[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6357690,"mediaKeyId","2213796-9ba4f838df5817ada639876af0019cee","parentId",2213796,"title","Senate Appropriations reviews Veterans Affairs budget request, including one FTE, ARPA carryovers and commissioner pay","audioSeconds",5828,"startMs",850000,"endMs",6678000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2213796-9ba4f838df5817ada639876af0019cee&start=850&end=6678","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2213796-9ba4f838df5817ada639876af0019cee/thumbnail_850000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6357690/North-Dakota/Senate-Appropriations-reviews-Veterans-Affairs-budget-request-including-one-FTE-ARPA-carryovers-and-commissioner-pay","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6357690-ee37b3167523845fa754b773e2689806/orig.mp4?Expires=1771178247&Signature=c3DG4jYNlCOloNdSs-q1md8b2eMcuVIr33L1EFk8cOoJSyCEFZ~xbccGvQcdcMA-Yl0bRQKySwYbncYesqYzGJKep6PzVrEnQEolAdXRUrDEOMjj6Kqjsc4nbnv02xPl1Yqq1t~xbWCXPOL-L5h350G6LtjXmaBf~w3hsg2cJ6ENIKieGb36tx0orc9JUsItRhZVitEuCCUWO3RaaIo3rDUtpZlP7zSwC2OtUHhYc-N3AMbmjOzKdwzq72AaJWjmHU-CJ4ipLzRjNuxMAJmbhtyH7xPnhpqBgImt07d7p1q6oTl1N5MsLYZRLXlDzGN3BpvZqs9AMDhV091GMjt1qA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Senate Appropriations - Human Resources Division, ND","date","2025-01-31T00:00:00Z","article","The Senate Appropriations Human Resources Division on an appropriations-day hearing heard testimony from Lonnie Wong of the Department of Veterans Affairs on the department’s budget request and program needs.

Wong said he was asking the committee to “support Governor Armstrong’s budget” and to consider continuing carryover authority for several ARPA-funded items and “any equity funding that you would like to provide” as well as an additional full-time position. He described the requested position as “one more Veterans Benefits Specialist,” who would help process compensation, medical and pension claims.

The committee focused on three funding questions: which portions of pay and benefits are funded with federal dollars, the department’s requests to carry ARPA-funded projects into the next biennium, and how a recent equity pay action for the agency commissioner was funded and authorized.

Why it matters: committee members said the additional FTE would reduce backlogs and speed claims work coming from new federal rules and outreach programs. Wong and staff described a recent increase in claims and appeals linked to the PACT Act and related outreach: in testimony Wong cited roughly 6,015 claims in the current biennium compared with about 3,841 in an earlier two‑year period, and about 1,303 appeals so far this biennium.

Federal funds and the State Approving Agency: committee members questioned how salary and insurance increases were split between general fund and “other funds.” Legislative staff and agency witnesses said two federal grant lines matter for the agency: the State Approving Agency (SAA) line (federal) and the highly rural transportation grant (federal). Staff gave the SAA line as $323,129 and the transportation program as $1,126,085. Wong described the SAA as a federally funded program that pays staff costs on a reimbursement basis and said his office requests federal reimbursements monthly.

ARPA carryovers and program work: Wong asked the committee to authorize carryover for three ARPA-related items: a veterans transportation pilot used for rides to appointments, a scanning project to digitize DD‑214 service records (the department reported the scanning work is nearly complete), and support for a local Fisher House land and build effort. On the scanning project Wong said the original estimate to write the program and migrate scanned records was “close to $30,000,” but the vendor bid came in near $6,000; he asked to carry remaining technology funds so counties’ remaining records can be digitized.

PTSD service dogs: Wong reported the department carried over roughly $75,000 for PTSD service dogs, has paid out awards for two graduates, and currently has three veterans “in the hopper” of training. He said the nonprofit Judd Service Dogs for America does supplemental fundraising to cover roughly half of a dog’s cost for individual veterans.

Claims, appeals and outcomes: Wong and staff described a heavier workload tied to expanded presumptive conditions under the PACT Act. He said the department wins a large share of appeals when they pursue them — about 84% in his summary — and that retroactive payments rise when appeals are successful because awards are paid back to the claim date.

