News
State legislators go into special session
Scott Wagar
11/08/2011
The 62nd legislative assembly special session convened on Monday morning with state legislators looking at a variety of issues.
The primary topics of the session will include redistricting, turning the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo back over to the State Board of Higher
Education, flood disaster relief and state health insurance exchange.
In redistricting, if the legislation passes the present mapping on the districts, the sixth district will lose its portion of Ward County, but gain all of Bottineau, McHenry and Renville counties, which will add an estimated 1,600 more voters to the district.
If Ward County is eliminated from the sixth district, Rep. Glen Froseth, R-Kenmare, will no longer be part of the sixth district. However, Rep. Richard (Dick) Anderson, R-Willow City (District 7), and Senate Minority Leader, Ryan Taylor, D-Towner (District 7), would come into the sixth district.
How Anderson and Taylor will affect the sixth district is unknown at this time, but Taylor’s name has been coming up in the state as a possible 2012 gubernatorial candidate.
Flood relief will be the major discussion of the special session. However, according to Sen. David O’Connell, D-Lansford, there will be three flood disaster relief items that will not be discussed at the session, which include an improved and expanded floodway through Burlington and Minot, infrastructure funding and homeowner assistance.
“What will take place with flood relief is really uncertain at the moment. But, when it comes to these three items it will take much more discussion than the time we have for the special session,” said O’Connell, who stated the special session should not last any longer than four to five days.
O’Connell added that Bottineau County will probably not be included in the flood relief talks due to the fact that FEMA and state funding should be coming to the county’s aid.
Over all, the sixth district’s senator stated that 44 items are on the ticket for the special session, but that he expected only around seven or eight issues will be conferred in the time they have for the special session.