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As state money for special education dries up, Wyoming looks to Medicaid
Dwindling mineral revenues threaten Wyoming’s ability to provide costly special education services. Legislators can pursue federal Medicaid funds to help, like most states do. But they’re learning there’s no such thing as easy money.
Rod Miller explains Wyoming coal’s long, slow death [VIDEO]
Hell yes, there’s a War on Coal. It’s been going on a lot longer than you think it has. And coal’s enemies are not who or what you think they are.
Proposal would help stop corporations from sucking profits out of Wyoming
Corporations demand public services, but in Wyoming they don’t help pay for them. A new proposal advanced by the Legislature’s Revenue Committee last week would change that, while raising much-needed funding for Wyoming schools.
What Wyoming can learn about coal from the collapse of the fur trade
When the world switched from beaver-skin hats to silk hats in the 1800s, the fur trade plummeted. Instead of doubling down on pelts, smart fur-bearing states developed new industries.
Climate change creeps into Wyo Legislature tax reform talks
The Revenue Committee’s co-chair asked tax reform opponents: What happens if Wyoming continues to depend on revenues from carbon-based minerals while the rest of the world moves away from them?
Wyoming lawmakers’ push to seize control over environmental review process on federal lands echoes public land transfer fight
After failing in 2017 to lay the groundwork for wholesale state seizure of federal public lands, Wyoming lawmakers are working to take control of the “NEPA” process that governs new mining development on BLM and National Forest lands within the state.
PFLAG’s decades-long history of LGBTQ advocacy and support in Wyoming continues
PFLAG is the nation’s oldest and largest organization that unites parents and allies with the LGBTQ community. Chapters currently operate in four Wyoming towns. They provide support, community education, and advocacy—and more of them are forming.
Lawmakers defeat a slew of proposals to limit Wyoming voting rights—2019 Legislative recap
High drama, backroom tactics, zombie bills, and thwarted agendas all accompanied failed efforts to chip away at voting rights in Wyoming.
Wyoming legislators make no movement toward commonsense cannabis reform—2019 Legislative recap
Three proposals, dealing with medical cannabis and sentencing reform, lived short lives this session before dying at the hands of short-sighted lawmakers.
Lawmakers fail to figure out new revenues for Wyoming public school funding, but avoid further cuts—2019 Legislative recap
After three consecutive years of deep cuts to the Wyoming public education budget, the Legislature relented this session. But without stable sources of revenue, more school cuts are likely on the way.
The Wyoming Legislature defeated an LGBTQ workplace nondiscrimination bill. But the issue is as alive as ever. — 2019 Legislative recap
A proposal to ban workplace discrimination died at the same time a Senator’s anti-LGBTQ remarks brought national attention to Wyoming. Meanwhile, homophobic incidents continue to demonstrate the need for nondiscrimination policy.
Wyoming Legislature shoots down “big box” corporate income tax and all other revenue-generating bills — 2019 Legislative recap
You got a tax bill? The Legislature has a bullet. Along with the “big box” tax, lawmakers killed proposals to “modernize” Wyoming’s sales tax structure, tax tourism to promote the tourism industry, increase cigarette taxes, and every other tax-related bill this year.
Wyoming Legislature does nothing to address the “State of Insecurity” low-income folks face — 2019 Legislative recap
Efforts to raise Wyoming’s minimum wage, provide tax relief to very poor elderly and disabled people, and help fund food pantries all died this session.
Foster Friess’ Magic School Bill rides into the law books — 2019 Legislative recap
Gov. Mark Gordon allowed the bill to become law today without signing it. The debate over what Gordon called “flawed” legislation pitted “school choice” advocates against defenders of local control.
Wyoming’s new abortion reporting law will help anti-choice activists harass doctors and women — 2019 Legislative recap
It was the third law passed in three years in Wyoming to attack women’s reproductive rights. Prior to 2017, an anti-abortion law had not passed here in nearly 30 years. Three other anti-choice bills proposed in 2019 were defeated.