[{"_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",6325074,"mediaKeyId","2334900-47200b1fe4614980a6baaa55f6adf507","parentId",2334900,"title","Committee advances amended ambulance funding formula, raises per‑run cap and phases in protections for smallest services","audioSeconds",740,"startMs",4416000,"endMs",5156000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2334900-47200b1fe4614980a6baaa55f6adf507&start=4416&end=5156","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2334900-47200b1fe4614980a6baaa55f6adf507/thumbnail_4416000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6325074/North-Dakota/Committee-advances-amended-ambulance-funding-formula-raises-perrun-cap-and-phases-in-protections-for-smallest-services","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6325074-b4a32e9e9b34104a3d39d1bb72ee93a6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771214961&Signature=Jc27ao5WOVz950Fo29PbTPQHXGkA4LAWsf04Ko9YMBFCKulJs-QBNckQW9~w5-sUCYQTF-cT1wOi~CN2ZDp6~yjMAmfIhS3zZIfdpdX5ed-gJC0oae4topwFuD3QNqG9wxZTXhzZYfG2M4lSa3cHAgpjqvMAtVRra3Rdk73pYCRuEJdwvdwy8qRuy0LkNjljBkq7-XjXrJtxW5-OO1GAJUprYU~1N2VpjIfVkIMDc0ag-2SazI~opdHwmvGGOLXAkZk9SgZpDPiMCKxl9vHib~5I63lU8BzPlv2vUKgGyq7ez2aoOEg-sbAF-rBDSQUHgA~Fo2E5NXbwYQpxvTkqLA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","North Dakota State Legislature","date","2025-02-18T00:00:00Z","article","The House Human Services Committee approved amendments to House Bill 1597 that adjust the state’s emergency medical services grant formula, change the run‑threshold used to classify small and large operators, set a maximum per‑run reimbursement, and add a transition floor to protect very small providers in the first distribution year.

Sponsor Representative Figley said the amendments strike a balance by holding most services \"harmless\" while moving the formula toward an updated reimbursement approach. Bill Kolonik of the North Dakota EMS Association told the committee the 800‑run threshold is not a scientifically derived cutoff but \"an easily identifiable line where the smaller services generally were below that line and the larger services were significantly above that line.\" Kolonik said the number has been used in prior sessions to avoid large redistributions that would unexpectedly change grant recipients.

Key elements approved in committee include: changing the operational threshold to 800 runs per year (correcting a drafting error in earlier text that referenced 700); setting the maximum reimbursement per run at $2,023 for grant calculations; and a transitional provision that requires the minimum total grant calculation for each operation, after deductions, to be at least 50% of its prior amount for grants distributed through June 2026. The transitional floor was described as a temporary measure to avoid sudden funding drops for extremely small services that currently receive comparatively large grants due to the prior formula.

