North Dakota Governor’s Budget Veto Causes Unintended $35 Million Housing Funding Cut
Bismarck, ND – In an unprecedented turn of events, North Dakota Governor Kelly Armstrong accidentally vetoed a substantial $35 million housing budget while attempting to strike specific line items from an agency budget bill. This unusual mistake has left state officials scrambling to address the implications of the oversight, marking a rare instance in the state’s legislative history.
On Monday, Governor Armstrong aimed to eliminate a $150,000 grant to fund a Native American homelessness liaison position within the housing budget of Senate Bill 2014. However, instead of only targeting the desired line item, the governor inadvertently vetoed the entire housing budget, triggering discussions among legislative leaders on how to rectify the situation.
John Bjornson, the legislative council director, expressed astonishment at the error, emphasizing, “I have no recollection of anything like this happening in the 37 years I’ve been here.” Armstrong’s staff attributed the blunder to a “markup error” and assured constituents that efforts would be made to fix it.
Meanwhile, a parallel situation unfolded in Nebraska, where Governor Jim Pillen announced cuts totaling $47 million to budget bills. However, legislative leaders indicated that Pillen had missed a crucial deadline to file his vetoes.
As North Dakota assesses its next steps, a special legislative session may be necessary to address the fallout from Armstrong’s veto. The session could provide lawmakers with the chance to override the veto or create a new bill to reinstate housing funds. Legislative leaders noted that only six days remain in the current 80-day session, making prompt action critical to resolve the situation and ensure vital housing support remains intact.
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