing materials and amendment process.

Chairman Representative Bigas opened the meeting by welcoming new committee members and asking legislative staff to take attendance. He told members the committee will receive two separate executive budget presentations this session — one from Governor Burgum, whose budget the committee already has, and a second from Governor Armstrong, which the committee expects to receive next week for comparison. "So we'll have two budgets to compare," Chairman Bigas said.

Legislative Council and fiscal staff described the session timeline: the Department of Mineral Resources will give an overview of oil development; Health and Human Services and the Department of Public Instruction are scheduled for separate morning…