The end of the North Dakota legislative session hit a couple of stumbling blocks Wednesday, April 26.
Disagreements between House and Senate lawmakers on the budget bill for the Public Employees and Retirement System prompted the cancellation of a conference committee set for Wednesday morning. The two sides are hung up on proposed language requiring the PERS Board to solicit bids for health coverage in the 2019-2021 biennium, with the primary bid being for a self-insurance plan. "We have an agreement with (Sanford Health Plan)," said Karen Krebsbach, R-Minot. "We're trying to make sure that we don't overstep boundaries in any way."
House Majority Leader Al Carlson, R-Fargo, said "they're looking for a boogeyman that's not there." He said the PERS contract is subject to renewals every two years.