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Already behind, Wyoming women hit hard by COVID crisis
Low-wage workers living paycheck-to-paycheck are least prepared to grapple with layoffs and cut hours resulting from the COVID crisis. By far, most low-wage workers in Wyoming are women.
Governor Gordon can and should stop COVID-related evictions in Wyoming
As unemployment spikes during the pandemic, Wyoming workers are increasingly unable to make housing payments. Federal measures and the goodwill of banks and landlords do not offer Wyoming families the housing protections they need.
Legislature passes a bill making it easier for Wyoming communities to tax themselves
The increased ability for towns and counties to raise revenues is a nod toward diversifying Wyoming’s tax structure. But because the new revenues will come from sales tax, they will come at the highest cost to the state’s poorest residents.
Wyoming schools spared deep funding cuts despite the Senate’s best efforts
A veto by Governor Mark Gordon helped House education advocates fend off severe funding cuts pushed by the Senate throughout the Wyoming Legislature’s 2020 session. But they couldn’t stop them all.
Wyoming House advances last surviving abortion bill of the budget session
The bill would criminalize doctors who fail to perform life-saving measures for infants meant to be aborted but that are accidentally “born alive”—a law that would rarely, if ever, be applied in Wyoming, since abortions after 12 weeks are illegal here and fetuses are not viable until at least 20 – 23 weeks. Two other anti-abortion bills have been defeated.
Wyoming Senate President singlehandedly kills two antipoverty bills
A tax rebate program for elderly and disabled poor people and a cost-of-living increase for retired state workers both passed the House. But the bills died in the desk of Senate President Drew Perkins, who refused to introduce them for consideration.
Cranky old guy coalition kills childcare reimbursements for Wyoming legislators
Wyoming’s Legislature is overwhelmingly made up of rich old men who have the time and money to serve as “citizen” lawmakers. The budget measure they defeated would have made the Legislature more accessible to younger working people.
Gov. Mark “King Coal” Gordon to receive $1 million annual Wyoming coal marketing budget
The program won’t be enough to impact global markets, but it will help distract state residents from the fact that there is no plan to transition Wyoming away from dependence on a dying industry.
Wyoming Senate approves software purchase to study state ownership of federal public lands
The proposal is pushed by Ken Ivory, a longtime public land transfer advocate and lobbyist for the software company lined up to get the half-million-dollar contract.
Four ways to cut school funding: House and Senate at odds as education budget negotiations begin
The Senate is proposing nearly $40 million less than the House for the state education budget, looking to cut funding for cost-of-living raises, transportation, discretionary funds, and compensation for National Board Certified teachers.
“An honest first step”: Wyoming Senate passes statewide lodging tax
The Legislature’s approval of an actual tax increase suggests that lawmakers understand cuts alone can’t fix Wyoming budget crisis.
Wyoming House advances oil tax break that would cost the state millions
A proposed severance tax break for Wyoming oil and gas companies is meant to prop up the industries. But markets—not tax rates—have historically determined production levels.
Lawmakers seek a new route to “the Orient” for Wyoming’s “green coal”
A bill would give a tax break to coal companies who ship their coal from Wyoming to Asia through ports in Canada and Mexico.
Legislature strongarms University of Wyoming over student health insurance abortion coverage
Lawmakers used budget amendments last week to force UW to re-negotiate its student group insurance plan to remove abortion coverage. This is despite the fact that student insurance consists of private plans paid for with private funds.
After last year’s defeats, bills return to reinforce Wyoming GOP power
Bills to ban “crossover voting” in party primaries and to decrease minority party participation in the Legislature’s Management Council died in 2019. New, less strident versions are back in 2020.