February 29, 2024 |
Photo – Capitol Building in Cheyenne – Bigfoot99 file photo
The Wyoming House, in a diversion from contemporary issues such as preferred pronouns, transgender treatments and sex traffickers, dived into the old issue of brand inspections on Wednesday.
Senate File 12, which requires hide buyers to keep records of purchased hides or pelts was placed on general file in the House. The legislation also repeals existing provisions related to the inspection of hides.
The legislation narrowly passed the Senate on February 15 by 17-14 vote. Senator Larry Hicks of Carbon County was an aye vote.
On Wednesday, Rep. Dalton Banks of Powell, Wyoming, teed up the bill for lawmakers in the House.
Banks described the legislation as a clean-up bill.
Representative Sandy Newsome, also of Park County, who worked for a time as a meat inspector, said she is unclear why the hide inspection is not considered important at this time.
Another lawmaker wondered if the law change was about the current economics. Rep. Ryan Berger asked if the price of cattle goes up will the legislature have to revisit the issue.
The response from Representative Banks indicated the softness of the market for meat in Wyoming and the lack of business infrastructure.
The answer did not satisfy Rep. Jennings, who asked why the inspection was put into place originally before politicians vote to remove it.
None of the lawmakers knew the answer to the question. John Ecklund, Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, took a stab, saying that there’s good trail of evidence.
House Speaker Albert Sommers expressed concern that the bill would open Wyoming back up to cattle theft from an earlier time in state history.
Representative Sommers said he was concerned that the bill, as written, would open the state back up to the old days of cattle theft.
Rep Banks responded to the House Speaker saying the bill of sale accompanies the hide.
Senate 12 then went to vote for introduction and was accepted by House members with only a few objections.
