Legislators prepare for next week’s budget bill discussions, continue debate on introduced bills
In the fourth week of the 2015 General Session of the Wyoming Legislature, Wyoming’s 60 citizen legislators continued to work toward improving the future of the state.
This week, Feb. 6 marked the last day for bills to be reported out of Committee in the house of origin.
Next week also brings several deadlines. Feb. 9 is the last day for Committee of the Whole (CoW) in the house of origin, and Feb. 10 is the last day for second reading in the house of origin. Feb. 11 marks the last day for third reading on bills in their house of origin.
The week of Feb. 9 also marks the introduction of the supplemental budget bill, House Bill 1 and Senate File 1 – General Government Appropriations. On Feb. 11, each body will receive identical “mirror” copies of the bill to debate.
Second reading of the bill is expected on Feb. 17, followed by third reading on Feb. 19.
During the week of Feb. 23, the bodies will begin the process of reconciling the differences between the final House and Senate versions of the budget bill. Appropriation committee members first explain the differences between the final versions of the budget bills to their respective houses. It is anticipated that a joint conference committee will be appointed and meet upon conclusion of the floor debate to resolve differences between the House and Senate versions of the budget bill. After each chamber votes to concur on the conference committee’s action, the bill will be sent to the Governor for his consideration.
The Governor has the authority to line item veto individual items within a budget bill. Any vetoes will then be considered by both chambers, which have the authority to override any vetoes.
During this session, 246 House Bills (HB), 11 House Joint Resolutions (HJ), 146 Senate Files (SF) and seven Senate Joint Resolutions (SJ) were filed. The bill status provided here is current as of Feb. 6 at 8:30 a.m.
House Bills
HB 1 – General Government Appropriations – House Introduced and Referred to CoW
HB 4 – Prohibited livestock grazing – House Failed in Committee
HB 8 – Landowner indemnification – Senate Referred to Agriculture
HB 18 – Drone Protection Act – Senate Referred to Judiciary
HB 35 – Boards and Commissions – Senate Received for Introduction
HB 56 – Wyoming Food Freedom Act – Senate Received for Introduction
HB 70 – Omnibus Water Bill – Construction – Senate Referred to Agriculture
HB 75 – Balanced Budget Compact – Senate Referred to Rules
HB 95 – Heavy Vehicle and Commercial Driver’s License – House Referred to Transportation
HB 100 – Highway Funding – Senate Received for Introduction
HB 108 – Trespass – Landowner Liability – Senate Received for Introduction
HB 121 – Constitutional Convention – Limitations – House Passed Third Reading
HB 124 – Determination of Highway Rights-of-Way on Federal Land – Senate Received for Introduction
HB 133 – United Nations Agenda 21 – Prohibition on Implementation – House Referred to Appropriations
HB 165 – Access to Public Land – Failed House Committee of the Whole
HB 203 – Livestock Brands – Reciprocity – House Failed Committee of the Whole
HB 209 – Transfer of Federal Lands – House Passed on Second Reading
HJ 1 – Regulation of Freedom – Senate Received for Introduction
HJ 2 – State Superintendent of Public Instruction – House Referred to Education
HJ 3 – Free-Roaming Wild Horses – House Referred to Agriculture
HJ 4 – Balanced Budget Amendment – Senate Received for Introduction
HJ 6 – Wyoming Local Food Production – Senate Received for Introduction
Senate Files
SF 1 – General Government Appropriations – Senate Received for Introduction
SF 4 – Dry Bean Research – House Received for Introduction
SF 7 – Tethering Dogs – Senate Referred to Judiciary
SF 9 – Right to Farm – House Received for Introduction
SF 10 – Education Administration – House Received for Introduction
SF 12 – Trespassing to Collect Data – House Received for Introduction
SF 29 – Motor Vehicle Drivers License Exemptions – House Received for Introduction
SF 30 – Camp Guernsey – Range Management Fund – House Received for Introduction
SF 36 – Personal Identifying Information – Definitions – House Received for Introduction
SF 37 – State Protection of Date Privacy – House Received for Introduction
SF 43 – Wyoming Telecommunications Act Revisions – Senate Passed on Second Reading
SF 44 – Large Project Funding – House Received for Introduction
SF 46 – Fire Misdemeanors – House Received for Introduction
SF 51 – Water Development – Amendments – House Received for Introduction
SF 55 – Omnibus Water Bill – Planning – House Received for Introduction
SF 56 – Study on Transfer of Public Lands – House Received for Introduction
SF 63 – Predator Ownership – House Received for Introduction
SF 68 – Property Rights Ombudsman – Senate Placed on General File
SF 69 – Nonresident Allocation of Game Licenses – Senate Referred to Travel
SF 80 – Trespassing to Collect Data – Civil Cause of Action – House Received for Introduction
SF 126 – Water Quality – House Received for Introduction
SF 133 – Bighorn Sheep Relocation – Senate Placed on General File
SF 134 – Bighorn Sheep Plan – Senate CoW Passed
SF 137 – Farm License Plates – House Received for Introduction
SJ 1 – Right of Privacy – Constitutional Amendment – Failed Senate CoW
SJ 4 – Constitutional Convention – Senate Referred to Rules
SJ 5 – State Superintendent of Public Instruction – Senate Referred to Education
SJ 6 – Sage Grouse – Senate Re-referred to Agriculture
If you have any particular bills that you are interested in us following up on, please email the bill name and number to roundup@wylr.net.
Updates on the legislative session will be provided each week for the remainder of the session. However, the most up-to-date information on each bill is available at wyoleg.gov.
Saige Albert is managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup and can be reached at saige@wylr.net.
