Wyoming Legislature update – Jan 22, 2019
by Albert Sommers, House District #20 Representative
January 23, 2019
Tuesday, January 22, 2019
Hello Sublette County, this is Albert Sommers from a cold and snowy Cheyenne. The House of Representatives is back in session after the holiday weekend. I spent the weekend reading bills and preparing for the short week ahead, with its heavy schedule.
Today, the House considered eight bills on second reading. Bills of note included:
HB0022 – Teacher Accountability
HB0024 – National Board Teacher Certification
Nine bills passed the House on third reading and will be delivered to the Senate for consideration, including these, which I supported:
HB0021 – Election readiness account
HB0073 – Use of dogs – recovery of killed or wounded big game
HB0081 – Omnibus water bill – planning
HB0089 – Wage garnishment
The House Committee of the Whole considered nine bills this afternoon. Several of which sparked lively debate. Six bills passed the committee, including these bills I supported:
HB0060 – Underage marriage – exceptions repeal. This bill would move the age of marriage to eighteen, from the current sixteen. I supported this bill, but believe that exceptions should be allowed. I am working on an amendment
HB0082 – Veterans skilled nursing facility. This bill has seen a great deal of debate. An interim committee recommended Buffalo as the preferred site, but that has been changed to Casper during Committee hearings here in Cheyenne. I support Buffalo, because I do not like to see all state facilities and state jobs being located in the most populated cities of Wyoming.
HB0084 – Wage equality – state employees and programs
Three bills failed the House Committee of the Whole today, including these bills I voted against:
HB0102 – Hunter safety course – preference points. I believe the whole preference point system needs to be studied, but this bill complicated the system worse than it is now.
HB0114 – Shared parenting. I did not support this because it took judicial discretion away from the process of determining custody of children.
HB0115 - Lifesaving measures – immunity
Learn more about all the bills I discuss, and any bill this session, by visiting the website https://www.wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2019
Please follow my Facebook page for up to date information and email me at albert@albertsommers.com with questions or concerns.
Thank you
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