Please Immediately Veto the Very Stupid Ban on Mask Mandates
MINOT, N.D. — Earlier this week a hundred or so deeply misguided souls rallied at the state capitol in favor of legislation, House Bill 1323, which bans state and local government from implementing a mask mandate.
And yes, it is a ban on state and local mandates. State law, and long-standing court precedent, prevent local governments from implementing penalties more severe than state penalties. If the state is barred from implementing a mask mandate, so our local governments, except for the sort of “mandate” that has no real consequences attached.
Which, of course, is no mandate at all.
The bill is the cloyingly stupid conception of Bastiat Caucus lawmaker Rep. Jeff Hoverson, R-Minot, and I’m surprised it passed.
Unfortunately, it did.
