Critical Race Theory Among Bills Proposed for ND Special Session

"The session could last a lot longer than five days."

BISMARCK, N.D. (KVRR) — The upcoming North Dakota special session planned to discuss redistricting and COVID-19 funding has taken a turn, as conservative issues may overshadow those measures.

“The people I have talked to in the tax committees and the appropriation committees and among leadership say that is an issue that should be a full blown session and it is going to take an awful lot longer than five days, which a lot of people say that could be a real challenge,” explains Dave Thompson, News Director, Prairie Public Radio. 

With 26 bills unrelated to redistricting or the COVID relief aid, the North Dakota Special session scheduled for Monday will cover more than just those two topics. 

Several conservatives are pushing to make the session about additional topics including vaccine mandates and critical race theory. 

“There is no school in North Dakota, so far, that is teaching what is defined as Critical Race Theory. There is some support for it. I am not sure how widespread that support is right now,” adds Thompson.

He says that many legislatures would like to focus on redistricting. 

“A number of legislatures are really focusing on what they are going to have to do to regain a seat or win reelection and that is going to have to come up and there are some deadlines to file and things like that. So you really want to get redistricting done.”

Special Sessions could last a lot longer than five days.

Thompson says, “A special session could last now until next November, but they don’t want it to do that. They think that would be a black eye on the session.”

 The special session starts at 8 a.m. on Monday. The Delayed Bills Committee will meet shortly after that to approve or reject bills.