Wyoming Legislature update – March 7, 2022
by Albert Sommers, House District #20 Representative
March 8, 2022
3/7/2022
Hello Sublette County, this is Albert Sommers reporting to you from Cheyenne on March 7. Today, the House heard bills on 2nd Reading, had final vote on bills in 3rd Reading, and voted on bills in Committee of the Whole. This is the last day bills can be reported out of standing committees.
Today there was a motion to suspend the rules and pull a bill out of the speaker's desk, which required a two-thirds majority to pass. When we came together at the beginning of the session, we adopted rules and a calendar that were agreed to by both the House and the Senate. The Senate went past the deadline for last day of Committee of the Whole in the body of origin, and eventually sent three bills to the House.
Speaker Barlow explained his reasoning for not wanting to introduce these bills, attributing his decision to the process and equitability. For him, it is not just an issue of fairness, rather an issue of equal treatment of all member’s bills. Speaker Barlow asked that we defeat this motion, not due to the merit of this bill, but in protecting the institutional process. I voted against the motion, and the late bills will not proceed.
SF0010 - Predator control, passed on second reading. This bill requires the Department of Agriculture to coordinate and contract predator control efforts among agencies and counties. The bill allows each predator management district board to work through the Department of Ag to coordinate predator control, including contracting for predator control services.
After extensive discussion, SF0102 - Second Amendment Protection Act, passed the Committee of the Whole, with my support. This bill provides that the State and political subdivisions of this state are prohibited from using any personnel or funds appropriated by the Wyoming Legislature or any other source of funds that originated within the state of Wyoming to enforce any unconstitutional act, law, treaty, executive order, rule or regulation of the United States government that infringes on or impedes the free exercise of individual rights guaranteed under the Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.
SF0008 - Weed and pest - reorganization, also passed the Committee of the Whole today, with my support. This bill holds that weed and pest control on all state lands shall be managed by the Department of Agriculture. The Department of Agriculture shall promote any rules or regulations necessary to implement this act. This bill requires that state lands officers coordinate through the Department of Agriculture. The Department of Agriculture is better equipped to access grant money and is better suited for this responsibility.
SF0011 - Display of state flag, passed the Committee of the Whole, with my support. This bill updates the statute that previously prohibited the display of our historical Wyoming flag. In 1917 Verna Keyes designed the state flag and won a contest from the Wyoming chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution. Wyoming was one of the few states to not have a flag at that time. The flag’s design has since been altered. In lieu of any other reward, the state gave one of the six original flags to Verna on the condition that it never be displayed outside her home. The flags have since been displayed in libraries and museums unknowingly in violation of this state statute. This bill would change this statute and allow the flag to be displayed in state, county, or municipal buildings.
I can be reached at albert@albertsommers.com with questions and comments.
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