by Maggie Mullen, WyoFile It’s the beginning of the end of the federal funds that bailed Wyoming out of its last financial bust, according to Gov. Mark Gordon, who submitted his written budget recommendations to the Legislature on Friday and warned lawmakers of tough decisions that lie ahead in the 2024 legislative session. “The Legislature has […]
State Politics
Posted inEducation
Public funds for private schools? Lawmakers advance ‘education savings account’ bill
by Katie Klingsporn, WyoFile A measure to create “education savings accounts” using state funds for parents to pay for costs associated with their children’s preschool education or non-public-school expenses is headed to the legislative session, despite concerns it may not be constitutional. The Legislature’s Joint Education Committee advanced the bill on Wednesday. Under the measure, Wyoming parents whose […]
Posted inHealth
Wyoming will soon be down to one clinic offering abortions
by Madelyn Beck, WyoFile One of the two Wyoming clinics offering elective abortions will close in December. State lawmakers have been trying to restrict abortions here for years, but financial strain — including the rising costs of labor, supplies and rent — finally forced the closure, instead, according to a letter sent to patients. Wyoming’s two […]
Posted inPolitics
GOP hardliners say Gordon’s shifted on carbon. But he’s shared the same vision for years.
by Maggie Mullen, WyoFile When Gov. Mark Gordon took to the dais at the dawn of the 2023 legislative session, he made few, if any, surprising remarks in his State of the State address. He called for all people to have access to affordable, quality health care. He thanked veterans and deployed Wyoming National Guard members […]
Posted inWyoming
Lawmakers reject California’s property tax system despite GOP backing
by Maggie Mullen, WyoFile The Legislature’s Joint Revenue Committee narrowly rejected legislation on Monday that would have implemented an acquisition value-based property tax system in Wyoming to counter soaring home values. It was the committee’s final meeting ahead of the 2024 budget session and a conclusion to an off-season mostly defined by the debate over how […]
Posted inWyoming
Where does Gov. Gordon stand on transgender athletes? His letters raise questions
When Wyoming lawmakers passed a bill this spring banning transgender girls from competing in middle and high school girls’ sports, Gov. Mark Gordon criticized the move as both draconian and discriminatory. That characterization made it all the more interesting last week when Gordon joined eight other Republican governors in forcefully arguing against transgender women competing […]
Posted inWyoming
Ban on delta-8, ‘psychoactive’ hemp substances advances to Wyoming Legislature
by Madelyn Beck, WyoFile A bill to ban hemp substances with synthetic or “psychoactive” components is headed to the Wyoming Legislature, though many lawmakers agreed it’ll need more work when it gets there. “I don’t have any doubt that this is a work in progress,” said Sen. Bill Landen (R-Casper), who co-chairs the Joint Judiciary Committee. “But I […]
Posted inLegislature
State law can stymie police misconduct inquiries. Legislators may have a fix.
by Tennessee Watson, WyoFile t’s been five years since former Albany County sheriff’s deputy Derek Colling shot and killed Laramie-resident Robbie Ramirez. Yet, because of ambiguities in state law, the agency that certifies police officers in Wyoming still hasn’t been able to access Colling’s personnel records or complete its investigation of his fitness to serve. The […]
Posted inWyoming
Legislators want $50M to sue feds over environmental laws
by Angus M. Thuermer Jr., WyoFile Wyoming lawmakers want to earmark $50 million to sue the federal government over implementation of national environmental and natural resource laws. Lawmakers added the proposed $50 million appropriation to a draft bill — Federal land use plans-legal actions authorized — that the Joint Agriculture, State and Public Lands & Water Resources Committee […]
Posted inEnergy
Wyoming passes up federal funds to voluntarily close oil and gas wells
by Dustin Bleizeffer, WyoFile Gov. Mark Gordon announced this week the state will decline an invitation to apply for millions in federal Inflation Reduction Act funds aimed at shuttering low-producing oil and gas wells. The Mitigating Emissions from Marginal Conventional Wells program would pay the costs of voluntarily closing and remediating wells that produce less than the equivalent […]
Posted inWyoming
Study: California’s property tax system not a good fit for Wyoming
by Maggie Mullen, WyoFile As lawmakers debate solutions to rising residential property taxes in Wyoming, one popular option may cause harm and do little good. That’s the conclusion of a new state-funded report on implementing an acquisition value-based property tax system in Wyoming. As home values have swelled in most counties, so have property taxes. That’s because property […]
Posted inCourt
Pro-choice plaintiffs ask judge to skip trial, bar Wyoming abortion bans
Filing claims there are no disputes over facts, only points of law, lays out constitutional arguments.
Posted inWyoming
Agency that certifies Wyoming’s cops can’t access their files
by Tennessee Watson, WyoFile The state agency that certifies Wyoming’s law enforcement officers doesn’t have the authority it needs to effectively investigate misconduct violations, the agency’s top official says. The Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission has been repeatedly denied access to officers’ personnel records — including those belonging to controversial former Albany County sheriff’s deputy […]
Posted inWyoming
Delta-8 — AKA ‘diet weed’ — could be criminalized in Wyoming
Hemp-derived product creates similar, but often more mild, effects as marijuana. Its legality is tenuous, but it’s become a big business in Wyoming.
Posted inCounty
Natrona County GOP emphasizes transparency, civil debate at fundraiser
CASPER, Wyo. — The Natrona County Republican Party held a fundraiser on Thursday, Sept. 14 meant to call out the anonymous group or individual in charge of the website WyoRINO.com. The website labels legislators as RINOs, or “Republicans in Name Only,” if their views do not align perfectly with the site’s criteria on every issue, […]
Posted inOutdoors
Can a new designation help central Wyoming cash in on its rich history?
Proponents say rarely used federal heritage designation could put wind-swept region on the tourism map, though some in Natrona County are wary.
Posted inWyoming
Lawmakers punt on crossover-ban fix
Amid concerns that a new law inadvertently disenfranchises some voters, a legislative panel delayed a decision to an October meeting.
Posted inEnergy
Appeals court upholds regional haze plans for Wyoming coal plants
Conservation groups say industrial emitters in the state shouldn’t get a pass on the next round of regional haze efforts.
Posted inGovernment
Residents, officials, business leaders oppose Rocky Mountain Power rate increase en masse in Casper
CASPER, Wyo. — Over 150 people showed up to a public hearing at the Thyra Thomson State Office Building in Casper on Thursday night, with dozens more attending through Zoom, to reject the nearly 30% rate increase proposed by Rocky Mountain Power. No one present spoke in favor of the proposal. Rocky Mountain Power wants […]
Posted inWyoming
Crossover-voting ban, ‘Zuck bucks’ up for legislative review
The controversial bill is among a heap of election-related measures before a legislative committee meeting this week in Douglas.
Posted inPolitics
Senate candidate announces town hall meetings for Casper
CASPER, Wyo. — Reid Rasner, a Republican candidate for United States Senate, announced today that he will be hosting weekly town hall meetings across Wyoming. This will kick off his “We The People” tour, where he will be bringing a message of strength and leadership to the people of Wyoming, according to a press release […]
Posted inCommunity
How should the state govern political parties? A pair of election complaints seeks a change.
Republicans voted in support of two election complaints lodged against the Wyoming Democratic Party in order to dispute the way the state governs political parties.
Posted inWyoming
Gordon, EPA head agree on tech innovation to combat climate crisis
Both leaders tout Wyoming’s role in advancing carbon capture technologies, but state officials still critical of EPA’s ‘power plant rule.’
