Government & Politics
News

Citing RFK Jr., Residents Want Laramie County To Reverse OK Of 150-Foot Cell Tower
Residents living just north of Cheyenne are lobbying the Laramie County Commission to reverse approval of a 150-foot cell tower. Citing RFK Jr., they say there are health concerns with the tower and they worry property values will drop.
Renée JeanJuly 03, 2025

Wyoming Legislators Aren’t Done Looking For Ways To Lower Property Taxes
Wyoming legislators passed a 25% property tax break earlier this year, but they’re not done looking for “long-term reform.” Options include eliminating residential property tax altogether, something that was considered in 2024.
Matthew ChristianJuly 03, 2025

Degenfelder Says Stopping School Choice Payment Has Brought ‘Utter Chaos'
A judge's decision to temporarily stop payments to Wyoming’s school choice voucher program brought “utter chaos” to the families of the students enrolled, Wyoming Superintendent Megan Degenfelder said Wednesday.
Matthew ChristianJuly 02, 2025

Gordon Names Former Wyoming Supreme Court Justice Keith Kautz As Attorney General
Gov. Mark Gordon appointed Keith Kautz, a former Wyoming Supreme Court Justice, as Wyoming’s 39th attorney general Wednesday. Kautz said he’s “honored to serve Wyoming.”
Matthew ChristianJuly 02, 2025

Trump Administration Seeks To Defend Wyoming’s New Citizenship Voter Law
The U.S. Department of Justice under President Donald Trump filed a brief in court Tuesday to help defend Wyoming’s new voter citizenship law. Secretary of State Chuck Gray says he’s “extremely grateful” to the department and Trump.
Clair McFarlandJuly 02, 2025

Hot Springs County In An Uproar Over Cuts To 4-H, Extension Programs
The Hot Springs County Commission faced backlash Tuesday from residents upset over deep cuts to the county’s extension office and 4-H program. Commissioners say it's necessary due to lagging oil and gas revenue and a 25% cut in property taxes.
Mark HeinzJuly 02, 2025

UPenn Bans Trans Athletes From Women's Sports Same Day Wyoming Law Goes Into Effect
Wyoming State Sen. Wendy Schuler said Tuesday’s decision by the University of Pennsylvania to ban trans athletes from participating in women's sports marks “a great victory for our women and girls.” It happened the same day Wyoming's law that does the same thing went into effect.
Clair McFarlandJuly 02, 2025

‘Huge Flipping Waste Of Money’: Legislator Wants To Eliminate Wyoming Business Council
Calling the Wyoming Business Council a “huge flipping waste of money,” state Rep. Ken Pendergraft says he wants to reduce the state’s budget by getting rid of the entity. Economic development shouldn’t be the government’s responsibility, he said.
Matthew ChristianJuly 01, 2025

Wyoming Legislators Cheer Removal Of Ban On States Regulating AI From Budget Bill
Gov. Mark Gordon and a pair of Wyoming legislators cheered Tuesday’s removal of a ban on states regulating artificial intelligence. A 99-1 Senate vote took it out of the controversial federal budget bill.
Matthew ChristianJuly 01, 2025

Trans Woman Breaks Wyoming’s New Bathroom Ban In State Capitol, Nothing Happens
Nothing happened Tuesday when a transgender woman flagrantly violated a newly implemented Wyoming law restricting people to the restroom corresponding to their birth sex in public buildings.
Matthew Christian & Clair McFarlandJuly 01, 2025

Wyoming’s New Laws: No Gun-Free Zones, Prove Citizenship To Vote And A Bathroom Ban
In all, 106 new Wyoming laws became active Tuesday. Now, most gun-free zones are gone, voters must prove citizenship and residency to register and people born male can’t use women’s bathrooms in government buildings.
Clair McFarlandJuly 01, 2025

Barrasso, Lummis Praise Passage Of Budget Bill, But It’s No Longer ‘Beautiful’
Democrats managed to strip “Beautiful” out of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, but the U.S. Senate passed the GOP’s controversial budget bill Tuesday. Vice President JD Vance broke a tie, which Wyoming Sens. John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis call a huge win.
Sean BarryJuly 01, 2025

