CCSD1 reviews plan for more security cameras
Carbon County School District One is exploring its priories for school security upgrades. Thursday evening the maintenance director presented a plan to install more security cameras. Emma Diercks reports.
State lawmakers review budget and spending bills this week
By Jim O’Reilly
The Wyoming Legislature will tackle the state budget and government spending bill this week, beginning with a walk-through of the identical spending bills in both houses today. Lawmakers were given copies of the latest draft of the legislation on Friday to review over the weekend.
Senator Eli Bebout said that different members of the Joint Appropriations Committee will walk the senate through how all the money will be spent before amendments are allowed.
Typically, amendments to the appropriations bill ask for more spending in specific areas. Bebout said the goal of the JAC is that both bodies of the legislature will take a third and final vote on the spending bill on Thursday.
Meanwhile, tomorrow is the last day for House bills to be submitted to the LSO, the Legislative Service Office, for introduction. The deadline for new senate bills was last Thursday. The legislature is in session through February 27th.
Gun-free zone legislation flops on committee floor
By Jim O’Reilly
An attempt to revive Senate File 75 after it died in committee, failed on Friday. The bill to repeal gun free zones died in the Judiciary Committee Wednesday on a 3-2 vote.
Shortly after the session began Friday morning, Cheyenne Republican Anthony Bouchard, who sponsored the legislation, invoked a rarely used senate rule, and asked that the spiked bill be recalled and given a new chance at life in a different committee.
Debate was cordial, but pointed. Minority Floor Leader Chris Rothfuss expressed concerns about the precedent of ignoring the recommendation of a committee vote.
Senator Michael Von Flatern of Campbell County was one of the three members of the standing Judiciary Committee who voted no moving Senate File 75 forward last week. Von Flattern warned his colleagues against the practice of shopping for a committee that might vote differently.
Senator Cale Case of Lander was one of the few who rose to support the recall. Case noted that the procedure is allowed under senate rules.
Senator Larry Hicks of Baggs, who was a sponsor of the original bill in question, said he did not support the recall. The senate process is more important than the outcome in the case of Senate File 75, Hicks said.
Like it or not, Senator Hicks said, that is how the state senate works. After the lengthy debate, the motion to recall Senate File 75 failed with 20 notes, eight ayes and two excused.
Senator Charles Scott, the longest serving member of the senate, rose after the vote to commend his colleagues on keeping the tenor of the debate respectful despite the contentious nature of the issue and feelings over how the bill was processed.
With that, any attempt to repeal gun free zones in Wyoming is over for this session.
Organization jockeys for addition of wind production tax increase to ballot
A grass roots effort is underway to put a $4 per megawatt hour wind production tax increase on the 2020 general election ballot. The group, Wind Wyoming’s Way, also encourages dialogue from residents on the tax while it collects signatures. Emma Diercks has the story.
Local photographers encouraged to submit shots of Carbon County
The Carbon County Visitors Council is reminding area photographers of all skill levels to submit their best shots of the county. Cash prizes are up for grabs, and the winning photograph will be used to help promote Carbon County as a tourism destination. Cali O’Hare has the details.
Click here to visit the official contest website.
Sports: Post-season seeding starting to take shape
- Cowboy basketball team credits turnovers to loss against Boise State.
- Cowgirl basketball Head Coach Joe Legerski gets 300th win over conference leading Boise State.
- Path to the draft.
