[{"_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",6259905,"mediaKeyId","3136770-7c1a49b1fb82931e04a7713fe5005180","parentId",3136770,"title","Conferees consider boosting Cass County courtroom grant, prefer routing funds through courthouse improvement fund","audioSeconds",634,"startMs",984000,"endMs",1618000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3136770-7c1a49b1fb82931e04a7713fe5005180&start=984&end=1618","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3136770-7c1a49b1fb82931e04a7713fe5005180/thumbnail_984000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6259905/North-Dakota/Conferees-consider-boosting-Cass-County-courtroom-grant-prefer-routing-funds-through-courthouse-improvement-fund","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6259905-8153d46994308c3a28dbf48ed4050ee0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770439112&Signature=CvlBRrdlegBEa5ALuChJADXwTqH6h3xfqQzvIVqQrXQypbUCnQzgy0m4xA5yAd5eaG6FiP5NNQ0A0y4bOBdUHBXlVuxilBHQfTbdhYCQoW~VtJVtX5Fy8z2z1U8CXSPVdGqtRvcv8w9Rv-kZ0koXOmqDCLuygPNvzJ-ihqhA8wCdRNlZO1OlfoFPnLGbBSuJK44DuBYYO4K~DiVh00dhkaqjh7r8l47~YNlGbsWtml4Q6qbzkKQu~9Q~6lgy3HH1U-ajD7Kn1DlWwF0QAZQVpJiq105FBFWQPDGRAKLgRV07iOAoCM2SadtyzrXnI6xImnpihqYxHI8ZWDUEQqPIzg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","North Dakota State Legislature","date","2025-04-26T00:00:00Z","article","Representative Hansen told the conference committee on Senate Bill 2002 that Cass County is building a new courtroom to house judges added two years ago and requested an increase in the state grant from $100,000 (the Senate amount) to $400,000 with a match requirement; the county’s total project cost is about $1.2 million.

Chairman Thomas said the committee should consider appropriating additional dollars into the Courthouse Improvement Fund (CIF) rather than earmarking a larger direct grant to Cass County, because the CIF is a competitive program that serves all district courts and would avoid setting a precedent of one-off grants. Alex, a staff member, clarified the mechanics: if funds come from the general fund, the legislature would appropriate and transfer to the Courthouse Improvement Fund; if funds already sit in CIF, it could be a transfer.

Hansen described the Cass County request and asked the committee to consider a $400,000 state contribution with a 2-to-1 local match; Thomas said he would be “much rather” to appropriate to the CIF and noted a prior conversation had considered a $1.5 million infusion to that fund. Members expressed agreement to discuss that option at the next meeting and asked staff to draft amendment language once a final dollar amount and source are decided.

No formal vote was taken; conferees said they would reconvene and review draft language that could either increase the specific Cass County grant or appropriate a sum to the Courthouse Improvement Fund for competitive allocation.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","SB 2002 Conference Committee Saturday, Apr 26, 2025 9:27 AM - 9:55 AM","oneSentenceSummary","Cass County requested the state increase its grant for a courtroom build from $100,000 to $400,000 (with a local match) to help fund a $1.2 million courtroom project; committee members said they would prefer placing funds into the competitive Courthouse Improvement Fund rather than earmarking the money to a single county.","taxTitle","Senate, Legislative, North Dakota","taxId",28311,"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},6259910,"House conferees accept Senate cuts to secure juvenile positions, treatment courts and guardian ad litem funding",434,521000,955000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3136770-7c1a49b1fb82931e04a7713fe5005180&start=521&end=955","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3136770-7c1a49b1fb82931e04a7713fe5005180/thumbnail_521000.jpg","/articles/6259910/North-Dakota/House-conferees-accept-Senate-cuts-to-secure-juvenile-positions-treatment-courts-and-guardian-ad-litem-funding","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6259910-8a4e571fba1877505b04e6e4a46d0ff6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770439112&Signature=nat2YRS83~94Cp0GuTwsQou4XWJHy8mFvxkhJ~V3TUeWshoNGOkm9NwXmpxMH8MGwhsdw4MXcUUHzdREidKmR5Kv2jn~vKKXQf-IUttuloLb-MyUB1cquwEhz1PaLOxIl1ykbla-BUQDjajAiP9Z8WuKV~doKXsDW2b~iYzAGlKVXCXFNJqQFevsOqETLu1L7Grobbkl-2idFUd3Um1Ne8eqC1UDcmE0ad3vWz-N8KnR7CoNQ4sUVx1aN-xEWbbwUQIEEES06NHtry7Pj~BxP~6DglZdILc4uQZ5AxW1d1ZNj0MjDxN2avA6m0TRrJ8jPfkStuhMCJSaAsjaviO9IA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Hansen told the conference committee on Senate Bill 2002 that House conferees were willing to accept three reductions proposed by the Senate in order to keep several House priorities for the courts.