Rob Wallace: Don’t Expect Public Land Sale To Be Brought Back Anytime Soon
People shouldn’t expect to see a plan to sell federal public lands brought back to Congress anytime soon, says Rob Wallace, former Assistant Interior Secretary. In the future, the proposal needs to be its own standalone bill, says Sen. John Barrasso.
Matthew ChristianJune 30, 2025

Sen. Barrasso, Also A Medical Doctor, Defends Medicaid Changes In Budget Bill
U.S. Senate Democrats — and one Republican — claim Medicaid changes in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act would devastate low-income people. John Barrasso, who’s also a medical doctor, said Wyomingites are “unlikely” to be harmed and the reforms are necessary.
Sean BarryJune 30, 2025

Sen. Mike Lee Waves White Flag And Gives Up Public Lands Sell-Off Plan
Utah Sen. Mike Lee waved the white flag on Saturday evening and dropped his controversial public lands-selloff plan. Wyoming State Rep. Karlee Provenza said she was pleased but was concerned with the Wyoming congressional delegation's "lack of leadership."
Sean Barry & Clair McFarlandJune 29, 2025

$140 Billion F.E. Warren Sentinel Missile Upgrade At Full Speed Under Trump
The first months of President Trump’s second administration have focused on cutting government pork, but there’s one huge exception. The $140 billion upgrade from Minuteman III to Sentinel nuclear missiles is at full speed, and F.E. Warren is ground zero.
Renée JeanJune 28, 2025

Land-Selloff Plan Makes Back It Into Budget Bill, Montana Sen Says He Will Kill It
A scaled-back plan by Utah Sen. Mike Lee to sell public lands has made back it into the final text of the Senate's version of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Montana Sen. Steve Daines says he has the votes to kill it.
Sean BarryJune 28, 2025

Former Wyoming Chief Justice Says Supreme Court Order Reining In Judges ‘Brilliant’
A Former Wyoming Chief Justice says Friday’s U.S. Supreme Court order reining in district court judges from issuing nationwide injunctions is “brilliant.” The Washington delegation also praised the order as a victory over “activist” district court judges.
Matthew ChristianJune 27, 2025

Not Everybody Hates Sen. Mike Lee’s Idea Of Selling Off Federal Public Land
Despite a loud public outcry against U.S. Sen. Mike Lee’s efforts to sell millions of acres of federal public land, not everyone hates the idea. Former Wyoming legislator Ray Peterson said states could buy the land and manage it much better.
Matthew ChristianJune 27, 2025

Wyoming Judge Blocks School Choice Money Days Ahead Of First Payouts
A Cheyenne-based judge on Friday temporarily blocked the first phase of payouts for Wyoming’s new school choice program days ahead of the first checks going out July 1. The program gives $7,000 toward private schools or homeschooling for students.
Clair McFarlandJune 27, 2025

Lummis Says Congress Needs To Set Cryptocurrency Rules By End Of Year
Sen. Cynthia Lummis says Congress needs to pass rules for digital assets by the end of the year to take advantage of having “the most pro-crypto president.” A Wyoming expert says the state is still on track to be the first with its own stable token.
Matthew ChristianJune 27, 2025

5 House Republicans Say They’ll Sink Big Beautiful Bill If Land Selloff Is In It
Five House Republicans say in a terse letter Thursday they will sink the entire One Big Beautiful Bill Act if it includes a provision to sell public lands. “We cannot accept the sale of federal lands that Sen. (Mike) Lee seeks,” they wrote.
Sean BarryJune 27, 2025

Rawlins Homeschool Parents Blast Proposed Sports Ban At Board Meeting
Rawlins-area homeschool parents on Thursday blasted a proposal to ban their middle schoolers from sports and other public school activities. Several school board members then voiced opposition to the move.
Clair McFarlandJune 27, 2025

Hundreds Cheer At Public Lands Rally As Provenza Calls Sen. Mike Lee A 'Jackass'
Hundreds attended a rally Thursday evening in Cheyenne to protest Utah Sen. Mike Lee’s proposal to sell federal public land. State Rep. Karlee Provenza received the loudest cheer when she called him a “jackass.”
Matthew ChristianJune 27, 2025
