SB 2025 - BUDGET - Department of Veterans Affairs - 2017

Appropriations - ND Department of Veterans Affairs (NDDVA) Budget: Legislative Appropriations Bill

Pre-approved by Commissioner and ACOVA.

A BILL for an Act to provide an appropriation for defraying the expenses of the department of veterans' affairs. Governors budget rate at 90% of 2015-2017 base budget.

NDDVA Requested budget changes: Optional Package-NOT included in budget.

• Restore Base Budget funding to $98,900. Gov. Dalrymple recommends to restore $26,895 for Desktop support
• Salary Equity Funding: $96,143
• Funding for Stand Downs: $20,000
• Funding for Service Dogs for Veterans with PTSD: $50,000. Senate Approved $50,000
• Training Position: $145,152
• Funding Grant for Veteran Service Organizations NSO officer: $300,000
• Funding for Temporary Employees: $49,500
• Marketing and Outreach: $20,000
• Funding for Transportation Vans: $30,000 Gov. Dalrymple recommends $15,000. Senate provides NO van funding
• Increase Post War Trust Fund Principal: $1,750,000
• NDDVA Website upgrade: $67,689
  • Agent Orange Outreach: $50,000

SENATE AMENDMENTS & ACTIONS

• Reduced General funds for NDDV by $215,815
• Reduce staff by one Full Time Employees (FTE)
  • Per Governor Burgums recommendation to go back to 2011-2013 biennium FTE count
• Require NDDVA to use Federal Highly Rural Transportation Grant (HRTG) program funds to pay portion of two NDDVA staff members salaries
  • $100,000
  • Functionally eliminating HRTG coordinator position
• Reduced Federal Funding authorization of State Approving Agency by $15,778
• Restored $26,895 in Desktop support hardware
• Restored Service Dog funding of $50,000 SJ 492
• Provides that $15,000 of NDDVA operation budget be used for transportation van purchase
• Budget leaves Senate at 76% of base funding and 90% of FTE staff 0 Temp staff
• PASSED SENATE 45-0 SJ 492

HOUSE AMENDMENTS & ACTIONS

• Reduced General funds by $134,005.00 (in addition to Senate reductions)
  • Reduced staff by one additional Full Time Employee -$130,000
    • Per Governor Burgums' recommendation to go back to 2011-2013 biennium FTE count
      • This makes 2 FTE's removed. Governor Burgums' recommended 1 be removed.
  • Reduced funding for PTSD dogs -$25,000
  • Reduced Health care funding -$1,205
  • Added funding for transportation vans $18,600 (funded from additional FTE removal)
  • Added funding for transportation vans $3,600 (funded from additional FTE removal)
• Adds mandate that $18,600 one time funding to only be used for transportation van program
• Budget leaves House at 72% of base funding and 78% of FTE staff and 0 Temp staff (overall staffing at 60%)
• Committee recommends DO PASS 17-0-4 HJ 1299
• PASSED HOUSE 90-1 HJ 1313

SENATE REFUSED TO CONCUR SJ 1193

• Senate conference committee appointed: Kilzer, Dever, Robinson SJ 1193
• House conference committee appointed: J. Nelson, Kading, Holman HJ 1531
• Conference Committee scheduled Hearings
• Conference committee actions:
  • Raised Service Dog funding to $50,000
  • Maintained funding for vans at $37,200
  • Did not return any FTE's
  • Did not correct the HRTG fund supplanting issue
• PASSED SENATE 45-0 SJ 1553
• PASSED HOUSE 86-5 HJ 1795

​​SIGNED BY SPEAKER HJ 1804

SIGNED BY PRESIDENT SJ 1582

SIGNED BY GOVERNOR