• The Wyoming House engaged in a heated discussion Monday over whether it’s more important to block growth in federal government land or retain private property owner’s right to sell their land to the government, with the former winning out.
• On the same day President Donald Trump proclaimed the United States will recognize “only two genders — male and female,” the Wyoming House passed the “What is a Woman Act” to the Senate. The bill defines a person’s gender by biology, not gender identity.
• The Wyoming Secretary of State’s Office needs more people and resources to keep up with growth in the state’s business activity, Secretary of State Chuck Gray says. But the Joint Appropriations Committee on Monday rejected his $322,000 ask on a split vote.
• The state caught three North Korean companies last year filing fraudulent paperwork to set up in Wyoming to raise money for weapons of mass destruction. A House committee passed a bill Monday that aims to keep foreign adversaries out of Wyoming.
• A Wyoming legislative bill would let people sue any publicly-funded business or agency for requiring them to wear a mask, be tested or get vaccinated for COVID-19. The proposal sailed through its first committee hearing Monday.
• An anti-ESG Bill sailed over a wall of opposition from Wyoming investment fund managers and the state treasurer. It passed out of committee Monday after significant changes were made to address the criticism.
Bits And Pieces: Gov. Mark Gordon, Secretary of State Chuck Gray and a few state legislators were absent at the Wyoming Capitol on Monday because they were attending President Donald Trump’s inauguration on Capitol Hill. … Despite the frigid temperatures, all of the grounds at the Wyoming Capitol were already shoveled by 8 a.m. and lawmakers in the House gave a shout out to the state’s plow drivers who help keep the roads open during the winter months.
Leo Wolfson can be reached at leo@cowboystatedaily.com.
