BISMARCK, N.D. (KFGO) – House and Senate Republicans have blocked bills on childcare funding and data centers during the North Dakota Special Session.
Senate Majority Leader David Hogue, a Republican from Minot, blocked his chamber from voting on the data center and childcare bills. He brought up the Senate needs a unanimous vote to allow the bills to be considered in the special session.
The bills were not forwarded by the Legislative Management Committee to the legislature before the special session.
“In the House, I’ll tip my hat. They at least had the courage to go on the record and put their name behind their vote so they can be responsible to their constituents who can ask why didn’t you want to debate more childcare funding? Why didn’t you want to debate a brief pause in data center development?” House Minority Leader Zac Ista, a Dem-NPLer from Grand Forks, said.
One bill would have added $9 million to get some of the nearly 1,900 families off a waitlist for state childcare assistance.
Governor Kelly Armstrong gave his thoughts on the special session during his State of the State address.
“Whatever political statement you are trying to make, if it doesn’t involve preventing people from overdosing on an over-the-counter drug that you can buy without an ID, you’re probably on the wrong side of said political issue,” Armstrong said.
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