March 12th 2026 |
Photo – Courtesy of the Rawlins Police Department
Local law enforcement praised Governor Gordon’s veto of the Second Amendment Protection Act.
The Carbon County Sheriff’s Office and the Rawlins, Sinclair, Hanna, Encampment, and Saratoga Police Departments and Marshals Offices, issued a joint media release on Wednesday thanking the governor. The agencies were joined by state lawmakers, as well. State Senator Larry Hicks and Representatives Pam Thayer and Bob Davis thanked the governor for opposing Senate File 101.
While the bill passed both the Wyoming State Senate and the House, Governor Mark Gordon vetoed the measure.
Speaking to Bigfoot99, Rawlins Police Chief Mike Ward said state lawmakers claimed the bill was intended to prevent Wyoming law enforcement from assisting the federal government in enforcing any bans on weapons, magazines, or accessories. However, Chief Ward described Senate File 101 and its associated Senate Enrolled Act as “wolves in sheep’s clothing,” with the wolf being the wording of the bills and the sheep being the Second Amendment.
The chief said that even a cursory reading reveals that the measure does nothing to protect Second Amendment rights of Wyoming citizens. Chief Ward said Senate File 101 reads as anti‑law enforcement and pro‑criminal.
The measure would have also allowed citizens to file $50,000 civil lawsuits against police departments if their guns are seized.
Chief Ward said any bill that makes law enforcement officers criminals for doing their job has a direct impact on the safety of all Wyoming residents. The police chief offered an example of how Senate File 101, if passed, would have impacted his ability to work with federal agencies in a negative way.
Chief Ward said if he arrested a suspect on a federal warrant and found a gun in the individual’s vehicle, he would take the firearm for safekeeping. In that situation, if the federal government decided to pursue a firearms offense, the chief said hypothetically he would be in violation of the law.
Proponents of Senate File 101 claim that the measure is necessary to prevent Wyoming law enforcement officers from complying with any federal gun‑confiscation efforts. Chief Ward said the United States Constitution and existing state law already prohibit the federal government from seizing firearms without due process.
Chief Ward said that during his decades of experience, he has never witnessed federal agents confiscate any banned items, including firearms, from law‑abiding citizens. Instead, he said federal agents focused on arresting criminals who had no business being armed in the first place.
Both Governor Mark Gordon and acting ICE Director Todd Lyons issued letters opposing Senate File 101, arguing that its steep penalties would hinder local law enforcement cooperation on human trafficking and international firearms cases. The Wyoming Association of Sheriffs and Chiefs of Police shared the same concerns.
Chief Ward said Senate File 101 not only criminalized police for doing their jobs, but the legislation was also unnecessary because all peace officers are already sworn to uphold the Constitution.
Despite being sponsored by Wyoming Senator Bo Biteman, Senate File 101 resembles legislation introduced in Missouri by the Gun Owners of America. The Missouri Second Amendment Preservation Act, which passed in 2021, also includes a $50,000 civil penalty for state law enforcement agencies that help the federal government enforce certain firearms regulations.
In 2023, U.S. District Judge Brian Wimes ruled the law unconstitutional, stating it violated the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution. The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the ruling the following year and the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Missouri’s appeal.
In his veto letter, Governor Mark Gordon criticized Wyoming’s version of the bill as “boilerplates created in far-flung states.”
Rawlins Police Chief Ward questioned why gun‑advocacy groups, including the Gun Owners of America, are seeking to criminalize police officers.
While Senate File 101 appeared to enshrine Wyoming’s commitment to the Second Amendment, Chief Ward said that is not the case. The police chief recommended reading the language of the bill to see that it is not what it purports to be.
Chief Ward also recommended reading acting ICE Director Todd Lyons and Governor Gordon’s letters of opposition.
Supporters of Senate File 101 and Missouri’s Second Amendment Preservation Act often cite the famous Ben Franklin line, “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety
Chief Ward said people should read the bills themselves before deciding on their intent.
Chief Ward said the opposition from all 23 Wyoming sheriffs and most police chiefs should prompt residents and lawmakers to take a closer look at the issue.
The Wyoming Legislature failed to secure the two‑thirds majority needed to overturn Governor Gordon’s veto Wednesday afternoon.
Senate File 101 is now dead on arrival, could return in another form next year.