Hansen said the House would accept a 2% increase to the compensation grid instead of 3% (a reduction she estimated at $679,000), eliminate the family mediation program (about $138,000), and split the Senate proposal on courtroom audio/video equipment (a reduction of roughly $386,700). Hansen summarized the total decrease as roughly $1.2–1.3 million and said the adjusted audio/video funding would allow replacement of the oldest equipment and a small emergency fund.

In exchange, Hansen said the House wants to retain 1.5 administrative positions for the new juvenile court (to relieve workload on juvenile attorneys), keep two of the three proposed treatment courts with operating funding, fully fund interpreter services, and fully fund the Guardian ad Litem program that would move four contracted YouthWorks positions to full-time to expand services. Hansen described treatment courts as: “a mental health court in Bismarck, an ICWA court in Devil's Lake… and a veterans treatment court in Fargo.” She added, “ICWA is, federal law called the Indian Child Welfare Act.”

Senator Meyer asked whether the three treatment courts were equivalent; Hansen said the mental health court in Bismarck was her top priority and that the problem-solving courts deliver a strong return on investment because judges volunteer time and the courts can reduce incarceration time for participants.

The committee did not record a formal vote on these tradeoffs; members said they had reached tentative agreement on several items and planned further meetings to finalize the package and draft the necessary amendment language.","House conferees said they would accept three Senate budget changes — a 2% compensation-grid increase instead of 3%, elimination of family mediation, and a smaller courtroom equipment appropriation — in exchange for retaining 1.5 juvenile court positions, two treatment courts and full funding for interpreters and the guardian ad litem program.",{"_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},6259913,"Conference committee directs draft of appropriation to fund guardianship office FTE transfer",248,265000,513000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3136770-7c1a49b1fb82931e04a7713fe5005180&start=265&end=513","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3136770-7c1a49b1fb82931e04a7713fe5005180/thumbnail_265000.jpg","/articles/6259913/North-Dakota/Conference-committee-directs-draft-of-appropriation-to-fund-guardianship-office-FTE-transfer","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6259913-19f7135811b2665ada8b3c482598677d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770439112&Signature=Sh7~fRD3lrqafZbf7QgxIqA08F3jawrtDkCC~ZSlTekkOZ9jrfkN9ca72B-rCYj5NVRjM4697io3s2ItMcXB5KkyggllhPYbqQWy-WCcEaygXuoWzh9tS2UEDK7PkK7sKkSu66OJK~VDGxvEthQSul0rxFBjrWncB6iRHycAbvgVEyivNxWQ3eT4DVySbFItlZ-R72nAL4eTy5b84rY33jfA1fWeVcNlmTBUCWwL~UGocxSW65IHsnleHWPUqTt7O3M~MlEJdu3hdwlCQ5OePtLjbzZ47zkGjApxjSWbtLmFP2hvBWkVOk1b2E-i9hePgxdLEqQJuTTBeSUM~e1tUg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Chairman Thomas told the conference committee on Senate Bill 2002 on Saturday that staff should prepare an amendment to make clear funding follows an FTE being transferred from the judicial branch to the newly created Office of Guardianship and Conservatorship.

The change matters because the bill transfers two full-time equivalent positions (FTEs) that now sit in the judicial branch: one attorney position to transfer immediately and a second FTE and related funding to transfer by April 1, 2026. Alex, a staff member, told the committee the bill as drafted moved one of the positions but did not clearly identify the funding to accompany that transfer; his office recommends adding an appropriation of roughly $355,000 to cover the salary and about half of the current operating costs associated with the guardianship monitoring program.

Alex explained the current state: “So right now in the judicial branch budget, there are 2 FTE positions relating to guardianship, and they're currently employed at by the judicial branch.” He added that one position was intended to move immediately and the other by April 1, 2026, but the bill’s language did not unambiguously place the dollars with the newly created office. The staff recommendation, presented to the committee, was to include a separate appropriation section in SB2002 that would place the funding in the Office of Guardianship and Conservatorship immediately; staff estimated the appropriation at about $355,000.

Representative Hansen confirmed the second FTE transferring in July 2026 is already accommodated in Senate Bill 2029 and described the current discussion as completing a small “puzzle” of transfers begun in other legislation. Chairman Thomas then directed Alex to draft the amendment to add the appropriation language to SB2002 so the committee could consider it in a subsequent meeting.

The committee did not take a formal vote; members instructed staff to draft the language and scheduled further conferral to finalize the bill.

The committee closed its Saturday hearing and said it would reconvene on Monday to continue work on SB2002.","Conferees asked staff to draft an amendment to Sen. Bill 2002 to appropriate funding for one full-time attorney position moved from the judicial branch to the newly created Office of Guardianship and Conservatorship; a second position is set to transfer by April 1, 2026.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Conferees consider boosting Cass County courtroom grant, prefer routing funds through courthouse improvement fund

House conferees accept Senate cuts to secure juvenile positions, treatment courts and guardian ad litem funding

Conference committee directs draft of appropriation to fund guardianship office FTE transfer