Dear Neighbors,
I hope everyone is prepared for what is hopefully our last snow of the season. The conditions this week look troubling, so please stay safe on the roads and if you’re driving near any snowplows.
We picked up the week where we ended prior to Easter and Passover break. This week, I presented school mental health legislation, took part in an important committee hearing regarding buffer penalties, visited with some local residents, and continued my work on the Education Finance Committee as we move toward putting together a final education omnibus bill.
Mental Health Bill
On Tuesday, I presented my bill, HF4198, to the House Health and Human Services Finance Committee. This legislation assists schools with setting up mental health services for students using telemedicine. The goal is to make it easier for mental health professionals and providers to connect with students in need of mental health services.
I see addressing student mental health as one way to increase, not only educational outcomes, but the safety of our schools. For many districts in Greater Minnesota, the shortage in mental health providers makes it difficult, if not impossible, for students to access the mental health services they need. Through advances in technology and telemedicine, along with the easy access for students at a school site, we can help bridge this gap for students who need mental health support.
Buffer Penalty Hearing
Yesterday, the House Agriculture Policy Committee, on which I serve, held a hearing regarding new buffer penalties proposed by the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR). This agency has taken the current penalty in law (up to a $500 fine for non-compliance) and, with no stakeholder input, proposed going up to $500 per linear foot with no guidance as to how often the fine could be assessed. Understandably, farmers are feeling quite blindsided by this. We heard farmer after farmer testify in our hearing concerning the extreme nature of these unrealistic penalties, their lack of input into the plan, as well as their frustrations that the rules are constantly changing on them week by week and month by month, making it very difficult for them to simply just do their job.
The legislature’s intent when it greatly scaled back Governor Dayton’s buffer law was not to have the state come down heavy-handed on farmers, but instead to have our local soil and water officials work alongside farmers, educate them, and assist them in creating buffer zones between cropland and public waters. According to the law, these buffer zones can be a grassy vegetation “buffer” area of ground near the waters, or an alternative practice that accomplishes the same purpose. There is no one-size-fits-all here, nor should there be.
According to BWSR, 98% of Minnesota lands bordering public water are already in compliance. The farmers who are among the two percent still remaining out of compliance are not doing so because they are trying to circumvent the rule of law. There are simply extenuating circumstances for the delay that are many times out of the farmers’ hands, and oftentimes caused by government itself.
I am thankful that the Governor and BWSR have taken this extreme penalty proposal off the table at this time. However, this whole fiasco has brought to the forefront a bigger picture issue that has been an ongoing frustration for the agriculture community for years: lack of transparency and lack of opportunity to provide input for major policy proposals dropped on them by state agencies.
Whether it’s buffer strips, ditch mowing, nitrates, or other issues, administrative actions should not come as a complete surprise, and stakeholders should not go away feeling they had little input or that their concerns were not adequately addressed. The current government agency process of developing major policy rules behind closed doors and then releasing them for public reaction is not working and must stop. This is poor governance and only serves to drive larger wedges between government and the people.
I believe the answer here is for farmers and other stakeholders to be highly involved in the discussion and decision-making process while the rules are being made – not just after the fact. This will allow government to work for the people and with the people – and that’s how it should be!
Local Visitors
I had some good conversations with a number of local people who visited the Capitol this past week, including some teachers from the Albert Lea teacher’s union, and from Blooming Prairie Mayor Harold Peterson and some representatives from the Blooming Prairie Public Utilities. As I’ve mentioned, I find local input invaluable and I always appreciate when people seek me out to voice their thoughts. Hearing from people makes me a better legislator and helps me make better decisions.
I hope you can make it to St. Paul to visit, but if you can’t, you’re always welcome to call or email my office. Have a great weekend and stay safe in this crazy weather!
Peggy