By Rep. Paul Anderson
A bill that’s generated considerable buzz around the Capitol had its first committee hearing last week. It’s House File 604, legislation that would put into state statute a mask mandate that would remain in effect until the federal Centers for Disease Control decides we can stop wearing them.
Language in the bill is extremely prescriptive and has left me wondering how government would ever think it could control peoples’ lives the way this bill would. And, judging by the number of negative emails I’ve received concerning the bill, there is little support for the mandate in our district either.
One of the glaring hypocrisies in the bill has to do with wearing masks while taking part in sporting activities. It says they must be worn, with the exception being those competing on the intercollegiate or professional levels! Why, if wearing marks is so effective, would those folks be exempt?
Science says that younger people are effected less by the virus, so why are college athletes exempt in this bill? Testifiers in favor of the mandate said they have heard very few incidents of young athletes being impacted negatively by having to wear masks during practice and competition. Yet, later in the week, during a hearing in the Senate, many parents told of their children being affected by masks. Respiratory issues, along with visibility challenges, were two main issues cited by parents.
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One of the traditions during the first committee meetings of the new session is getting updates from all the various departments and agencies in St. Paul. In the Ag. Committee, someone usually asks about the number of dairy farms in Minnesota, and we got the answer last week. As of Jan. 1 of this year, Grade A dairy operations in the state numbered 2,200. There were also 125 farms that sell Grade B milk. Folks from the department reported those numbers to be about a 5-percent reduction from the previous year, and added that the rate of farms leaving dairy slowed during the past year. In addition, at peak numbers in the summer, we have over 100 dairy goat milking operations in Minnesota.
We also received updated numbers on the Minnesota Ag Water Quality Certification Program. That’s the program where farmers can receive environmental certainty for a 10-year period when they meet specific qualifications and benchmarks in their farming operations. Most of these standards pertain to fertilization and tillage practices, along with erosion control. Latest numbers have 1,012 producers enrolled in the program, representing a total of over 718,000 acres!
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Don’t comment often on sports in this column, but an accomplishment by the Sauk Centre girls basketball team noted in the Sauk Centre Herald two weeks ago bears repeating. Long a state power on the court, including an undefeated state championship season three years ago, the Mainstreeters hold the state record for consecutive victories on their home court. Dating back nine years to the 2012-13 season, they have won 99 consecutive games at home. The old record of 77 was held by another longtime state power in girls basketball, Rochester Lourdes.
The closest the streak came to ending occurred two years ago when the Streeters trailed Albany by 13 points with less than seven minutes remaining. They went on a 15-1 run to escape with a one-point victory. Two other neighboring schools, BBE and New London-Spicer, also came close to knocking off Sauk Centre during the streak, which, by the way, is still on-going. This year’s team is 9-0, including six wins on their home court. The last team to defeat Sauk Centre at home was Osakis back in 2012.
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