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27:35
Sen. Kathy Hogan (D-Fargo) discusses the merger of the Health Department with the Department of Human Services, as well as Human Service Zones, the bonding bill and other topics.
[Full Transcript]
Dave Thompson: This is Legislative Review on Prairie Public. I m Dave Thompson, thanks for joining us. We re on our radio service, and we re also on our digital platforms. Our guest today, Senator Kathy Hogan from Fargo. She s a Democrat, and also is a human service professional. Senator, thank you for being here today.
Dave: Well, the big question, because the governor has now signed the bill to merge the Department of Human Services with the Health Department, but it s not going to occur right away. There s going to be some time, correct? Can you explain what the bill now does?
1:22
The Legislature will be considering merging the state Health Department with the Department of Human Services.
Rep. Robin Weisz (R-Hurdsfield) is the main sponsor of that bill. Weisz said this has been talked about for a number of years. And he said after the Division of Environmental Quality was moved out of the Health Department, and became its own agency, it seems a good time to make this move. It s not like we re trying to make a super-agency, Weisz said in an interview.
Weisz said with around 200 employees, the Health Department is about one-tenth the size of Human Services. He said he believes a merger could lead to some efficiencies.