Legislative Report: Feb. 8, 2021

This week Senate Appropriations heard several bills and held subcommittee hearings into agency budgets.

MONDAY: Appropriations heard the budget for the Commerce Commission. We heard not only the Commission’s programs, budget, and requests, we also heard from many other connected entities. These entities that rely on grants and programs through Commerce include Economic Development, Housing Finance, Convention and Visitors Bureau, DOT, Hospitality Industry, and Grand Sky UAS development in Grand Forks. This view was an overview and I will be serving on the subcommittee for further work into individual parts of the budget.

SCR 4001 is a resolution requiring legislative hearings on block grants that are passed to the state from Congress. This is something that is required every legislative session and allows agencies to accept and expend federal grants with approval of the legislature if we are in session or the Budget Section when we are not in session.

TUESDAY: SB 2249 was heard. This is a bill is joined in as co-sponsor because it raises the amount that can be deposited in the Disaster Relief Fund from $15 million to $20 million. This fund provides the state’s share of federal match when a disaster is declared by the president. We found out interesting information by hearing testimony from the Disaster Emergency Director. The fund has been used very little because the agency comes in and asks for a deficiency appropriation instead of using the dollars in this fund. We did not act on this bill, but it brought some interesting discussion forward.

We also heard a request from Minot for dollars for the operations of an Intermodal transportation facility. This facility loads and ships the large containers of commodities from North Dakota to the West Coast. No action was taken on this bill either.

WEDNESDAY: SB 2257 was presented by Sen. Bakke from Grand Forks. This would provide additional funds for after school programs. There was compelling testimony on how important these programs are to the stability of students. We heard that families who don’t qualify as low-income families but because of COVID are unable to pay for these services would benefit from this funding. Several programs have a waiting list. We had good testimony on this bill and did not act on it either.

Subcommittee work began and I had worked on the NDSU Extension requests. Our subcommittee asked for more in-depth information on research and extension and received much useful data that will help us make an informed decision on this budget.

THURSDAY: SB 2040 was heard Thursday. I am a co-sponsor for this bill. It provides for $2 billion in bonding authority for the Public Finance Agency to administer. There would be no new programs established. All bonding would be through existing agency structures and would provide low interest loans with up to 25-year terms. $770 million would be for road and bridge projects, $115 million for municipal infrastructure projects, $750 million for school construction projects and renovations, including K-12 and higher education, and $250 to the Housing Incentive Fund. I provided common everyday projects that could be funded through this bill. No action was taken on this bill.

My subcommittees on the budgets for the Highway Patrol and the Department of Transportation met. Again, like the above subcommittee report, we heard a more detailed look into the requests. Questions were answered and our requests for more information were presented.

FRIDAY: We heard SB 2127 which would move the International Business and Trade Office from the Commerce Department to the Agriculture Commissioner’s office for operations. This seems to be a little confusing for all of us at this time given that only about 36% of the business in this office relates to agriculture. No action was taken on this bill at this time.

We also heard the complete budget for the Housing Incentive Fund. We heard a history of the fund, projects completed by this fund, and future needs. No action was taken on this bill.

OTHER ACTION: I serve on the North Dakota Challenge Grant Committee which approves funding to colleges on a 2:1 basis to match money they raise for scholarships. We completed the work for this biennium by approving over $175,000 in remaining funds to those colleges who raised over and above their quota from two colleges who did not meet their quota and left $175,000 available. Those funds were on a prorated basis according to how much extra they raised. I believe this program adds significant dollars to our system’s scholarship programs.

I presented two bills this week to committees. The first bill was SB 2228 which establishes an independent, non-partisan redistricting team that would not have legislators on it. The current plan endorsed by the Majority party is to have all legislators on it with two Democrats and 14 Republicans. We will see what happens with my bill as it moves through committee.

I also introduced SB 2227 which would change the composition of the Emergency Commission. Currently the Emergency Commission is made up of Governor Burgum, Secretary of State Jaeger, the Majority leaders of both chambers and the chairmen of appropriations in both chambers. The make up of that committee is not six Republicans and no Democrats. My proposal would take off the Secretary of State and add two members of the Minority Party. That would also make a seven-member commission rather than a six-member commission. There would be no possibility of a tie vote then. No action was taken on this bill either.

As you can see, we remain very busy. I look forward to hearing from you. You can reach me at [email protected] or by calling (701) 302-0355. Please leave a message or a text as I may be in committee. Have a great week.