25.0161.03000
Sixty-ninth
Legislative Assembly
of North Dakota
Introduced by
Appropriations Committee
A BILL for an Act to provide an appropriation for defraying the expenses of the game and fish
department; and to provide an exemption.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF NORTH DAKOTA:
SECTION 1. APPROPRIATION. The funds provided in this section, or so much of the funds
as may be necessary, are appropriated from other funds derived from special funds and federal
funds, to the game and fish department for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the game
and fish department, for the biennium beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2027, as
follows:
Adjustments or
Base Level Enhancements Appropriation
Salaries and wages $37,008,098 $2,317,621 $39,325,719
New and vacant FTE pool 0 1,862,510 1,862,510
Operating expenses 17,788,258 2,016,038 19,804,296
Capital assets 5,400,661 1,622,479 7,023,140
Grants - game and fish 10,089,976 (3,001,997) 7,087,979
Land habitat and deer depredation 27,183,516 4,989,565 32,173,081
Noxious weed control 725,000 0 725,000
Missouri River enforcement 313,869 9,912 323,781
Grants, gifts, and donations 677,970 17,110 695,080
Nongame wildlife conservation 100,000 0 100,000
Lonetree reservoir 2,156,714 (48,117) 2,108,597
Wildlife services 500,000 0 500,000
Page No. 1 25.0161.03000
ENGROSSED HOUSE BILL NO. 1017
FIRST ENGROSSMENT
with Senate Amendments
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Shooting sports grant program 250,000 0 250,000
Aquatic nuisance species program 2,533,452 352,055 2,885,507
Total other funds $104,727,514 $10,137,176 $114,864,690
Full-time equivalent positions 170.00 0.00 170.00
SECTION 2. ONE-TIME FUNDING - EFFECT ON BASE BUDGET - REPORT TO
SEVENTIETH LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY. The following amounts reflect the one-time funding
items included in the appropriation in section 1 of this Act which are not included in the entity's
base budget for the 2027-29 biennium and which the entity shall report to the appropriations
committees of the seventieth legislative assembly regarding the use of this funding:
One-Time Funding Description Other Funds
Information technology projects $380,000
Baukol-Noonan dam repairs 150,000
Equipment 220,200
Garrison dam national fish hatchery pondliners 1,500,000
Garrison dam national fish hatchery pumps 300,000
Wildlife habitat and access on private lands 5,000,000
Total other funds $7,550,200
SECTION 3. NEW AND VACANT FTE POOL - LIMITATION - TRANSFER REQUEST. The
game and fish department may not spend funds appropriated in the new and vacant FTE pool
line item in section 1 of this Act, but may request the office of management and budget to
transfer funds from the new and vacant FTE pool line item to the salaries and wages line item
and other line items with salaries and wages in accordance with the guidelines and reporting
provisions included in House Bill No. 1015, as approved by the sixty-ninth legislative assembly.
SECTION 4. GRANTS, GIFTS, AND DONATIONS LINE ITEM. The grants, gifts, and
donations line item in section 1 of this Act includes up to $100,000 received by the game and
fish department for surface damage, easements, or reclamation on department-owned or
managed properties as a result of mineral exploration and extraction activities.
SECTION 5. MIDTERM CONSERVATION AGREEMENTS. The game and fish department
may spend up to $2,777,778 from other funds in the land habitat and deer depredation line item
in section 1 of this Act for national fish and wildlife foundation midterm conservation agreements
with private landowners. The department shall limit the term of these agreements to a maximum
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31 Sixty-ninth
Legislative Assembly
of thirty years. The department shall provide buyback provisions after the fifteenth, twentieth,
and twenty-fifth years of the agreement if the property owner desires to withdraw all or a portion
of acreage from the lease.
SECTION 6. EXEMPTION - LINE ITEM TRANSFERS. Notwithstanding section 54-16-04,
the director of the office of management and budget shall transfer up to $2,000,000 of
appropriation authority between the operating expenses, capital assets, and grants - game and
fish line items in section 1 of this Act as requested by the game and fish department during the
biennium beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2027. The game and fish department
shall notify the legislative council of any transfers made pursuant to this section.
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