AN ACT to provide an appropriation for defraying the expenses of the commissioner of university and school lands; to provide for distributions from permanent funds; and to provide for a report.
Summary
SB 2013 is the biennial appropriations bill for the North Dakota Commissioner of University and School Lands. It provides special-funds authority for the agency’s operating budget for the 2025-2027 biennium, including salaries and wages, a new-and-vacant FTE pool, operating expenses, and contingencies. The bill increases the agency’s total appropriation to $11.96 million and authorizes 34 full-time equivalent positions, up from a base of 33.
The bill also sets constitutionally required distributions from permanent funds managed by the Board of University and School Lands to state institutions and beneficiaries for the same biennium. The largest distribution is to common schools, with additional payments to the state’s universities and colleges, the youth correctional center, the school for the deaf, the state hospital, the veterans’ home, and other designated institutions. In addition, the bill directs the commissioner of university and school lands and the commissioner of commerce to collaborate on identifying revenue diversification and development opportunities on trust lands and to report their findings to the next legislative assembly.
Impact
SB 2013 affects state law by appropriating special funds to the Commissioner of University and School Lands for agency operations and by establishing specific biennial distributions from permanent funds under Article IX of the North Dakota Constitution. It also creates a reporting requirement and interagency collaboration mandate related to trust-land revenue development, which may influence future management of state trust assets and inform later legislative action. The bill primarily impacts the University and School Lands office, the Board of University and School Lands, and the public institutions and beneficiaries receiving permanent-fund distributions.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been generally supported, as reflected by strong Senate approval and a clear House majority, though the House vote was more divided than the Senate’s. The final Senate vote was overwhelmingly favorable, while the House vote showed meaningful opposition, suggesting some concern about the appropriation level or related policy choices. Overall, the bill moved forward successfully and was filed with the Secretary of State.
Contention
The main points of contention likely centered on the size of the appropriation, staffing growth, and the use of the new-and-vacant FTE pool, which the bill restricts from direct spending and ties to transfer procedures under another appropriations measure. There may also have been differing views on the scale and allocation of permanent-fund distributions, as well as on the new requirement for the commissioner to work with the Department of Commerce on trust-land revenue diversification. The House’s 67-22 vote indicates more skepticism there than in the Senate, but no committee transcript is available to identify specific arguments or sponsors of opposition.
AN ACT to provide an appropriation for defraying the expenses of the commissioner of university and school lands; to provide for distributions from permanent funds; and to provide for a report.
AN ACT to provide an appropriation for defraying the expenses of the council on the arts; to provide for a transfer; to provide for a report; and to provide an exemption.
AN ACT to provide an appropriation for defraying the expenses of the council on the arts; to provide for a transfer; to provide for a report; and to provide an exemption.
AN ACT to provide an appropriation for defraying the expenses of the agriculture commissioner; to amend and reenact section 4.1-01-02 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the salary of the agriculture commissioner; to provide for a transfer; to provide for a report; to provide an exemption; and to declare an emergency.