Post pandemic, Republican lawmakers more willing to fund child care

Like a lot of mothers, North Dakota state Rep. Emily O’Brien struggled to find infant care when her daughter Lennon was born in 2019. So Ms. O’Brien, a Republican who represents the Grand Forks region, brought Lennon along to meetings with local leaders and constituents. Ms. O’Brien had her second daughter, Jolene, in 2022, not long before legislators were due to meet. Wanting more time to bond before returning to work, Ms. O’Brien brought the newborn with her to Bismarck, where she snoozed through Gov. Doug Burgum’s State of the...