A conference committee on House Bill 1012 on Saturday approved a series of budget adjustments that include a partial restoration for the state forensic pathology contract, one-time funding for a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder clinic position, removal of several grant line items and a multi-item compromise package to fund a mix of health and community programs.

The committee voted to restore half of the Senate reduction to the forensic pathology contract with the University of North Dakota — an increase of $433,078 — after members disputed competing cost estimates for the number of autopsies performed under the contract. The motion to restore the partial reduction passed on a 6-0 roll call.

The panel also approved $350,000 in one-time general-fund support for the fetal alcohol spectrum disorder clinic position originally proposed at a higher amount by the House. Committee members debated whether the money should come from the Community Health Trust Fund, but settled on one-time general-fund authority.

Other formal actions included removing a $300,000 line for a Cass County animal shelter and removing a $750,000 statewide health strategies grant appropriation from the Community Health Trust Fund. The statewide grant removal passed 5-1 on a recorded vote; one member voted no. The animal-shelter removal and several other motions passed unanimously.

Late in the session the committee approved a compromise funding package advanced by the committee chair that bundled several House and Senate priorities. The package directs roughly $1.9 million (one-time) from the charitable-gaming operating fund for domestic-violence prevention programming, restores a $1 million House request for the Roughrider rural hospital project as one-time funding, adds $200,000 ongoing for a disabilities coordinator at Winter Park, restores $100,000 to Family Voices (one-time general fund), provides $300,000 ongoing to a crisis services program administered through Frasier, and provides a $942,264 one-time Community Health Trust Fund payment for an Anne Carlson project. The motion to adopt the package passed 6-0.

Committee members also approved technical and policy language changes across multiple sections, including adoption of the Senate version of a housing-related section (section 31 in the Senate draft) in place of the House text. The committee directed staff to return Monday with reconciled text and any required amendments for the final conference report.

Discussion in the meeting ranged from program-level concerns — including provider accreditation rules for developmental disability services and whether accreditations should be required or studied — to large capital-planning matters, such as preliminary discussion of a proposed new state hospital and a proposed $300 million “landing zone” figure for initial construction. Committee members asked staff and agencies for additional information on implementation, funding sources and whether items should be one-time or ongoing commitments.

The committee’s votes were recorded on roll calls during the session. Below are the principal formal actions taken in the committee and the recorded votes.