Committee members discussed local impacts and whether the new threshold or caps would cause losses in particular districts. Representative Rohrer asked whether sponsoring lawmakers had consulted directly with ambulance services likely to be affected; representatives said they had reviewed maps and run volumes and intended the changes to be equitable statewide. Representative Dobrevitch moved the bill out of committee with a recommendation to pass as amended. The committee approved the amendments and later approved a do‑pass recommendation; the roll call recorded 11 yes and 2 no on final passage in committee.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Human Services Tuesday, Feb 18, 2025 8:55 AM - 10:55 AM","oneSentenceSummary","The House Human Services Committee approved amendments to the EMS grant formula in House Bill 1597: the run‑threshold was adjusted to 800, the maximum reimbursement per run was set at $2,023, and the smallest providers will be phased in with a minimum initial grant value to soften the transition. The panel voted to recommend the bill.","taxTitle","Human Services, House of Representatives, Legislative, North Dakota","taxId",28893,"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},6325079,"Committee backs hospital price-transparency changes, places enforcement with insurance commissioner",266,1590000,1856000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2334900-47200b1fe4614980a6baaa55f6adf507&start=1590&end=1856","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2334900-47200b1fe4614980a6baaa55f6adf507/thumbnail_1590000.jpg","/articles/6325079/North-Dakota/Committee-backs-hospital-price-transparency-changes-places-enforcement-with-insurance-commissioner","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6325079-da7f84a221cf1ddf566d97e6c605a11b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771214961&Signature=X2RHlFI1woM2A5s6QB8DteP6j2yvJKZU2NmhpSzGAYUhoT1muAYlcjzeRaZVUdJfkKEvhDCBSLnp6sJg9UewvNj0jkFUh2Z61SnCxJIk9annJA-7KLUA7VufZIwaYQaz4jaNNg4ZX1wDAzcSoU3ILiuJI~xJ~FylbU-6rsl5Q9QpBJfZN29ZTw05tn5~nMA0RJZr9pmHO-lvkARfwp2~wI0-A6eUHddMNGQ5aTQQljt~aCT~NtPPn5om3o4tiHf~6tGOu3dmJWpYj~8-akl8z1nURFYGRxeLFCZkZtppZzpN~0obIm97bwDbGj5Po4xuPwKGu~RTqJASQx4-nAUzUA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Human Services Committee approved amendments to House Bill 1594 that align state requirements with federal hospital price‑transparency rules and assign enforcement authority primarily to the state insurance commissioner.

Representative Hendricks and others questioned details of amended language that imposes civil penalties for violations by certain health-care facilities. Chris Jones, senior fellow at the Cicero Institute, told the committee the bill’s drafters intentionally set civil penalties lower than some federal sanctions and removed HHS licensure revocation from the text. \"The critical access penalties at the federal level are more stringent,\" Jones said, adding the state approach is intended as a commerce/consumer‑protection option rather than a licensing enforcement mechanism. He said the penalty language lets the insurance commissioner apply penalties but does not require that office to do so.

Under the amendment discussed in committee, hospitals must make pricing information available in the formats required by federal regulations — including machine‑readable files — and should provide consumer‑facing displays for “shoppable services.” Representative Freilich asked whether the disclosure requirement refers to a website link or paper format; the sponsor replied it follows the federal format and acknowledged federal rules are not always consumer friendly.

Committee members also asked about the draft penalty language. Representative Hendricks noted the bill ties penalties for violations to facility size; testimony described a structure that differentiates facilities with more than 25 beds from smaller providers. Jones explained the bill removes HHS licensure revocation language and leaves penalty application with the insurance commissioner, with the goal of calibrating enforcement to spur market competition without being unduly punitive.

Representative Holly moved the amendments and Representative Balinski seconded. The committee approved the amendments by voice vote and later approved a do‑pass recommendation on House Bill 1594 as amended. The roll call vote on the final motion recorded 13 yes, 0 no.","Lawmakers amended House Bill 1594 to require hospital price information to be made public in line with federal rules, limit HHS licensing penalties, and give the insurance commissioner authority to apply civil penalties; the committee voted to pass the bill as amended.",{"_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},6325084,"Committee approves amendment letting human-service zones seek temporary custody for children with severe behavioral diagnoses",1378,201000,1579000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2334900-47200b1fe4614980a6baaa55f6adf507&start=201&end=1579","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2334900-47200b1fe4614980a6baaa55f6adf507/thumbnail_201000.jpg","/articles/6325084/North-Dakota/Committee-approves-amendment-letting-human-service-zones-seek-temporary-custody-for-children-with-severe-behavioral-diagnoses","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6325084-8d09436a1dacf35a71e9acb2df9c32ff/orig.mp4?Expires=1771214961&Signature=WHHTeFTw8unFdRFLS05YB1KsuwbnA8Qt2T2Supn4~0Vig0P98rrx14XGYbnudQFaEdl1gBvySMXiRbbS7IqxwRQ4PzPOiR-luQ6mUcGseuovM7BUY7usDLFJZ9SGyNECT7gkxkui6YOdenXhIJ-DlApcZ8oc6kOo5iuTHqER2vJTbMWX-8Dc5CbSpFsanUVI6fOrqXRvnubfJPGWs6uF8-3q0-xT2oSnEq7dPHN1e0Imco1BgAm4yzhzXe-TZFlCyoJdsYaeeNL~oK4WIbVtfl9vHTCx-gKmAaA6o8zONOBzmfH~tI~g~vsavK4AUn93idoKI9F-FZ8cx3wGxsbv7A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Human Services Committee adopted an amendment to House Bill 1556 on a voice vote and later voted to give the bill a \"do pass\" recommendation after considering testimony from the Department of Health and Human Services and the bill sponsor.

