Allowing the Wyoming Capitol and adjacent buildings in Cheyenne to remain a gun-free zone makes them soft targets and violates people’s “God-given Second Amendment Rights,” Secretary of State Chuck Gray said Thursday.
The repeal of Wyoming’s gun-free zones is set to again become a hot topic with the Wyoming Legislature when it convenes for its 2025 session.
It nearly happened during the 2024 session. House Bill 125 would have repealed gun-free zones, including at the Capitol complex, passed both the Wyoming House and Senate. But it was vetoed by Gov. Mark Gordon.
The Legislature’s Joint Judiciary Committee heard testimony Thursday about possible changes to gun policy in the Capitol complex.
Committee member Rep. Jeremy Haroldson, R-Wheatland, the main sponsor of HB 125, said he plans to introduce another bill to repeal gun-free zones during the 2025 session.
“I will continue to push for this and fight for this,” he said.
Gray Cites Nasty Voicemail, Hershler Building Evacuation
Gray testified that he’s for allowing law-abiding people carry guns in the Capitol.
It’s a matter of safety for the public and elected officials, he said.
He cited a threatening voicemail he received in August. He also mentioned the evacuation of his office and others in the Herschler Building, next to the Capitol, on Monday after the discovery of an envelope containing a white powder.
“I think that people are tired of hearing that there are no solutions, when there are,” Gray said. “That we allow people to exercise their God-given second Amendment rights by eliminating gun-free zones.
“The reality is, these gun-free zones are soft targets.”
Let Schools Make Their Own Decisions
On the other side of the debate, some educators from Ten Sleep said Wyoming’s gun-free zone policy works as it is and should not be changed.
Under current state statute, guns are restricted on many public school grounds, the University of Wyoming campus, government buildings and some other public spaces.
School districts are allowed to decide for themselves whether to allow staff to be trained and certified to carry concealed firearms.
Washakie County School District 2, which includes Ten Sleep, is one such district.
District Superintendent Annie Griffin said that she and her staff like things the way they are. They like arming some certain, certified staff members, because the school is isolated and it could take a long time for law enforcement officers to reach them.
But a statewide repeal of gun-free zones would eliminate the school district’s staff and parents’ choice to designate who is allowed to have guns in schools, Griffin said.
The thought of just anybody being able to carry a gun into schools makes teachers, parents and students nervous, she said.
What About Restoration Of Felons’ Gun Rights?
In another gun policy-related matter, the committee also discussed a possible problem with the state policy allowing the restoration of gun rights to convicted felons.
Under current policy, people convicted of nonviolent felonies can apply to have their gun rights, voting rights and other rights restored once they’ve have served their full sentences.
The problem is, some have pointed out, if any of those felonies convictions resulted from federal charges, the federal government might not recognize the restoration of gun rights.
The issue came up during the last Legislative session. Gun rights advocate Mark Jones of Buffalo testified before a legislative committee that a couple in Wyoming was swarmed by federal agents at their home.
Though the husband had his firearms rights restored by the state, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) still regarded him as being in violation of a law against felons possessing guns, Jones said.
Worry continues that the current Wyoming policy could put other people in similar situations.
Dan Shannon, director of the Wyoming Department of Corrections, told the committee that he is concerned about Wyoming residents to which his department has issued certificates of restoration of rights.
That might not cover federal convictions, he said.
He said that during meetings with ATF officials in Cheyenne, he was told that people still could be nailed for federal violations, even if they had been cleared by the state of Wyoming.
“I believe that we are exposing those individuals with federal convictions that I’m issuing certificates to,” Shannon said. “And I’m certainly not here to suggest policy. But I believe in my heart that I have a responsibility to report to this committee that these individuals are exposed, because that’s completely up to the federal agency what they want to do.”
The committee plans to consider the matter further at its next meeting in November.
Mark Heinz can be reached at mark@cowboystatedaily.com.