Commissioner pay and governance questions: committee members pressed Wong and fiscal staff about a recent large equity-based increase in the commissioner’s salary approved by the agency’s governing board (the Administrative Committee on Veterans Affairs, often abbreviated as ACOVA or a similar acronym in testimony). Multiple senators questioned whether the board exceeded legislative authority by approving the pay increase without prior legislative appropriation. Staff explained the board researched compensation comparators for similar agency positions and worked with HRMS and OMB; the board’s action is subject to the “limits of a legislative appropriation” per North Dakota Century Code 37‑08‑18.1 (discussed in testimony). Several senators said they would not support funding a deficiency to cover that pay increase when the deficiency bill is introduced.

Committee direction and disposition: no formal appropriation votes were taken on the Veterans Affairs budget at this hearing. Chair and committee members said they would take the testimony “under advisement” and revisit the department’s request during later budget work; Wong was told he need not attend the next meeting if the committee acts in his absence.

Quotations (from hearing):
\"I'm asking support for Armstrong and for Armstrong, Governor Armstrong's budget and consideration of the carryover and any equity funding that you would like to provide,\" Lonnie Wong said.
\"It's all federal funds?\" Senator Davison asked about portions of salary increases; staff confirmed many costs are reimbursed from federal grant lines.

Ending: The committee recorded program details and asked staff to return budget rollups and clarifications; members flagged the commissioner-pay issue for separate scrutiny when the deficiency bill is prepared. No final appropriation or formal committee action on the Veterans Affairs budget was taken at the hearing.
","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Appropriations - Human Resources Division Jan 31, 2025\t","oneSentenceSummary","The Senate Appropriations Human Resources Division on an appropriations-day hearing heard testimony from Lonnie Wong of the Department of Veterans Affairs on the department’s budget request and program needs.","taxTitle","Appropriations - Human Resources Division, Senate, Legislative, North Dakota","taxId",28901,"location","North Dakota","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6357681,"Committee backs regional behavioral health amendment, reduces $100 million request to $64 million and sets bill aside for later debate",2190,7466000,9656000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2213796-9ba4f838df5817ada639876af0019cee&start=7466&end=9656","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2213796-9ba4f838df5817ada639876af0019cee/thumbnail_7466000.jpg","/articles/6357681/North-Dakota/Committee-backs-regional-behavioral-health-amendment-reduces-100-million-request-to-64-million-and-sets-bill-aside-for-later-debate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6357681-71f22c1d8985879ddf22fb9dbbf1d2cf/orig.mp4?Expires=1771178247&Signature=VFuvfJu96GA6HLo5mP00OVaUztOPAM697ZxMuiTSDf43EVaEpIJrHP28PVAi6OTZo2dz4gxpcBIHFFCmuYqfXyuNDXFC9bZcAE34ZKuHpuThPre0Ma7zmxni~IU4xeeNWH1D3TE8qCBvYWhEkUdaSfO86nhQ9zb-IfJdkT5T4kj--zENt3xUi~IDbQS3yfR4ANMhemx1Kw6E8L4mE8~TtdI80aJm2Ywwkcns8CAWJt5fF6I6wItygm3Z3Z9RS4HcwjrVCYsciUOokNxv82kftIYQxGzfE~5~JpmsfI0N-dwdZfs2jDEgiPCD8HrGpofTl8ZXDO-Bs2jMOgBpHCrYGg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The committee heard and adopted an amendment presented by Senator Mark Mather that reshaped a proposal for behavioral health capacity into a regional approach and reduced an original $100 million placeholder in the sponsor’s draft to $64 million.

Senator Mather described the amendment as an alternative to constructing a single large state hospital project in Jamestown: rather than a single new state facility, the proposal would provide state funds to help build or adapt regional behavioral health capacity in four larger population centers. He said the figure of $64 million was informed by concrete project proposals, including a reported $16 million proposal from a Bismarck hospital.

Committee members debated operational and policy trade-offs. Supporters argued regional beds keep patients closer to home and reduce trauma associated with long-distance transfers; others warned the policy could spread difficult-to-serve patients across multiple communities and that follow-up discussions are needed on how services would be staffed and paid.

Formal action: the committee adopted the amendment (motion by Senator Mather, second by Senator Davison) and then agreed to set Senate Bill 2096 aside for further work and possible later consideration. No final appropriation or do-pass recommendation was made at the hearing; the committee said it would revisit the bill in committee next week.

Quotations (from hearing):
\"This is an alternative that we should consider, and that's having regional healthcare delivered for behavioral health,\" Senator Mather said.

