Audio: Lawmaker Says Industrial Commission Needs To Bring "Special Places" Plan To The Legislature

Last week Rep. Roscoe Streyle (R-Minot) had a column here on SAB (also published in several newspapers around the state) in which he expressed opposition to the State Industrial Commisson’s plan for “special places” designations. Today I had Rep. Streyle on the radio to talk about why he opposes the plan.

The audio is above.

I invited Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem, one of three members of the State Industrial Commission and the driving force behind the “special places” designation, on to discuss the issue with me but he declined saying he’d be ready to talk about the plan after it has been finalized.

Rep. Streyle sees what the State Industrial Commission is considering as unnecessary regulation. “We have plenty of regulation,” he told me about the plan. “Why do we need to add these sites?”

He also doesn’t think the SIC has the legislative authority to do it, but he’s not sure what the legislature can do to challenge it. “I don’t see [the authority] in code,” he said but pointed out that the legislature would normally ask for an AG’s opinion on the legality of such a move. But given that the policy is originating from the AG’s office, that process isn’t likely to be an impartial one.

Rep. Streyle says that if the SIC wants the authority to do this, they should bring a proposal to the legislature for approval.