Sixty-ninth Legislative Assembly of North Dakota
In Regular Session Commencing Tuesday, January 7, 2025
SENATE BILL NO. 2022
(Appropriations Committee)
AN ACT to provide an appropriation for defraying the expenses of the commission on legal counsel for
indigents; to create and enact a new subsection to section 54-44.3-20 of the North Dakota
Century Code, relating to categories of positions in the state service; and to provide for a
legislative management study.
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 out of any moneys in the general fund in the state treasury, not
otherwise appropriated, and from other funds derived from special funds and federal funds, to the
commission on legal counsel for indigents for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the commission
on legal counsel for indigents, for the biennium beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2027, as
follows:
Adjustments or
Base Level Enhancements Appropriation
Commission on legal counsel $23,022,372 $3,576,753 $26,599,125
for indigents
New and vacant FTE pool 0 554,757 554,757
Total all funds $23,022,372 $4,131,510 $27,153,882
Less other funds 2,023,067 26,149 2,049,216
Total general fund $20,999,305 $4,105,361 $25,104,666
Full-time equivalent positions 41.00 2.00 43.00
SECTION 2. NEW AND VACANT FTE POOL - LIMITATION - TRANSFER REQUEST. The
commission on legal counsel for indigents 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 commission on legal counsel for
indigents line item in accordance with the guidelines and reporting provisions included in House Bill
No. 1015, as approved by the sixty-ninth legislative assembly.
SECTION 3. A new subsection to section 54-44.3-20 of the North Dakota Century Code is created
and enacted as follows:
Attorneys employed by the commission on legal counsel for indigents.
SECTION 4. LEGISLATIVE MANAGEMENT STUDY - COMMISSION ON LEGAL COUNSEL FOR
INDIGENTS - NORTH DAKOTA PUBLIC DEFENDERS OFFICE. During the 2025-26 interim, the
legislative management shall consider studying the potential impacts of establishing the North Dakota
public defenders office as an administrative agency under the authority of the commission on legal
counsel for indigents. The legislative management shall report its findings and recommendations,
together with any legislation required to implement the recommendations, to the seventieth legislative
assembly. S. B. NO. 2022 - PAGE 2
____________________________ ____________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
____________________________ ____________________________
Secretary of the Senate Chief Clerk of the House
This certifies that the within bill originated in the Senate of the Sixty-ninth Legislative Assembly of North
Dakota and is known on the records of that body as Senate Bill No. 2022.
Senate Vote:Yeas 46 Nays 0 Absent 1
House Vote: Yeas 81 Nays 9 Absent 4
____________________________
Secretary of the Senate
Received by the Governor at ________M. on _____________________________________, 2025.
Approved at ________M. on __________________________________________________, 2025.
____________________________
Governor
Filed in this office this ___________day of _______________________________________, 2025,
at ________ o’clock ________M.
____________________________
Secretary of State