House and Senate Appropriations Committees will look at two spending bills for each agency.
One bill is the proposal from Governor Dalrymple’s executive budget – the other represents a Legislative budget.
"I've been trying to getb this through for years," said House Majority Leader Al Carlson (R-Fargo). "I think it's the right way to budget."
Carlson said the Legislature needs to be more involved in the budget building process.
"Instead of saying, 'If you change this, you're going against the Governor's budget' -- that's not the way it's supposed to be," Carlson said.
Carlson said he thinks Governor Burgum will like this – because Burgum is a businessman, who wants to go to zero-based budgeting.
Senate Majority Leader Rich Wardner (R-Dickinson) said this way, lawmakers will get a full look at what’s in an appropriations bill.
"Sometimes, there's things that don't get discussed that are in the bill," Warner said. "It hides in there."
Wardner said those things now have to be taken out of the one bill -- and put into the other bill.
"It's like a an empty truck box," Wardner said. "We're putting the items in that we want. And if you don't get picked, you're not a priority. The other way, you may stay in the bxo because we didn't find you."
Governor Burgum will also be submitting proposed amendments to those budget bills.
