North Dakota Legislature overrides governor's veto of bill at heart of power struggle

BISMARCK — North Dakota lawmakers have superseded Gov. Doug Burgum's veto of legislation that will give a select group of lawmakers more authority to divvy up federal funds that come in between biennial legislative sessions.

The Republican-led House of Representatives voted 75-11 on Wednesday, April 28, to override the second-term governor's rejection of Senate Bill 2290 a day after the Senate took the same action. The bill will become law immediately, but it could be the subject of a renewed legal battle between Burgum and the Legislature.

The new law will allow the Budget Section, a 42-member panel of lawmakers that meets between sessions, to overrule the Emergency Commission in dividing up incoming federal allocations of $3 million or more. The six-member commission, which includes the governor, the secretary of state and four top legislators, had significant authority last year over the state's rationing of a $1.25 billion federal coronavirus relief package amongst agencies and programs. During that process, the panel of lawmakers only got an up-or-down vote on appropriations approved by the commission.

The legislation, sponsored by Minot Republican Sen. David Hogue, also requires the governor to call lawmakers in for a special session if the total amount of federal funds doled out by the commission and Budget Section exceeds $50 million during the two-year budget cycle.

Read more: https://www.jamestownsun.com/news/government-and-politics/7005527-North-Dakota-Legislature-overrides-governors-veto-of-bill-at-heart-of-power-struggle