Operation Prairie Dog bill to start in North Dakota House committees

North Dakota Republican lawmakers’ proposal to fund local infrastructure projects with oil tax revenue will chart its course from state House committees.

Rep. Mike Nathe, R-Bismarck, is the primary sponsor of Operation Prairie Dog, which would add "buckets" to the stream of funds filled from oil and gas tax revenue, distributing up to $280 million to non-oil-producing cities, counties, townships and airports for infrastructure projects in the second year of a biennium.

Nathe said the bill will receive a number and be scheduled for introduction in a hearing in the House Finance and Taxation Committee, then move on to the House Appropriations Committee, if given a do-pass.

Fellow Republicans began discussing the proposal last spring, Nathe said. Mandan Rep. Todd Porter, Mandan Sen. Dwight Cook and Senate Majority Leader Rich Wardner, R-Dickinson, are co-sponsors.

Read more: https://bismarcktribune.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/operation-prairie-dog-bill-to-start-in-north-dakota-house/article_1a1db5be-071b-5223-900a-16da8b99b5ce.html