North Dakota Democrats lose two interim committee chairmanships

BISMARCK — North Dakota Republican lawmakers rejected efforts to appoint more Democrats to interim committee chairmanships Monday, June 10, as minority leadership accused a top GOP legislator of failing to live up to his commitments.

Legislative Management, a panel that oversees the Republican-controlled Legislature’s work between regular sessions, approved a committee structure Monday that includes one Democratic chairman. During the most recent interim period two years ago, Democrats chaired three committees.

The lengthy interim period is meant to thoroughly examine policy proposals before the rush of the 80-day regular legislative sessions held every two years. The 2019 session ended in late April, and lawmakers selected 46 study topics a month later.

House Democrats recently threw their support behind the chamber’s Republican majority leader, Carrington Rep. Chet Pollert, as the new chairman of Legislative Management. They argued Monday that Pollert had made commitments for Democrats to hold a few chairmanships.

Read more: https://www.willistonherald.com/news/state/north-dakota-democrats-lose-two-interim-committee-chairmanships/article_ff488d10-8bd0-11e9-be8b-333ae4ac983a.html