• Wyoming sheriffs who work well with immigration authorities on Thursday torched two bills that would force them to strike federal immigration contracts. They characterized the bills as government overreach, and worried they're short-sighted.
• A bill banning gun free zones in Wyoming easily passed through the Wyoming House on Thursday with only minor changes made to it.
• The House overwhelmingly passed the “Homeschool Freedom Act” over to the state Senate for discussion. The bill would eliminate requirements for homeschool parents to check in with their local school districts.
• State Rep. J.D. Williams says he made a mistake leaking a Moms For Liberty and Honor Wyoming voting stance spreadsheet to Democrats and county commissioners on Thursday. But that’s not enough for the leader of the Wyoming Freedom Caucus, who blasted him as “untrustworthy.”
• The Joint Appropriations Committee has slashed $195 million from Wyoming’s supplemental budget, cutting energy projects, state employees and raises. Made up of Freedom Caucus members, the committee is making good on campaign promises to cut spending.
• Protection orders are getting a makeover by the Wyoming Legislature this session. Sailing through are bills to close loopholes that can leave victims unprotected and allow for permanent protection orders.
• A bill prohibiting investors from investing state of Wyoming money in environmental, social or governance (ESG) goals passed through the House on Thursday on a 44-16 vote. The bill received much more support after State Treasurer Curt Meier and others expressed concern about a provision that would have penalized investors who invest the state’s money in “ESG” funds was removed from the bill.
• A bill that would ban people in the U.S. illegally from driving in Wyoming, even if they have a license from another state, advanced the House on a 45-15 vote on Thursday.
• Legislation that would put a 50% exemption on all residential property values up to $1 million and is forecast to generate $197 million less for the state in revenue passed the House on Thursday on a 40-20 vote.
Leo Wolfson can be reached at leo@cowboystatedaily.com.