Ending: The amendment passed at committee narrows the sponsor’s funding placeholder to a geographically distributed approach and signals further debate in the coming weeks on costs, staffing and programmatic details.
","Senators adopted an amendment to a bill that would fund regional behavioral health capacity; the amendment reduced the originally proposed $100 million set-aside to $64 million and left further action for later in the session.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6357686,"Senate panel trims Cultural Endowment allocation to $190,000, approves amendment to allow endowment funds for construction or maintenance",1171,6735000,7906000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2213796-9ba4f838df5817ada639876af0019cee&start=6735&end=7906","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2213796-9ba4f838df5817ada639876af0019cee/thumbnail_6735000.jpg","/articles/6357686/North-Dakota/Senate-panel-trims-Cultural-Endowment-allocation-to-190000-approves-amendment-to-allow-endowment-funds-for-construction-or-maintenance","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6357686-bf31a8b5c6917579b132e40061f03b92/orig.mp4?Expires=1771178247&Signature=RrQ6KXsnEzz9ahvnGN2s5ldJG5VOgoAet-x8dGPM68EfNJ~435vOcWMCrNq0lAa2OCHDoEaHp2I5k~3apYZPIb4QMTFx8FQdypartlulXm~JpTSg1TDYs9NFiRdwcbhmgopgFDuYb2tov~0rK6535hRCKn6M5lMwHCPcPCGbwQCH6KzXobIkCqrAoIsTRmxS1z4ACoBlbhynckdiopC95ipfugQ7SJ~cxNVV18If-CYiSF-m3w3D649w4pXTMwqOABfiXPUL9sNM11JbmdEKJ7QAA3fUIr1OCmv2M~f3kAQaW-m8YmmZgZRBZ--c-cjEWfKW~qVVamUQciHQQg6Mlg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Appropriations Human Resources Division on voice and roll-call votes adopted amendments that change how a Cultural Endowment Fund amount may be used and reduced the amount available for Arts Across the Prairie projects.

Senator Mark Mather (mover) presented amendments to amendment 25.0177.01001 that removed earlier wording and reduced a proposed authorization from $380,000 to $190,000. The amended language removes the word \"designated\" and allows the funds to be used \"for maintenance or for construction\" of Arts Across the Prairie projects (page and line references were discussed in committee testimony). Legislative fiscal staff confirmed the Cultural Endowment Fund contains monies designated for maintenance but the amendment permits using up to the authorized amount for construction as well.

Why it matters: members said the change clarifies permitted uses and preserves an endowment funding source while permitting the agency to proceed with projects that have been described as shovel-ready by witnesses. Senator Cleary urged caution about drawing principal from an endowment; supporters said the language makes the reallocation explicit and kept the authorized amount well below the agency’s original request.

Formal action: the committee adopted the amendment as modified (motion by Senator Mather with a second by Senator Cleary) and later approved a motion to give Senate Bill 2010 (the Council on the Arts budget bill) a do-pass recommendation to the full committee as amended.

Vote record (as recorded on the roll call at the hearing): the transcript records several named senators voting as follows during the do-pass call: Senator Clary — Aye; Senator Davidson — Aye; Senator Deaver — Aye; Senator Magrum — No; Senator Matherne — Aye. The clerk announced the motion carried and that the bill would go to the full committee with the approved amendments.

Quotations (from hearing):
\"Use up to $190,000 in the Cultural Endowment Fund for maintenance or construction,\" Senator Davison moved when proposing the change in wording.
\"I do have some concern that down the road we're gonna be asked to fund maintenance,\" Senator Cleary said, urging the committee to watch endowment principal.

Ending: The committee’s action reduced the original proposed authorization and made the permitted uses explicit; the amended bill was recommended to the full committee for further consideration.
","The appropriations subcommittee adopted amendments to a Cultural Endowment Fund provision that would allow up to $190,000 to be used for either maintenance or construction of Arts Across the Prairie projects and forwarded the amended bill to the full committee.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senate Appropriations reviews Veterans Affairs budget request, including one FTE, ARPA carryovers and commissioner pay

Committee backs regional behavioral health amendment, reduces $100 million request to $64 million and sets bill aside for later debate

Senate panel trims Cultural Endowment allocation to $190,000, approves amendment to allow endowment funds for construction or maintenance