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BISMARCK – The “surge” is on the verge of becoming law.
Senators voted 46-0 to pass Senate Bill 2013, a $1.1 billion package designed to address critical road and infrastructure needs primarily in North Dakota’s Oil Patch but also across the state. The House approved an amended version Friday on a 90-2 vote.
Gov. Jack Dalrymple is expected to sign the bill Tuesday.
“This bill hopefully will satisfy some of the great needs,” said Sen. Karen Krebsbach, who carried the bill, adding, “I think we have a lot riding on this bill.”
The bill’s emergency clause, which required a two-thirds majority to pass, means funding can more quickly be dispersed so communities can get a jumpstart on the 2015 construction season.
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“It’s going to be a boon to the entire western part of the state and indeed, the entire state,” said Sen. John Warner, D-Ryder.
The bill contains about $36 million less than the version the Senate first passed Jan. 29. It includes the full $450 million requested by the Department of Transportation but cuts the amount of money for cities, counties and townships included in the Senate version.
In addition to the $450 million for the DOT, the bill includes:
-- $240 million for the state’s top 10-oil producing counties.
-- $172 million for “hub” cities Williston, Dickinson, Minot and Watford City.
-- $100 million for cities within the top 10 oil-producing counties, other than the hub cities.
-- $112 million for non-oil-producing counties.
-- $16 million for townships in non-oil-producing counties.
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-- $10 million for certain cities bordering the Oil Patch.
