Clair McFarland
Clair McFarland is a general assignment reporter for Cowboy State Daily and is based in Riverton, Wyoming. She specializes in crime and court reporting and social issues coverage. Clair also writes a twice-monthly column on motherhood and country living.
Previously, Clair wrote for The Ranger, the Lander Journal and the Wind River News. She is an award-winning journalist, columnist and poet, who joined Cowboy State Daily on Valentine's Day, 2022.
Latest from Clair McFarland
Wyoming House Passes Law Designed To Keep American Indian Children Out Of Non-Native Foster, Adoptive Homes
Though Rep. Ben Hornok rallied a last-minute debate against it, the House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a state version of a federal law ordering courts to keep American Indian children out of non-native foster and adoptive homes when American Indian homes and institutions are available.
Clair McFarlandMarch 01, 2023
Analysis: Bill Banning Sex-Change Surgeries For Kids Was Not Dead, But Vastly Changed After Leaving Committee
Wyoming lawmakers are sparring over whether Chloe's Law, banning sex-change surgeries for kids, was already gutted when the House killed it Monday. Our analysis shows that the bill still contained one enforcement mechanism, but had major policy differences from its original version.
Clair McFarlandMarch 01, 2023
Wyoming House Narrows Transgender Sports Ban To Only Apply To High School Girls’ Sports
In an effort to sway fellow legislators against voting for the transgender sports ban, Rep. Trey Sherwood said in a pole-vaulting competition between Rep. Provenza (left) vs Rep. Mike Yin (right), she would bet on Provenza.
Clair McFarlandFebruary 28, 2023
House Advances Bill Restoring Gun, Civil Rights To Nonviolent Felons
The Wyoming House of Representatives on Monday advanced legislation that would restore nonviolent felons' gun and civil rights, but bill opponents worried about a provision that would take away those same rights under state law.
Clair McFarlandFebruary 28, 2023
House Freedom Caucus Votes With Democrats To End Voting – Killing Chloe’s Law
The Wyoming House Freedom Caucus on Monday voted to end first-reading debate on bills just hours before the deadline, killing multiple bills with the decision, including Chloe's Law, which child transgender treatments.
Clair McFarlandFebruary 28, 2023
House Votes Yes On Law To Keep Indian Children Out Of Non-Native Foster Homes
The state House approved its first reading of the Indian Child Welfare Act. Opponents argued that the law is racist against native children and causes them permanency problems. Proponents said it's necessary to preserve sovereign interests of American Indian tribes.
Clair McFarlandFebruary 28, 2023
Chemical Abortion Ban Clears First House Vote After Lengthy Debate
The Wyoming House of Representatives on Monday approved the first reading of a bill outlawing chemical abortions. Senate File 109 would make it a misdemeanor to prescribe or dispense abortion drugs in Wyoming, except in cases of rape, incest, or severe health risks.
Clair McFarlandFebruary 27, 2023
Wyoming House Committee Advances Ban On Biological Boys In Girls’ School Sports
A committee of Wyoming lawmakers on Monday advanced a bill that would prohibit biological males from participating in girls school sports in Wyoming.
Clair McFarlandFebruary 27, 2023
Lander Restaurant Cook, Owners Find Two Men Dead In Running Car
Restaurant staffers found two men dead Saturday in a parked car in Lander that had been running all day. The restaurant owner said it appeared the car's exhaust had been leaking into the vehicle.
Clair McFarlandFebruary 27, 2023
Laramie County GOP Calls On Wyo Dems To Return Bankman-Fried Donation One Month After Dems Returned It
The Laramie County Republican Party this week called upon the Wyoming Democratic Party to give back nearly $10,000 in donations from accused fraudster Sam Bankman-Fried. But the Dems gave it back more than a month ago.
Clair McFarlandFebruary 25, 2023
Clair McFarland: Outrunning Winter With Machine Guns And Mini Golf
Clair McFarland writes: The days are evil, says our Bible. That means the days will sneak up on you, play tricks on you and leave you behind. Not even winter lasts forever. But every day is a little fuller, a little brighter, when we cuddle up in a restaurant booth together and remember that someday, theyll end.
Clair McFarlandFebruary 25, 2023
House Considers ‘Big Three’ Drug Bill That Would Allow Homicide Charge For Dealers In Overdose Deaths
The Wyoming House of Representatives is considering a bill imposing a homicide charge on drug dealers whose customers die of fentanyl, heroin or methamphetamine overdose.
Clair McFarlandFebruary 24, 2023
Bill Banning Transgender Students From Girls School Sports Clears Committee
After more than two hours of debate and a few tears shed, the House Education Committee has advanced a bill banning biological males from competing in girls' school sports in Wyoming.
Clair McFarlandFebruary 24, 2023
Sommers Explains Why He Won’t Allow Transgender Education Bill To Be Debated On Floor
The speaker of the House says he has stifled a few bills for very specific reasons. That includes Senate File 117 which would prohibit public schools from teaching young children about gender identity or sexual orientation.
Clair McFarlandFebruary 23, 2023
Wyoming Abortion Bills Survive Legislative Committees – With Major Changes
The House Revenue Committee altered and advanced Senate File 109, which would ban chemical abortions if it becomes law. And the Senate Ag Committee added rape and incest exemptions into House Bill 152.
Clair McFarlandFebruary 23, 2023
Ban On Wyoming Transgender Treatments For Kids Voted Down; Chance For Resurrection Exists
A Wyoming state House committee voted to kill the much-debated Chloes Law on Wednesday, which would have banned transgender-related treatments for minors, but the House may still have an opportunity to hear it before the legislative session ends.
Clair McFarlandFebruary 23, 2023
House Speaker Continues To Stall Bill Banning Gender, Sexual Orientation Teaching For Grades K-3
House Speaker Albert Sommers has sat on a bill for 25 days that would bar public school teachers in Wyoming from teaching gender identity and sexual orientation to children. An attempt to maneuver around the speaker failed by a vote of 34-27 on Wednesday.
Clair McFarlandFebruary 22, 2023
Wyoming Dairy Farmers Close To Being Allowed Third-Party Milk Sales, But Can They Cut The Cheese?
The latest edition of Wyoming's Food Freedom Act allowing dairy farmers to sell products through a middleman sailed through both legislative chambers and barring a governor's veto, will soon be law, though an amendment making sure people can cut the cheese at farmers markets failed.
Clair McFarlandFebruary 22, 2023
Fireworks In The Capitol: Hutchings Blasts House Revenue Committee For Changing Bill
Sen. Lynn Hutchings said she was ashamed to be a legislator Tuesday after some of her House colleagues overhauled one of her bills. Committee Chair Rep. Steve Harshman called it a "cheap shot."
Clair McFarlandFebruary 22, 2023
Tribal Hunting Bill Killed Despite Push From Governor Gordon
The Wyoming Senate on Tuesday voted down a bill that would have given Gov. Mark Gordon the ability to make agreements with tribes specifying special, off-reservation hunting rights some tribal members have through their federal treaties.
Clair McFarlandFebruary 21, 2023
C.J. Box Slams Politically Correct Rewrites of Classic Children’s Books As ‘Vandalism’
Wyoming best-selling author C.J. Box on Tuesday condemned the rewriting of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and other children's books because they had terms like "fat" and "crazy" which, a "sensitivity coalition" said, could hurt someone's feelings. Box called it vandalism.
Clair McFarlandFebruary 21, 2023