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Thursday, January 24, 2019:
Hello Sublette County,
This is Albert Sommers in Cheyenne. I had the opportunity, as Speaker Pro Tempore, to chair the House session today as Speaker Harshman joined the Governor and Senate President Perkins representing Wyoming in meetings with companies looking to relocate to Wyoming.

Today, the House considered four bills on second reading. Those bills are:
HB0032 – Environmental Quality Council – amendments.
HB0159 – Volunteer reserve officers – liability coverage
HB0220 – National Retail Fairness Act

Six bills were considered in the House on third reading. Five bills will be delivered to the Senate for consideration, including these bills I supported:
HB0082 – Veterans’ skilled nursing facility, which will build a new veteran’s skilled nursing facility in Wyoming. Currently, Wyoming is the only state in the nation without a veteran’s skilled nursing facility. The big debate is whether the facility should be in Buffalo or Casper.
HB0084 – Wage equality – state employees and programs
HJ0002 – Funding sewage systems
One bill, HB0060 – Underage marriage – exceptions repeal, failed on a vote of 26-31-3.

The Committee of the Whole discussed and passed several bills including HB0014 – Mountain Daylight Time. HB 14 would keep Wyoming on Mountain Daylight time throughout the year, once three surrounding states do the same. I supported this bill.
HB0099 – Wyoming public lands day, a bill that I have cosponsored, instructs the Governor to proclaim a Wyoming "public lands day" annually "in recognition of the value of public lands to the state's economy, open spaces, wildlife and recreational opportunities."

Two bills, HB0128 – Senior property tax exemptions and HB0146 – Local government publication requirements, failed the Committee of the Whole. There are some constitutionality questions surrounding HB 128.

All bills can be viewed at https://www.wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2019

I can be reached at albert@albertsommers.com, with questions or concerns.
Thank you
________________________________________

Wednesday, January 23, 2019:
Hello Sublette County, this is Albert Sommers reporting to you from Cheyenne on Wednesday, January 23. Today, the House considered six bills on second reading.

Bills of note included:
HB0060 – Underage marriage – exceptions repeal. I amended this bill to allow marriage under the age of 18, if a judge approves the marriage and there is parental consent.
HB0084 – Wage equality – state employees and programs
Nine bills were considered in the House on third reading. Eight bills will be delivered to the Senate for consideration, including:
HB0022 – Teacher Accountability; I supported this bill.
HB0024 – National Board Teacher Certification; in the end I did not support this bill, because it had been changed too much.
HB220 passed Committee of the Whole today in the House. This bill would tax large retail stores and large hotels/resorts that have over 100 shareholders. Currently, big box stores, like Walmart, don’t pay a corporate tax in Wyoming, but do pay taxes in their home state on earnings generated in Wyoming. If they pay the tax in Wyoming, then that portion will be exempted in their own state. This is an attempt to capture some revenue from these large national firms.

I can be reached at albert@albertsommers.com, with questions or concerns.
Thank you