There’s an old saying that the two things you don’t want to watch being made are sausage and laws. Here, harvested from just the first 38 of the 2,900 bills filed by Maine legislators this session, are some of the choicest snouts and tails:

An Act to Designate Wintergreen as the State Herb is proposed by Rep. Tina Baker of Bangor with the support of nine co-sponsors, all no doubt under the sway of the Fresh Breath Lobby. Expect this to be bitterly opposed by Big Garlic.

Sen. James Libby of Gorham has a bill “to exempt horses from the sales tax.” Other than hay and the occasional blanket/saddle outfit, just how much stuff do horses buy?

Under current law, businesses engaged in the processing of perishable food, such as produce, meat and fish, don’t have to pay overtime to employees. Sen. Peggy Pendleton of Scarborough would extend that to owners of amusement parks. No telling what can happen once cotton candy starts to turn sour.

Royce Perkins of Penobscot is one busy representative. Among his many urgent issues is changing the name of the Department of Education to the Department of Schooling. Will that include a Bureau of Ciphering?

Rep. Perkins also wants to exempt politicians on the campaign trail from the mandatory seat-belt law. Running with scissors would remain a misdemeanor.

At the request of a constituent, Rep Richard Rosen of Bucksport has submitted An Act to Repeal Observation of Daylight Savings Time. That’s fine, as long as it’s accompanied by An Act to Require Rep. Rosen’s Constituent to Fix Breakfast for Any Toddler Who Bounds Out of Bed at the Crack of Dawn on a Summer Weekend Morning.

Meanwhile, Senate President Mark Lawrence continues to pester Gov. Angus King about the submission of after-deadline bills, saying the executive branch is the last holdout in an otherwise successful effort to make the legislative process more efficient and relevant. Pass the sausage.