A look at various bills two weeks into the legislative session
BILL LUCKETT Star-Tribune capital bureau | Posted: Saturday, January 22, 2005 12:00 am
CHEYENNE - Bills on General File in either the House or Senate are awaiting their first action before the full membership of that chamber. The majority floor leaders (Rep. Roy Cohee, R-Casper, and Sen. John Schiffer, R-Kaycee) control the order in which the bills will be heard. They often make changes several times a day, so it is not always possible to tell exactly when either chamber will act on a bill that is on General File.
House bills
HB 3 would clarify the duties of county coroners, defining a coroner's case as one where the death was not anticipated or the deceased was unattended by a physician or licensed health care provider and had not been under the care of a physician for the previous 60 days.
Now the bill is awaiting action by the Senate, having passed third reading in the House.
HB 4 would designate the jackalope as the official mythical creature of Wyoming.
Now the bill is awaiting action by the Senate, having passed third reading in the House.
HB 13 would provide alternative methodology in valuing certain oil and gas production.
Now the bill is scheduled for a hearing Monday before the House Revenue Committee.
HB 17 would exempt livestock semen and embryo transplants from sales taxes.
Now the bill is awaiting action by the Senate, having passed third reading in the House.
HB 18 would remove the sales tax on herbicides and pesticides used in agriculture.
Now the bill is awaiting action by the Senate, having passed third reading in the House.
HB 41 would require the state veterinarian to establish and manage a list of contagious or infectious diseases deemed a threat to livestock.
Now the bill is on General File in the House.
HB 51 would repeal a plan for the so-called "three-tiered" high school diploma system, instead requiring students to show competency in five of nine areas - math, science, social studies, language arts, physical education, health, fine arts, foreign language, and career/vocational - to graduate.
Now the bill is scheduled for third reading Monday in the House.
HB 55 would make it a misdemeanor to knowingly hurt or kill a service dog that helps disabled people.
Now the bill is awaiting action by the Senate, having passed third reading in the House.
HB 66 would make it a misdemeanor for anyone to host a party where alcohol or drugs are possessed or used by minors.
Now the bill is on General File in the House.
HB 77 would prohibit hunting with a firearm within two miles of any municipality.
Now the bill is scheduled for a hearing Monday before the House Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources Committee.
HB 81 would remove would remove existing penalties of a misdemeanor charge and disqualification for office for failing to timely file campaign finance reports, replacing those penalties with a civil fine of up to $1,000.
Now the bill is awaiting action by the Senate, having passed third reading in the House.
HB 82 would provide for electronic licensing for hunting and fishing licenses, stamps and tags.
Now the bill is on General File in the Senate.
HB 165 would make it a misdemeanor for a government official to participate in a closed meeting he knows should be open to the public.
Now the bill is scheduled for second reading Monday in the House.
HB 176 would authorize construction of a 650-bed, $83 million, medium-security prison at Torrington.
Now the bill is scheduled for second reading Monday in the House.
HB 199 would allow direct-entry midwives to provide prenatal care and home delivery if licensed by the North American Registry of Midwives.
Now the bill is on General File in the House.
Senate files
SF 14 would create an intermediate permit for 16-year-old drivers, making people wait until they are 17 before they could get a full-blown driver's license.
Now the bill is on General File in the Senate.
SF 18 would clarify grain laws and change the license fees and bonding, insurance and audit requirements in the aftermath of the recent grain warehouse fraud case in Goshen County.
Now the bill is on General File in the Senate.
SF 37 would give the Wyoming Game and Fish Department $6.1 million for one year, most to fund some existing agency programs within the wildlife division, fish division, services division and fiscal division, while about $1.5 million would be used to fund new or expanded programs.
Now the bill is awaiting a hearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee after getting a favorable recommendation from the Senate Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources Committee.
SF 41 would establish a $75 million wildlife and natural resource trust fund. A board would hear requests from government agencies and nonprofit groups for projects that develop or enhance wildlife habitat.
Now the bill is scheduled for a hearing Tuesday before the Senate Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources Committee.
SF 46 would provide $710,000 for several teacher incentive programs, including a merit-based pay pilot program, an effort to encourage national board certification, and expansion of the Teacher of the Year program.
Now the bill is on General File in the Senate.
SF 47 would provide $44 million to help school districts deal with rapidly rising health insurance costs, to increase funding for voluntary full-day kindergarten, and to continue state aid for remedial summer school.
Now the bill is on General File in the Senate.
SF 60 would establish how people who own mineral rights can develop those minerals when they do not own the surface land, provide legal protections to the surface landowners, and establish guidelines for how the two parties must work together.
Now the bill is scheduled for third reading Monday in the Senate.
SF 63 would make it a felony to project body fluids or body waste at corrections officers or police.
Now the bill is scheduled for third reading Monday in the Senate.
SF 73 would increase fines tenfold for operators who violate Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission rules.
Now the bill is awaiting action by the House, having passed third reading in the Senate.
SF 121 would repeal term limits for state legislators and congressional members but keep them in place for the state's top five elected officials. Term limits for legislators and congressional members have been ruled unconstitutional.
Now the bill is on General File in the Senate.
SF 126 would reduce the speed limit from 75 mph to 65 mph on interstates for vehicles with a gross vehicle weight or weight rating of more than 26,000 pounds.
Now the bill is on General File in the Senate.
SF 127 would give the Wyoming Department of Transportation roughly $36 million a year to design, build and maintain four-lane highways in the state, with roads impacted by mineral development being the highest priority.
Now the bill is awaiting a hearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee after getting a favorable recommendation from the Senate Transportation, Highways and Military Affairs Committee.
Capital bureau reporter Bill Luckett can be reached at (307) 632-1244 or at bill.luckett@casperstartribune.net.