North Dakota funds state operations, facilities, hospital work, and child care

The Office of Management and Budget may use up to $410,186,911 for its operations and listed programs. The funding covers the July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2027, budget period and includes state operations, guardianship grants, child care benefits for state employees, facility work, and a state hospital project. The amounts come from the general fund, special funds, and federal funds as listed. Some funding is one-time money and must be reported to the next legislative assembly. The appropriation applies during the two-year period beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2027.

The Office of Management and Budget may borrow up to $100 million from the Bank of North Dakota to help build a new state hospital. The authority covers construction costs for a new state hospital and includes oversight by a committee representing health and human services, budget officials, the governor, and lawmakers. The interest rate may not exceed the rate charged to North Dakota government entities. If the loan is used, the office must ask the next legislative assembly for money to repay it. The office may seek other public or private funding and enter contracts or partnerships. The borrowing authority applies during the biennium beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2027.

The Department of Health and Human Services must make direct payments to eligible licensed child care providers serving infants and toddlers. Eligible providers must operate in North Dakota, hold a two-, three-, or four-star quality rating, serve children from birth through age three, and not receive the separate infant-toddler bonus payment. Payments may be up to $200 per month for each child younger than 18 months and up to $115 per month for each child ages 18 through 36 months. Providers may use the money only for child care-related expenses, not debt repayment. Recipients must file annual reports, and the department must report on the program to lawmakers. The program uses $11 million in one-time general fund money; the supplied text does not state a program start date.

State agencies are to provide average 3 percent pay adjustments to eligible permanent employees in each year of the 2025–27 biennium. The rules cover eligible permanent state employees and do not automatically include probationary employees or employees whose documented performance does not meet standards. Raises must be based on documented performance and may not be the same percentage for everyone. Appointing authorities may give probationary employees all or part of an increase at their discretion. The Office of Management and Budget must issue agency guidelines. The first adjustments begin in July 2025 and are paid in August 2025; the second begin in July 2026 and are paid in August 2026.