SADD Testimony | Video

Kristin Clouston | 1/31/2013

SADD and other organizations are asking the state to provide $490,000 to educate students about destructive decisions, but changes to the bill’s wording could get in their way.

Members of Students Against Destructive Decisions testified in front of a Senate Committee asking the state to keep funding student programs like SADD. But a member of the Governor`s Prevention and Advisory Council says amending the bill to include poor driving could cause unintended consequences.

"It would change the focus of the council to a broader base than alcohol and other drug abuses and related consequences and we feel that by doing that it would dilute the impact of that council," said JoAnn Hoesel with the ND Department of Human Services.

"The Department of Human Services as I said is an ally to us. So we want to work with them. We have the same goals. We just need to get on the same page as how to accomplish them," said Beth Ryan with Northern Lights Youth Services.

Both groups say their goal is for the state to be able to fund programs universally rather than specific, federally-controlled programs.

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