Legislature Considers Education, Other Bills

With just two more weeks left in Wyoming’s legislative session, funding Wyoming’s education system is the main focus for many of the senators and representatives in Cheyenne.
Representative Scott Court of Cody says both the House and the Senate have plans to cut education at different levels – and for the next two weeks, negotiations between the two bodies will determine how that funding will take place.
Senator Hank Coe of Cody says that despite some rebound in the economy, the state is still short on funding for the public school system.
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However, Coe last week praised the Joint Appropriations Committee for their work in putting together and proposing a balanced budget in tough economic times.

Representative Court reported on the status of several other bills that will visibly affect Wyoming citizens. As of 6 p.m. Friday, Court says the “stand your ground” bill allowing immunity from criminal charges if a person shoots someone else in self defense without first retreating from the situation was approved in its second reading in House. Also, a senate file that would exempt oil and gas produced from new wells from severance taxes for two years was approved on first reading.
However, house bills that would have raised Wyoming’s minimum wage from $5.15 per hour to $9.50 was not introduced prior to the legislature’s deadline; neither was a bill that would have raised taxes on cigarettes by $1 per pack.