[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-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],{"_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",6313467,"mediaKeyId","2387832-f3007fdfaf0d5a5f807aa0044dc36358","parentId",2387832,"title","Committee advances DHHS budget with new behavioral‑health investments and hospital financing plan","audioSeconds",2521,"startMs",2131760,"endMs",4653470,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2387832-f3007fdfaf0d5a5f807aa0044dc36358&start=2131&end=4653","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2387832-f3007fdfaf0d5a5f807aa0044dc36358/thumbnail_2131760.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6313467/North-Dakota/Committee-advances-DHHS-budget-with-new-behavioralhealth-investments-and-hospital-financing-plan","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6313467-8f4c46699a5dc1c6f5e2e12bd476de79/orig.mp4?Expires=1771148071&Signature=oPqKwDw32wak3L0NHPDEuFZiRqkBm1TWe5RgqloDONaZGLsUWOd2~psXRhRVKBb0YpBilDTcmwopxjPIIRZ~WwRHnG5fINejwPeC-66DigVA98~ucjSga7kB571B3JVtyvidyks~4fy9bOIsB4ZYCxK2BPBSlu0EDDLbtKsaE8KEwEzmFHQajGtJd55sta9bPrK-QeV8IIhK5q4oDnIyOwb6nffvYflWKMgNBcp9Xpr0NeOg5goC5Y9pw-fbJ71vFyT-nV44IJsCg3w~CxUGj98Pa~gGZ1p5tFaF2m~gd1EjxQ0of0PAp9CtdjwbzVCGx9j18uEItlTB85TTWpvZYg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","North Dakota State Legislature","date","2025-02-25T00:00:00Z","article","The House Appropriations Committee voted to adopt amendments and report House Bill 10‑12 (Health and Human Services) out of committee after a lengthy statement of purpose and debate on behavioral health, provider rates and information‑technology modernization.

Representative Jason Nelson, who presented the DHHS package, said the house budget reflects a range of behavioral‑health investments including increases for substance‑use disorder vouchers, inpatient and community treatment, provider inflationary adjustments and a hybrid financing plan for a new state hospital. “This is a very important area of the budget because there’s a lot of growth in the care for people with behavioral‑health needs and addiction needs,” Nelson said.

Major items described in the DHHS package included:
- A $2.5 million increase for SUD (substance‑use disorder) vouchers and $500,000 for related medical services for people admitted to behavioral‑health facilities;
- $22.5 million to respond to House Bill 13‑77 to expand treatment services in county and regional jails;
- Provider inflationary increases across multiple provider categories (three separate increases described; one higher request was reduced by $2.0 million during committee deliberations);
- Continued funding for Community Connect programs ($4,761,000) and related utilization funding ($4,458,881.40) plus a $4,016,908 increase for the Free Through Recovery program for people released from corrections;
- A proposed new North Dakota State Hospital estimated at about $330 million (committee referenced a $200 million SIF appropriation and a $130 million Bank of North Dakota line of credit to finance construction); the facility was described as roughly 61 beds in committee discussion;
- A 24‑bed contract in the northeast region with an 80/20 state/provider cost share and an 80% state share amounting to $12,960,000;
- One‑time IT funding to continue migration from a legacy mainframe (committee referenced approximately $15 million in this biennium to advance the work);
- One‑time appropriations and carryover authority for unfinished facility projects (including an exemption to carry forward $1,950,000 for a Northwest Human Service Center behavioral‑health facility already under construction).

Representative Nelson said the $330 million figure for the new state hospital came from a design study with estimated costs of roughly $332 million; the governor had proposed $300 million, and the committee’s package moved toward the higher estimate and described a financing plan that uses a mix of SIF funds and a Bank of North Dakota line of credit.

Committee members asked for reporting and a steering committee for the new state hospital. Nelson said the committee inserted language requiring progress reports and a legislative steering committee with members from both chambers to receive updates on design and construction.

Several smaller but targeted appropriations were also discussed and amended. The committee moved $750,000 for juvenile justice diversion services to the Department of Health and Human Services rather than to a statewide regional education association; it added $637,661 to start a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder clinic at the University of North Dakota; and it included a $3,457,736 payment to the Anne Carlson Center to cover a retroactive rate shortfall for certain high‑need developmental‑disability services.

Representative Nelson moved the do‑pass on House Bill 10‑12 as amended; the committee approved the motion on recorded roll calls and will send the bill to the House floor.

