“Florida Bills” (mostly) fail at the Wyoming Legislature
Wyoming and Florida are worlds apart by most standards. But a raft of bills inspired by laws in the Sunshine State have come forth during the 2023 session, as so-called “Freedom Caucus” members seek to fight Critical Race Theory, transgender athletes, and other non-issues in Wyoming.
Lawmakers defeat bills targeting Wyo. public schools and libraries
Proposals brought by the so-called "Freedom Caucus" to divert public money to private and religious schools and to criminalize librarians for "obscene" books have all failed this session.
All the Wyo. Legislature’s unconstitutional abortion bans
Two bills poised to pass the Wyoming Legislature in 2023 double down on last year's "trigger ban" by adding further restrictions, including removing exceptions for incest and rape and banning pharmaceutical abortion. But both new laws will certainly be challenged in court and they likely will not stand.
Wyo Legislature once again looks to restrict primary voting
A Wyoming Senate Committee that has already killed one "crossover voting" ban during the 2023 legislative session is set to hear another—the last one standing. But party purists in years past have gone to great (and shady) lengths to restrict primary voting, so it's anyone's guess what will happen.
Freedom Caucus bill would prosecute Wyoming librarians as child pornographers
The bill would remove protections for librarians against overzealous government censorship, opening them up to prosecution for child pornography and obscenity. Fortunately, some in Wyoming are fighting back against banning books and demonizing librarians.
Will the Wyo. “Freedom Caucus” kill health coverage for new moms?
A bill to stop the rollback of Wyoming Medicaid coverage for uninsured new moms has broad support. Advocates for HB-4 say it will ensure the health and well-being of both mothers and their babies. But Freedom Caucus member Rep. Chip Neiman, who as House Majority Floor Leader can unilaterally kill any bill he wants, might not let it see the light of day.
Wyo. lawmakers propose first batch of post-Roe abortion laws
Two bills would follow last year’s “trigger ban” to further restrict reproductive rights, while a third would return Wyoming to its pre-2022 status quo.
Save the politicians, screw the people: “Redistricting” showed the bald self interest that drives the Wyoming Legislature
Members of the public made clear their wishes for better representation during the Wyoming Legislature’s 2022 “redistricting” process. But in the end, the chaotic ordeal confirmed that most lawmakers’ number one priority is protecting their own political interests.
Wyoming Legislature passes law to ban abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned
The Equality State will become the 13th in the nation with this kind of “trigger law,” which would put a ban into effect if the U.S. Supreme Court reverses its landmark reproductive rights decision.
Wyoming edges toward banning abortion
A bill moving through the Wyoming Legislature would completely ban abortion in the state—even in cases of rape and incest—in the event that the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. Another would immediately outlaw “abortion pills,” which can be more readily accessible for Wyoming women unable to travel great distances to end a pregnancy.
The progress of these bills demonstrates a radical shift over the past five years in the Legislature’s position on reproductive rights.
Wyoming Senate scraps “redistricting” plan in a reckless power play
County clerks, legislators, local officials, and members of the public worked for months to reach consensus on a new statewide election district map. On Tuesday, the Wyoming Senate voted to throw that plan in the trash and start from scratch with just seven days remaining in the 2022 legislative session.
The Senate’s move is a last-ditch attempt to give outsized influence to rural areas that have lost residents over the past decade, while under-representing more urban areas like Cheyenne that have experienced population growth.
Grassroots pushback prompts Wyo. lawmakers to think twice about splitting Southside Cheyenne’s vote
An amendment to the “redistricting” bill in the Wyoming House on Wednesday would have been a major setback for voting rights advocates for Southside Cheyenne. But Laramie County lawmakers responding to their constituents vowed to bring a fix on Thursday.