(BISMARCK, ND) – After much discussion by the North Dakota Senate and subsequent committees on Tuesday, state lawmakers have decided not to fund a possible deflection center in Fargo.
Senate floor session debate
The North Dakota Senate spent more than 30 minutes discussing the issue surrounding the center, which would have been a part of the funding of Senate Bill 2015. Early versions of the legislation sought to appropriate three million dollars for the establishment of the center in Fargo and another $100,000 for a similar one in Burleigh County. The funding would have come from the community health trust fund.
The bill itself is the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s budget.
Senator Jeff Magrum (R-Hazelton) spoke first on some concerns. He says he has talked to family members in Fargo who said that there are people that are not in favor of the deflection center in the city. Magrum also said that he found issue with the fact that there was no policy hearing on the subject.
“I have many questions that still haven’t been answered,” he said. The questions surrounded ownership of the building, the role the state would play in it and what services would be offered at the facility.
Senator Michelle Powers (R-Fargo) also had issues with the potential funding of the deflection center in her city.
“Words matter. You call it diversion, deflection,” she said. “It’s a homeless shelter. You can make it as fancy as you want, but the Fargo-Moorhead area does have a homeless shelter – Churches United.”
Powers said the state would assume responsibility if the appropriation for the center were to move forward.
After ten other Senators spoke on the measure, Senator David Hogue, the Majority Leader, called the question and ended the discussion altogether.
Committee discussion
After the Senate floor session, the conference committee on the bill met.
Addressing the floor session, Senator Sean Cleary, of Bismarck, said the real issue laid in the discussion on the deflection center.
“I think it’s a pretty fair assessment to say there’s no appetite in the Senate for any dollar amount for Fargo,” he said. He added planning for one in Bismarck into the discussion as well.
Magrum motioned to remove the funding for the deflection center from the bill language, along with the planning for Bismarck. It also struck the language from the bill. A roll call vote passed 5-1 with Representative Scott Wagner voting in opposition.
Committee members approved study language 4-2.