Ending: Committee members also discussed carryover authority for projects that will not be finished this biennium—Representative Richter’s amendment to exempt $1,950,000 of general funds for completion of a Northwest Human Service Center behavioral‑health facility was adopted to allow the project to continue into the next biennium.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Appropriations Tuesday, Feb 25, 2025 12:27 PM - 1:45 PM","oneSentenceSummary","The House Appropriations Committee approved House Bill 10‑12 as amended, advancing a DHHS budget that adds behavioral‑health vouchers, funds regional contracts, allocates one‑time IT and deferred‑maintenance dollars, and includes a financing plan for a new state hospital.","taxTitle","Appropriations, House of Representatives, Legislative, North Dakota","taxId",28310,"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},6313472,"House committee trims OMB budget, repurposes positions and adds deferred maintenance pool",1869,261820,2131000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2387832-f3007fdfaf0d5a5f807aa0044dc36358&start=261&end=2131","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2387832-f3007fdfaf0d5a5f807aa0044dc36358/thumbnail_261820.jpg","/articles/6313472/North-Dakota/House-committee-trims-OMB-budget-repurposes-positions-and-adds-deferred-maintenance-pool","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6313472-bc71b36393f61f442b139ace27bf578e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771148071&Signature=KXNMLND-Sh9fBZbRSS6fWH9LwCQE-5f9FmSh0xbGEayIFY6cIY5s981Hrl48k-I0l-kN6bPtQXmq0DME0mM-6PsSFwP-g-g1zBvt28AgXTErgZai~y3hvs0Y64yUKaR7bkk4SuQXCojLxi78wy53DvnLV7f4CXYCaP7O82FZF7Zopd8JiG~Rp~05se50x5wKpc0958WCoMnCns3EShhhH62JAYfwawBLR6jNdrkHKRyIbPwR~i8Uy3NasFJ3Ut1ZFGiRGSToRIS8VHxFl4qev2vvaBss9FvXMW03ujOkzk36PFPeg6NWRvOdl8GUK7fnSZVaAyTvY0i3kgjh7QKsXg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Appropriations Committee on the first half voted to adopt an amendment to House Bill 10‑15 and then approved the bill as amended, moving a package of transfers and targeted appropriations for the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

Representative Dan Munson, who presented the OMB package to the committee, said the amendment includes repurposing vacant FTE lines, increases for IT and facility operating costs and a $40 million deferred maintenance pool. “No new FTEs in that section, just repurposing,” Munson said, noting two previously vacant special‑fund FTEs would be converted to a procurement officer and a communications specialist.

The amendment also adds $6.8 million in operating increases largely tied to IT, utilities and operating costs for the new state laboratory building east of the Capitol; $5.8 million in capital asset changes, and roughly $2.35 million for renovations, security and parking work at the governor’s residence. Representative Munson described the security rationale in plain terms: “The walls are very close, and they’re like 10 feet away, so people walking by can look right into … their daughter’s bedroom.”

Why it matters: the bill consolidates several small program changes into OMB’s budget and preserves state flexibility to make transfers from statewide pools. The deferred maintenance funding and equipment investments were highlighted by Munson and other members as addressing overdue building repairs and new operating needs tied to recently completed capital projects.

Key provisions and amounts approved in the OMB amendment include:
- $6,800,000 additional operating for IT, utilities and new state lab operations;
- $5,800,000 capital assets adjustments (Governor’s residence and other projects);
- $2,350,000 for governor’s residence security, parking and entry renovation;
- $3,000,000 capital building improvements and $192,000 for snow equipment and a floor scrubber;
- Removal of an Emergency Commission contingency appropriation duplicated in House Bill 12‑33;
- Creation of a rent, moving and space reconfiguration pool to cover agencies that relocate or incur higher rent during the interim;
- A $40,000,000 statewide deferred maintenance pool to address the most critical state facility repairs.

Representative Brandenburg spoke to a separate amendment that adjusts oil‑distribution and municipal hold‑harmless buckets connected to what he described as Senate changes. He said the House amendment would assume five additional counties and townships and add about $50 million to the “prairie dog” municipal/county distribution to keep cities and counties whole after the Senate action. Brandenburg outlined the calculation and asked the committee to adopt the Senate‑informed numbers.

A motion by Representative Munson to adopt the amendment passed on a roll call. The committee then moved a do‑pass on House Bill 10‑15 as amended; committee leadership indicated Representative Munson will carry the bill to the floor.

The committee recorded disclosures and excusals for members with personal or private interests in portions of the budget. Representative Berg disclosed a competitive contract award to her firm related to deferred maintenance design work and was excused from voting on the amendment.

Ending note: the amendment reduced the general fund request in part through the “new and vacant FTE” underfunding pool; Munson said that pool alone produced nearly $97 million in savings in the presented package. The committee approved the amendment and the bill as amended and moved on to House Bill 10‑12 (Health and Human Services) later in the session.","The House Appropriations Committee approved an amended version of House Bill 10‑15 moving funding and authority within the Office of Management and Budget, repurposing vacant FTEs, adding deferred maintenance dollars and making security and IT investments.","actionData","errors"]

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Committee advances DHHS budget with new behavioral‑health investments and hospital financing plan

House committee trims OMB budget, repurposes positions and adds deferred maintenance pool