The change expands the statutory definition of a “child in need of protection” to include any child who (1) has a licensed diagnosis of a severe mental-health or behavioral disorder from a licensed child psychologist or psychiatrist; (2) has committed an act of violent or similarly dangerous behavior that, if committed by an adult, would be a crime under state law; and (3) whose parent is unable to provide proper care and has a reasonable fear for the safety of other household members. The amendment applies these practices to cases described by Representative Greg Steeman and ties the procedure to the court process already established under chapter 27-20.3.

Jonathan Alm, attorney with the Department of Health and Human Services, told the committee the amendment \"removes the label that a family did not provide proper parental care or control\" when the family seeks assistance under the newly defined circumstances, while preserving the court's ability to find abuse or neglect when facts support that finding. Alm said the amendment \"still allows for the preservation of the family unit, for the human-service owner to take custody of the child based on a court order, to offer and to provide treatment and the option to still terminate parental rights if required or necessary.\" Representative Greg Steeman, who introduced the amendments, said he was \"very grateful\" HHS and other stakeholders worked with him to find common ground after earlier opposition testimony.

Under the amendment, a court may order the disposition best suited to protect the child or family, including temporary transfer of custody to a human-service zone so the child can receive treatment funded by available state and federal resources. Committee members clarified that the criteria in the amended definition are joined by \"and,\" meaning all listed elements must be present before the provision applies. Alm told lawmakers the process still proceeds through the juvenile court, which will weigh the evidence before ordering custody or other measures. He also noted that existing provisions in chapter 27-20.3 allow a parent to consent to termination of parental rights and that termination remains a possible outcome later in the process if statutory thresholds are reached (for example, petitions after extended foster placements).

Committee members asked whether the change applies only to adopted children; Alm said the amendment deliberately broadens the coverage to any child, not only adopted children. Multiple legislators pressed staff on how evidence of violent acts would be documented; Alm said courts will evaluate the factual record presented, and human-service zones typically assemble the facts for the court. Representatives also discussed alternatives — including step‑parent adoption routes or voluntary treatment programs referenced in statute — and were told by HHS that those remain options and that the amendment does not force immediate termination of parental rights.

The committee first approved the amendments after Representative Rohrer moved them and Representative Dobrevitch seconded. The committee later voted 13–0 on a motion to recommend a \"do pass\" on House Bill 1556 as amended. Representative Rohrer agreed to carry the bill to the floor provided HHS submits the committee testimony record.

What happens next: the committee-recorded amendment and the department testimony will be filed; Representative Rohrer is listed as the bill carrier for floor action.","The House Human Services Committee adopted amendments to House Bill 1556 expanding the definition of a \"child in need of protection,\" allowing human-service zones to take temporary custody so children can receive treatment without automatically labeling parents as abusive or neglectful; the panel voted to pass the bill as amended.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee advances amended ambulance funding formula, raises per‑run cap and phases in protections for smallest services

Committee backs hospital price-transparency changes, places enforcement with insurance commissioner

Committee approves amendment letting human-service zones seek temporary custody for children with severe behavioral diagnoses