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| February 12, 2021 |
| Neighbors, As sub-zero weather blanketed the state this week the Senate remained busy. I had my first bill of the session pass off the Senate floor, it now awaits action in the House. I also had three bills heard in Committee to address transparency in education, taxes on long-term care, and job development programs. I also had the opportunity to Chair 2 meetings of the Housing Committee where we discussed the federal funds coming to Minnesota and the Eviction Moratorium. Thank you, Rich My bill allowing Dentists to give COVID Vaccine passes 67-0 On Monday, the Minnesota Senate passed legislation allowing dentists to administer the flu and the COVID vaccine to patients with vaccine training. The legislation I authored gives Minnesota additional flexibility with its vaccination plan, particularly in rural communities. As the COVID vaccine becomes more readily available, we want to ensure that Minnesota has the flexibility to administer the vaccine quickly in communities across the state. Our state’s rollout has been rocky to date. As we look to improve, one way to add flexibility is to add administers that we already have trusted as partners in delivering other vaccines. Current law allows for trained dentists to administer the flu vaccine to patients nineteen years old and over. This bill enables dentists to administer the flu and the COVID vaccine to patients sixteen years old and over with vaccine training. Although currently there is a lack of available COVID vaccine in Minnesota, adding dentists to those able to administer the vaccine will increase accessibility as more vaccine becomes available. The CDC has recommended training more healthcare professionals to give the COVID vaccine to prepare for mass vaccinations. According to the American Dental Association, twenty states currently allow dentists to administer the COVID vaccine. Other states are also considering legislation to allow dentists to administer the COVID vaccine. Masks in Youth Sports On Wednesday, the Minnesota Senate’s Health and Human Services Committee held a hearing with the Minnesota Department of Health to discuss the current statewide youth sports mask mandate. The subject has received backlash from families and legislators concerned about the effects on participants’ health and the societal health benefits. Youth to the high school level were allowed to resume under new regulations from Governor Walz and the Minnesota Department of Health on January 4, but only after new rules requiring all athletes to wear face coverings while competing were put in place. Families across Minnesota are concerned about their young athletes. They want to protect their children from COVID, but they also want kids to have some sort of normalcy back in their lives. Right now, many parents are concerned about the actual health impacts of masks in youth sports. Parents are worried that those rules don’t have definitive health benefits but instead are solely in place to maintain a positive public perception. In fact, many folks have reached out with actual fears and stories about the dangers of masks in sports, citing fainting, collisions, and other dangerous issues. Wednesday’s hearing was to address those concerns, to talk with the Department of Health about what is driving their decisions, and to see what can be done to help our kids. Guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO) states that masks should not be worn during exercise: “Even when you’re in an area of COVID-19 transmission, masks should not be worn during vigorous physical activity because of the risk of reducing your breathing capacity. No matter how intensely you exercise, keep at least 1 meter away from others, and if you’re indoors, make sure there is adequate ventilation.” The WHO also says: “Sweat can make the mask become wet more quickly which makes it difficult to breathe and promotes the growth of microorganisms.” Children ages 0-19 are far less likely than adults to be harmed by COVID than any other age range. Children who do contract COVID also typically exhibit milder symptoms than adults. Reforming the Emergency Powers Law On Tuesday, the Senate’s State Government Finance & Policy Committee heard legislation that would reassert a fair balance of governing power between the legislative branch and the executive branch during future states of emergency. The bill would require the Governor to obtain legislative approval to extend any emergency declaration beyond 30 days. This differs from current law, which allows the Governor to extend a peacetime emergency indefinitely for 30 days at a time and only grants the legislature the option to cancel emergency powers with a majority vote of both the House and Senate. As we near the year mark of the pandemic in Minnesota, the situation is much different than when Governor Walz first implemented his emergency powers last year. At this point, Minnesota is well beyond the ‘emergency’ portion of the outbreak. Still, Governor Walz refuses to give up his powers and work with the legislature in good faith. These powers were never intended to give one person the rule of the land. Minnesotans expect us to work together, not just to beat the virus but to get our state back on track. This legislation ensures that everyone comes back to the table. Senate Republicans introduced the same legislation last session where it passed with bipartisan support by a vote of 36-31. Other provisions included in the legislation: The bill requires the Governor to give three days’ notice to the majority and minority leaders of each body if they intend to extend a peacetime emergency when the legislature is not in session. The bill prohibits the Governor from canceling an emergency order and issuing a new declaration for the same emergency in order to avoid approval by the legislature. The bill clarifies that if the Governor declares two peacetime emergencies concurrently, the same legislative approval of any extension past 30 days is required for the second emergency. Contacts I’ve heard from many of you but wanted to make sure you have contact information for myself and other elected officials in the State: State Senator Rich Draheim 651-296-5558 Sen.Rich.Draheim@senate.mn Governor Tim Walz 651-201-3400 https://mn.gov/governor/contact/ US Rep. Jim Hagedorn 202-225-2472 https://hagedorn.house.gov/contact US Rep. Angie Craig 202-225-2271 https://craig.house.gov/zip-code-lookup?form=/contact/email-me US Sen. Amy Klobuchar 202-224-3244 https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/email-amy US Sen. Tina Smith 202-224-5641 https://www.smith.senate.gov/share-your-opinion Follow me on Facebook @SenatorRichDraheim Follow me on Facebook to see what I am up to in the Senate and around the district! www.facebook.com/SenatorRichDraheim |
