January 9, 2024 |
Photo – House Chamber in Cheyenne – Bigfoot99 file photo
The 2024 budget session of the Wyoming Legislature starts in five weeks. Lawmakers are busy now. Incoming legislation dealing with limitations on property tax increases, preventing child abductions, and allowing motorists to carry electronic vehicle registrations are among the proposals that have already been filed for consideration.
The 2024 session is slated as a 20-day budget session to convene on February 12 in Cheyenne.
While non-budget items can be introduced during a budget session, two-thirds majority vote of lawmakers must greenlight legislation to be considered. The high-hurdle has not stopped non-budget bills from being considered in recent years.
Wyoming alternates 40-day general sessions with 20-day budget sessions. While legislative committees hold hearings throughout the year on various topics, the full legislature does not convene in Cheyenne other than during the regularly scheduled general and budget sessions unless a special session is called to deal with emergency issues, such as COVID.
As of Monday morning, 47 bills had already been filed for consideration in the 62-member Wyoming House of Representatives, while another 39 had been filed in the 31-member Senate. Two joint resolutions have also been filed for the upcoming session.
Since lawmakers have until noon on February 14 to file bills with the Legislative Service office, the final number of proposed bills is likely to go much higher.
The 2024 session will run through Friday, March 8.
