Central ND News

Gov. Kelly Armstrong announced that $35 million in housing funds will be distributed as initially approved by the North Dakota Legislature. This decision follows an opinion from Attorney General Drew Wrigley, who found that the governor's line-item veto of Senate Bill 2014 did not affect these funds.

Attorney General Wrigley's opinion emphasized that the written objections in the governor's veto message are what determine the scope of a line-item veto, rather than any visual aids or mismarked versions of the bill. "The written veto message is the controlling document because it clearly states our objection to the bill as required by the North Dakota Constitution," he stated.

Armstrong expressed satisfaction with this clarification, stating, "There was no ambiguity in our veto message, which was printed in the official Legislative Journal and is what lawmakers should rely upon when interpreting a veto." He further appreciated Wrigley's determination for clarifying the issue and preventing unnecessary costs associated with a special session.

"We always said we would honor what the Attorney General found, and we appreciate his assistance," Armstrong concluded.