AN ACT to provide an appropriation for defraying the expenses of the protection and advocacy project.
House Bill 1014 is an appropriations measure for North Dakota’s protection and advocacy project for the 2025-27 biennium. It provides a total appropriation of $8,570,241 from all funds, including $3,822,953 from the general fund and $4,747,288 from other funds, to cover operating expenses. The bill increases the project’s authorized staffing from 28.50 to 29.50 FTEs and includes a separate new-and-vacant FTE pool line item that may be transferred into operations under procedures tied to House Bill 1015.
The bill also identifies $19,288 in one-time general fund support for accrued leave payments, which is excluded from the entity’s base budget for the next biennium and must be reported to the Seventieth Legislative Assembly on its use. In practical terms, the bill continues and slightly expands funding for the protection and advocacy project, which is the state entity that helps protect the rights of individuals with disabilities and others served by the program.
HB1014 amends state spending authority by appropriating general fund and federal/other funds to the protection and advocacy project for the 2025-27 biennium. It does not create new regulatory requirements or change substantive rights, but it does set the project’s budget, staffing level, and conditions for use of a new-and-vacant FTE pool, while requiring reporting on one-time accrued leave funding. The bill affects the protection and advocacy project, its employees, and the populations it serves through continued operational support.
The bill appears to have been broadly supported and noncontroversial. It passed the House 80-9 and the Senate 43-3, indicating strong bipartisan approval with only limited opposition. No committee transcript or recorded debate was provided, so there is no evidence of significant public disagreement in the available materials.
The main potential point of contention is budget size and staffing growth, including the increase to 29.50 FTEs and the addition of a new-and-vacant FTE pool funded at $361,911. Any opposition likely centered on appropriations levels, use of general fund dollars, or the mechanics of transferring funds from the vacant-position pool rather than on the mission of the protection and advocacy project itself. The recorded votes suggest these concerns were limited and did not prevent passage.