The Legislature has finshed its special session work.
The House approved the “budget fix” bill on an 82-to-8 vote. The Senate passed it Wednesday.
The bill essentially keeps the budget cuts from the two allotments in place – the 4.05 percent Gov. Jack Dalrymple ordered earlier, plus the 2 1/2 percent that took effect this week. But it restores money to Human Services and Corrections. It also gives the Office of Management and Budget the authority to tap into the Bank of North Dakota’s profits, up to $100 million, if needed. This was done because of a projected $310 million shortfall in the state budget.
"It gets us through to January," said House Appropriations Committee chairman Jeff Delzer (R-Underwood). "It sets us up so we'll have the information then to do the right things. Will there be challenges next session? Certainly."
House Majority Leader Al Carlson (R-Fargo) called it a good bill. And he told the House the Legislature did what it had to do to make sure the budget balances.
"This isn't the time to play politics," Carlson said. "We did our Constitutional responsibility. We have our disagreements -- somebody wants to spend more, somebody wants to cut more. But we're in the middle, and our budget balances."
If nothing else changes, the state will have $28,000 in the general fund at the end of next June. But Carlson reminded House members it's five months until the 2017 session convenes.
"We need to come here with open eyes, knowing full well we have our hands full next session," Carlson said.
The vote was 82-8.
Democrats don't like the bill. They pushed for more restorations in Human Service programs.
Rep. Corey Mock (D-Grand Forks) said this leaves money on the table that could have been used for about $50 million worth of federal matching dollars.
"We might see a half-dozen critical access hospitals close their doors by the end of this year," Mock said. "You still have families unable to access child care services. You have people facing real life challenges every day. I do not see how we have done our job."
House Minority Leader Kenton Onstad (D-Parshall) said his beef with the bill is that the public wasn’t involved. He said the Legislature should have been more involved in making more of the decisions on what gets cut, and what doesn’t.
"It's ironic, when we want to control the budget, that we're just going to allow the Governor make across the board cuts," Onstad said. "It's our job, as the Legislative body, to be part of that decision-making."
Once the bill passed, it was immediately sent to Dalrymple, who has signed it.
