A.G. rules Armstrong’s line-item veto will stand, no special session needed

BISMARCK, N.D. (KVRR) — Attorney General Drew Wrigley rules that Gov. Kelly Armstrong’s line-item veto of a Senate bill will stand.

That means no special session will be needed to fix the matter.

The problem started when Armstrong vetoed $150,000 for a Native American-focused organization to fund a homelessness liaison position.

But the veto also unintentionally crossed out a $35 million appropriation for affordable housing and homelessness.

Armstrong had intended to leave that intact.

In a statement after Wrigley’s opinion, Armstrong says he appreciates avoiding the cost of a special session and said the issue was blown up into something much bigger than it needed to be.

“The written veto message is the controlling document because it clearly states our objection to the bill as required by the North Dakota Constitution. 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,” Armstrong said.