The Appropriations - Education and Environment Division on Feb. 6, 2025 in Bismarck reviewed the governor’s executive budget, focusing on proposed staffing adjustments, IT and internship funding, and requested reductions to the Children’s Cabinet consultant allotment.

Vice Chair Swantek walked members through a worksheet dated Feb. 6, 2025 comparing the House and executive budget versions and answered questions about items ranging from IT enhancements to travel and consultant funding for the Children’s Cabinet. He noted several timing and funding adjustments the committee is considering.

Committee members said the discussion matters because the governor’s budget contains cross-cutting compensation changes and new operating items that affect multiple agencies. Members pressed staff for details on offsets and on the timing for items that appear in the worksheet.

The presentation highlighted a handful of specific lines: IT ongoing costs and a proposed IT enhancement that would fund artificial-intelligence programming to support about 19 governor’s office staff; a $20,000 internship line tied to the Office of Management and Budget program; and $176,000 described on the worksheet as an offset to salary adjustments for certain governor-appointed staff who took pay reductions to join state service. Vice Chair Swantek said the executive proposal reduced roughly $1,038,000 in salary across cabinet-level budgets while adding the $176,000 offset in the governor’s central budget.

The Children’s Cabinet, currently within the Department of Human Services, is the subject of a Senate bill that would move it into the governor’s cabinet and budget. The worksheet shows a $200,000 placeholder for that line, but committee staff reported that the governor’s office has indicated it does not need the full amount. Instead, the governor’s office recommended $35,000 for meeting-related mileage and expenses. Committee staff also noted a $30,000 rent line for leased state office space in eastern North Dakota tied to an Eastern North Dakota field coordinator position.

Members discussed the Eastern North Dakota field coordinator and clarified that the position is not a new full-time equivalent (FTE). Representative Lauser asked whether it was a new FTE; committee staff responded it is an existing position that had not been filled and that some dollars were used to offset other personnel needs, not to create an additional FTE.

The worksheet shows consultant services for the Children’s Cabinet reduced from $65,000 to $30,000. Vice Chair Swantek described that change as a judgment call made after conversations with the governor’s staff; he also cautioned the committee that the Senate could still alter or delete the line when its bill arrives. Other governor’s office requests on the worksheet included $15,000 for staff professional development and $35,000 for travel that was previously sometimes picked up by the outgoing governor.

Committee members asked about start dates for two lines listed on the worksheet at $2.72 and $2.30 (as shown on the packet). The committee discussed delaying those start dates by six months — effectively shifting an initial July 1, 2025 start to Jan. 1, 2026 — to reflect hiring and implementation timing.

Chairman Nathie said the committee could not adopt final motions on the governor’s worksheet until staff produced a marked-up copy with statements of purpose and the committee received additional requested information. Legislative council staff said the committee could adopt amendments once the statement of purpose is available; staff indicated the marked-up documents would be ready Tuesday morning for committee review.

Committee members also discussed a pending amendment involving tobacco funds the attorney general’s office is drafting; staff said Levi is working with the AG’s office and that the amendment will be brought back to the committee for consideration.

The committee did not take a vote on the governor’s worksheet during the meeting. Members set follow-up steps: staff will provide the marked-up worksheet and statements of purpose on Tuesday, and the committee will consider the governor’s budget amendments and the attorney general amendment when those documents are available.