November 1, 2021 |
Lawmakers reconvene in Cheyenne this morning for Day five of the special session. When they left Friday, only two bills had survived. Fear over unintended consequences to small businesses or the loss of federal dollars if enacted and, of course, chased away supporters, many of whom said they came to the session ready to fight Washington.
For instance, Senate File 1003, would have outlawed discriminating against employees or customers over whether they had received COVID gene serum. By the time it reached third reading Friday, SF 1003 had been whittled down far with amendments. It was barely recognizable.
An amendment was added Friday that would have given parents the right to gain waivers from local school mandates for masks or vaccines. Democrat Chris Rothfuss of Laramie argued that parents should not have the power to overrule school districts. Senator Anthony Bouchard reminded the gallery that Albany County school district, which Rothfuss represents, called in Laramie police to detain an arrest a 16-year-old girl for refusing to wear a mask. Bouchard highlighted the hypocrisy of enforcement.
Senator Troy McKeown of Campbell County also called for parental control over the health decisions of their children. McKeown pointed out the absurd contradictions in school district decisions over mask mandates, pointing to his own county.
If school districts make contradictory and ham-fisted policies, so do state officials. Sen. Steinmetz said parents need greater control because state officials have overruled local officials without understanding the conditions on the ground.
Any mandate to vaccinate K-12 students would likely come from the state public health office. The amendment to SF 1003 to allow parents to seek waiver from local controls passed easily.
The consensus on the senate floor throughout all three readings of SF 1003 was that it was an imperfect bill. Senator Ed Cooper said while the bill speaks to mask mandates and being discriminated against at restaurants, movie theaters or sporting events, it’s ultimately about personal freedom.
Senator Cooper is from Thermopolis He recalled a trip 30 years ago to the former Soviet Union, and said bills like SF 1003 are lines in the sand against encroaching attacks on the individual freedoms of Americans.
SF 1003 was one of the bills that died on Friday, and with the amendment that put the power over masks and vaccines for public school children in the hands of parents. The vote on the bill was 13 “aye” and 15 “no.” Senator Larry Hicks of Baggs voted “aye.”
Of the 40 original bills in play a week ago, only two vaccine mandate bills remain alive. HB 1001 and 1002 both deal directly with employer and federal mandates for the gene therapy serum marketed to the public as a vaccine. They will be considered by the Senate today.
The Senate only approved one bill last week and it had nothing to do with vaccines mandates. SF 1019 cleaned up an error in language in a gaming bill passed earlier this year, but the House will not consider it. The special session could adjourn by mid-week with whatever legislation that clears the senate and reconciliation committees becoming law by Friday.
Related: Wyoming joins another multi-state lawsuit fighting COVID-19 vaccine mandates
