North Dakota State Lawmakers Weigh new Legislation After Governor Veto Confusion

Emily Thompson, right, legal division director for Legislative Council. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)

(North Dakota Monitor) – Lawmakers are considering a bill to clarify the legislative veto process after Gov. Kelly Armstrong’s office appeared to accidentally line-item veto housing funding in May.

Armstrong in his veto message indicated he was vetoing $150,000 the 2025 Legislature set aside for a Native American homelessness liaison, but a staff member also crossed out $25 million for affordable housing and $10 million for homelessness in the bill markup.

The legislative and executive branches disagreed over how to interpret the line-item veto, leading to a larger dispute over the scope of the governor’s veto power.

The interim Legislative Procedure and Arrangements Committee  advanced a bill draft lawmakers say will prevent similar conflicts from arising in the future.