AN ACT to authorize the department of transportation to transfer real property to the office of management and budget; to provide an appropriation; to authorize a line of credit; to provide an exemption; and to declare an emergency.
Summary
HB 1487 authorizes the North Dakota Department of Transportation to convey approximately 1.25 acres of state-owned land in Ward County to the Office of Management and Budget. The bill also creates a financing mechanism for a new state facility in Minot by allowing the Office of Management and Budget to borrow up to $5.6 million from the Bank of North Dakota during the 2025-2027 biennium, with the proceeds appropriated for construction of a building to be leased to other state agencies.
The measure includes several procedural and fiscal provisions. It exempts the land transfer from certain state property-transfer statutes, designates the appropriation as one-time funding, allows the appropriation to continue into the following biennium, and requires the Office of Management and Budget to seek a deficiency appropriation from the 70th Legislative Assembly if the line of credit is used to repay the debt. The bill also declares an emergency, making it effective immediately upon enactment.
Impact
HB 1487 changes state law by specifically authorizing a transfer of public land from the Department of Transportation to the Office of Management and Budget and by creating a special appropriation and borrowing authority for a Minot state office facility. It affects state property management, capital construction financing, and the use of Bank of North Dakota credit for governmental building projects, while also carving out an exemption from general transfer requirements under sections 54-01-05.2 and 54-01-05.5.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have received generally favorable support, as reflected in its strong vote totals in both chambers and its final passage with the required supermajorities for an emergency measure. The Senate approved it unanimously, and the House passed it by comfortable margins on second reading and again on final passage, suggesting broad agreement on the need for the project and financing structure.
Contention
The main points of contention likely centered on the use of state borrowing and the commitment of public funds for a new facility in Minot, including whether the state should take on debt through a line of credit and whether the project should proceed as a one-time capital expenditure. The House votes show some opposition, indicating that a minority of members may have objected to the financing approach, the exemption from standard property-transfer rules, or the policy choice to build a facility for lease to other agencies rather than using existing space.