Wyoming Legislature update – March 8, 2021
by Albert Sommers, House District #20 Representative
March 9, 2021
3/8/2021
Hello Sublette County, this is Albert Sommers reporting to you from Cheyenne on Monday, March 8, 2021.
A number of bills this session push back on federal overreach. I do not support bills that push back on the federal government by hurting our own citizens, but I do believe we must push back. I drafted HJ0011, State sovereignty impacted by federal actions, which is a resolution that would be sent to the President of the United States and to Congress. This resolution reminds the federal government that we are a sovereign state, and that there is no question as to whether powers not delegated to the federal government were retained by the states upon ratification of the tenth amendment. The resolution states that the current administration in Washington DC and Congress should respect the sovereignty of Wyoming and the other states of our union. It further states that the federal government should not regulate arms at a national level. Finally, it says that the current administration should respect the critical role that federal lands play in Wyoming's culture, recreation, wildlife, livestock production, mineral development and tourism, and the current administration and Congress must work with the State of Wyoming to develop federal land use policies in a manner which recognizes their impacts on Wyoming citizens and implements those policies in a manner consistent with the state's culture.
Other bills that push back on the federal government are HJ0012 and SJ0002, matching House and Senate resolutions that direct Wyoming to join other states through the provisions of Article V of the Constitution of the United States in calling for a Convention of States to propose amendments to the US Constitution. These resolutions propose amendments to the Constitution of the United States which would impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and limit the terms of office for its officials and for members of Congress.
I have had an incredible number of Sublette County residents email me their support for these resolutions, albeit through form letters from a national organization. Depending upon the final version of the bill that passes the Senate, I will likely support the resolution, but not without reservations. I remain worried about a runaway constitutional convention that could enact amendments we could not support in Sublette County. There are safeguards, however. Two thirds of the states would need to sign the same resolution for a convention of states to occur, and three fourths of all state legislatures would need to ratify an amendment before it could be enacted. I like our Constitution, and believe it is the best one that any nation has ever created. I do not like the joint resolutions’ shotgun approach of proposing multiple constitutional amendments. I believe amendments should occur one at a time, thoughtfully. As I stated earlier, I will likely vote for the convention of states, but I am interested in Sublette County citizens’ thoughts, written by their own hand.
I can be reached at albert@albertsommers.com with questions or comments.
Thank you.
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