Government & Politics
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$900 Million Rift Separates Wyoming Senate And House Budgets
The Wyoming Senate and House both completed their biennial budgets late Thursday night with a massive fiscal rift of roughly $900 million separating the two. Last year’s supplemental budget featured a $30 million difference between the two chambers.
Leo WolfsonFebruary 23, 2024
House Hikes Benefits For Family Of Slain Sheridan Cop, But It’s Not Unanimous
Some Wyoming House members spoke against raising the death benefits for the family of a slain Sheridan cop Thursday, but it passed easily anyway.
Leo WolfsonFebruary 23, 2024
Senate Committee Passes Bill To Let Wyoming Create Its Own State Guard
A bill allowing Wyoming to organize its own state militia or guard that passed through to the Senate floor Tuesday would be organized with a chain of command, not just a bunch of guys with guns.
Mark HeinzFebruary 23, 2024
Wyoming Senate Axes $118M In Major School Construction Projects From Budget
On two close votes, the Wyoming Senate voted Thursday to cut the entire $111.8 million budgeted over the next two years for major school constructions projects.
Leo WolfsonFebruary 22, 2024
Wyoming House Says UW Can Keep $100K Despite Teaching Transgender Treatments
The Wyoming House of Representatives changed course Wednesday and voted against using the budget to strip $100,000 from the University of Wyoming for teaching gender-transition treatments to medical students.
Clair McFarlandFebruary 22, 2024
Amendment Ties Kelly Parcel Sale To Fate Of Controversial BLM Rock Springs Plan
The Wyoming House passed an amendment late Wednesday night that would tie the sale of the Kelly Parcel to the National Park Service to the fate of the BLM’s controversial Rock Springs management plan.
Leo WolfsonFebruary 22, 2024
‘Monolith Of Wokeness’: Senate Votes To Defund UW Gender Studies, Diversity Office
One of the most heated budget debates in the Wyoming Legislature on Wednesday was around amendments to defund the UW Diversity Office and Gender Studies program. Sen. Charlie Scott called the UW a “monolith of wokeness.”
Leo WolfsonFebruary 22, 2024
Wyoming Senate Kills Bill To Make Adults Who Sext Kids Register As Sex Offenders
A proposed law that would have made people who send obscene material to minors register as sex offenders failed to pass the Wyoming Senate on Wednesday.
Clair McFarlandFebruary 22, 2024
Swapping Property Tax For Sales Tax Good For Wyoming Homeowners, Bad For Renters
A proposal by Rep. Steve Harshman of Casper that would swap property tax for 2% hike in sales tax for most Wyomingites is good for homeowners, but bad for renters.
Leo WolfsonFebruary 22, 2024
Natrona County Wants More Help Paying To Guarantee Air Service
An air guarantee agreement with SkyWest to provide service between Casper and Salt Lake City pays off, but Natrona County commissioners said Tuesday they want more help paying for it.
Dale KillingbeckFebruary 22, 2024
Not So Fast: Wyoming Energy Industries Urge Caution On Property Tax Proposal
Wyoming Mining Association chief Travis Deti says a landmark tax reform bill would impact competition in all sectors of the energy industry. "Potential impacts of the bill on the mining industry could be significant," he said.
Pat MaioFebruary 21, 2024
National Activist Chloe Cole Testifies Against Transgender Treatments For Minors In Wyoming
Activist Chloe Cole, who has "detransitioned" after receiving transgender surgeries as a minor, testified on Wednesday against the controversial treatments, saying "no adult has any right to do this to any child, whether it be a parent, a doctor, a counselor, anyone.”
Leo WolfsonFebruary 21, 2024
Casper Landlords Won’t Be On The Hook For Unpaid Utilities After All
Weeks of back-and-forth debate over whether to make landlords responsible for taking care of unpaid utility bills left by tenants, a split Casper City Council on Tuesday voted against the proposal.
Dale KillingbeckFebruary 21, 2024
Lummis Calls For Mayorkas Impeachment Trial
U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis on Tuesday demanded Minority Leader Mitch McConnell call a Senate trial into the impeachment of Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas.
Leo WolfsonFebruary 21, 2024
Tempers Boil Over On Wyoming House Floor After Accusation Of Vote Swapping
Wyoming House Speaker Albert Sommers didn't hold back in chastising a Gillette legislator on the House floor Tuesday after he accused another member of “logrolling” — political speak for trading votes.
Leo WolfsonFebruary 21, 2024
Wyoming Tax On Electricity Exports Could Touch Off ‘Arms Race’ If Bill Passes
Wyoming’s largest 19 industrial users consume more than half of the electricity in Rocky Mountain Power’s territory and worry about an “arms race” with other states that want to recover rates if a bill taxing electricity exports were to pass.
Pat MaioFebruary 21, 2024
Blockbuster Bill Would Eliminate Most Wyoming Property Tax, Hike Sales Tax 2%
Rep. Steve Harshman's blockbuster tax reform proposal that would eliminate most property tax in Wyoming in return for hiking the sales tax by 2% passed the House Revenue Committee on Tuesday. “Our people need this and want this,” he said.
Leo WolfsonFebruary 20, 2024
Explosive Testimony: Aggressive ATF Agents Raided Wyoming Man's Home For Firearms
Last November, ATF agents dragged a Wyoming man from his house in his underwear even as he was screaming that he had a certificate authorizing him to possess firearms, a gun rights advocate told legislators on Tuesday.
Mark HeinzFebruary 20, 2024
Senate Committee Passes Bill Banning Credit Card Tracking Of Gun Purchases
A bill prohibiting financial institutions from assigning credit card codes to track firearms purchases in Wyoming advanced to the Senate on Tuesday. The bill passed the senate committee by a unanimous margin.
Leo WolfsonFebruary 20, 2024
Wyoming Senate OKs $2 Million To Help Texas With Border Fight
The Wyoming Senate on Monday approved a $2 million budget amendment as aid for Texas to secure its southern border with Mexico.
Leo WolfsonFebruary 20, 2024
Senate Panel Considers Banning Some Foreign Property Ownership In Wyoming
Military Affairs Commission on Monday considered legislation that would ban some foreign ownership of Wyoming property considered critical infrastructure for the state and U.S.
Pat MaioFebruary 20, 2024
Wyoming A Step Closer To Requiring Abortion Clinics To Be Licensed
Supporters of a bill requiring abortion clinics to be licensed in Wyoming say its purpose is to protect the health of women, detractors say it’s a ploy to restrict abortion more.
Leo WolfsonFebruary 20, 2024
After Committee Kills Bill, State Can Still Vax Kids Without Parent OK In Emergencies
A bill that would have removed the state’s authority to vaccinate Wyoming kids without parental consent in extreme circumstances was killed in committee Monday.
Clair McFarlandFebruary 20, 2024
172 Bills Axed -- Short Wyoming Budget Session Makes First Week A Legislative Massacre
With only 20 days allotted in a budget session, bills can die a quick death. After the first week of the 2024 session that was completed on Friday, 172 bills either failed to be introduced or were not considered at all.
Leo WolfsonFebruary 19, 2024