HUMAN RESOURCES, GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL ON
[Authorized: NDCC Chapter 50-26]
The Governor's Council on Human Resources was established in 1965 (S. L. 1965, Ch. 328) and was originally comprised of three committees, each emphasizing a special human resource area. The committees included the Committee on Aging, Committee on Children and Youth, and the Committee on Employment of the Handicapped. In 1972 the fourth committee to join the Council by a directive from the Governor, was the Commission on the Status of Women.
There were nine members serving on each committee. All were appointed by the Governor for staggered three-year terms. In 1967, the Council was coordinated by an executive committee consisting of the chairperson and vice chairperson of each committee who were elected by the membership and served according to the bylaws of their respective committee. The Council appointed the executive director who also served as the executive secretary of each of the committees.
The purpose of the Governor's Council on Human Resources was to serve as a clearinghouse for information related to their constituencies. They advocated for government services affecting North Dakota's children and youth, handicapped, senior citizens, and women on issues that related to state, regional, and national conferences. The Council encouraged citizen interest, participation and cooperation with state departments, agencies, and other organizations in developing needed services, facilities, and opportunities for its constituents. It also provided consultant help to local organizations.
The Governor’s Council on Human Resources came under within the newly created Department of Human Services (S. L. 1981, Ch. 486) effective in January 1982. The executive director position was assumed by the executive director of the Department of Human Services. The executive committee of the Council, with the approval of the executive director of the Department of Human Services, appointed a full time director of the Council who assisted the committees. The executive committee determined the number of meetings each committee held, the areas in which they were to devote their time, and supervised generally all the functions of the executive committee. The executive committee also coordinated the functions of the Council with other state departments or agencies as well as other organizations, assuring cooperation whenever possible. A special appropriation was maintained within the State Treasury for use by the Council (S. L. 1981, Ch. 486).
In 1989 the Council on Human Resources was placed in the Governor’s office and consisted of a Commission on the Status of Women, a Committee on Aging, a Committee on Children and Youth, and a Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities (formerly the Committee on Employment of the Handicapped). The Governor appointed a full time director of the Council who had the duty of assisting the committees as authorized by the executive committee of the Council. The special operating fund in the State Treasury for the Council on Human Resources was repealed and in its place the Governor set the compensation within the appropriations of the Legislative Assembly. The requirement of selecting nine members for each of the committees was repealed. The Legislature moved the Commission of the Status of Women from its incorporated status within the Council to a statute. In addition the Legislature required that at least one-third of the members appointed to the Committee on Children and Youth have expertise in the preservation of child abuse and neglect (S. L. 1989, Ch. 333).
Also in 1989 the Committee on the Employment of the Handicapped was renamed the Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities. The Legislature set up a Committee on Protection and Advocacy for People with Developmental Disabilities or Mental Illnesses. The Department of Human Services was required to provide administrative support for the Developmental Disabilities Council which was independent of the Governor’s Council on Human Resources (S. L. 1989, Ch. 333).
In 1991 a change to the Century Code [NDCC 50-26-01] specified that the administrative services for the Council on Developmental Disabilities and the Commission on the Status of Women, and the Governor’s Council on Human Resources be maintained by the Department of Human Services. The Governor continued to appoint Council members and the functions of the executive committee of the Governor’s Council on Human Resources stayed in the Governor’s office. A new section was added to the Century Code [NDCC 50-27] relating to the administration of the Children’s Trust Fund (S. L. 1991, Ch. 508).
In 1995 the Committee on Children and Youth became the Children and Family Services Division within the Department of Human Services. A Children’s Trust Fund was created in the State Treasury during this session and was administered by the Children and Family Services Division that served as executive secretary of the trust fund (S. L. 1995, Ch. 458). Legislation created separate entities for the Committee on Aging, the Employment of People with Disabilities, and the Commission on the Status of Women by creating a new section to the Century Code [NDCC 50-06.1]. In 1995 the Governor’s Council on Human Resources was repealed [NDCC 50-26].
CHRONOLOGY
1965 The Governor’s Council on Human Resources was created (S. L. 1965, Ch. 328).
1967 The executive committee of the Governor’s Council consisted of the chairman and vice chairmen of the committees constituting the council (S. L. 1967, Ch. 369).
1972 The Commission on the Status of Women was incorporated by the Council.
1981 The Department of Human Services assumed administration of the Governor's Council on Human Resources.
1984 By Executive Order 1984-9 the chair and vice chair from each committee served on the Council’s executive committee and were the advisory board to the protection and advocacy director for protecting the rights of the developmentally disabled. Changes to this order were made in 1991 (S. L. 1991, Ch. 508).
1985 At least one-third of the members on the Committee on Children and Youth had to be experts in prevention of child abuse and neglect. Legislation established the Children’s Trust Fund placing its administration with the executive committee of the Committee on Children and Youth (S.L. 1985, Ch. 539).
1989 The Council on Human Resources was moved to the Governor’s office from the Department of Human Services. Legislation changed the name of the Committee on Employment of the Handicapped to the Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities. The nine person executive committees was repealed. The special operating fund in the State Treasury for the Council on Human Resources was repealed (S. L. 1989, Ch. 333).
1991 North Dakota Century Code [NDCC 50-26-01] was amended to require the Commission on the Status of Women, the Committee on Aging, the Committee on Children and Youth, the Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, and other committees with a related interest in human services to be maintained in the Department of Human Services. Membership appointments were made by the Governor (S. L. 1991, Ch. 508).
1995 Separate entities were created for the Committee on Aging, the Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, and the Commission on the Status of Women. The Committee on Children and Youth became the Children and Family Services Division of the Department of Human Services (S. L. 1995, Ch. 458). The Governor’s Council on Human Resources was repealed [NDCC 50-26].
SERIES
31000 Executive Committee Files.
31001 Committee on Aging Files.
31002 Committee on Employment of the Handicapped Files.
31003 Commission on the Status of Women Files.
31004 Committee on Children and Youth Files.
31005 General Subject Files.
31006 Committee on Children and Youth Subject Files.
31007 Commission on the Status of Women Subject Files.
31008 Resource File on Women.
31009 Handicapped Employer of the Year Files.
31010 Essay Contest Files.
31011 General Ledger.
31012 Photographs.
31507 State Council on Developmental Disabilities Files.
31508 State Council on Developmental Disabilities Grant Files.
31509 Committee Appointment Files.
SOURCES
Gray, David P. Guide to the North Dakota State Archives, 1985.
North Dakota Century Code.
North Dakota Secretary of State Blue Book.
North Dakota State Legislature Session Laws.
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