Gov. Mark Gordon signed nine bills into law, line-item vetoed one and vetoed another on March 18.
Veto: Second Amendment Protection Act amendments
SF 196 expanded on the Second Amendment Protection Act that became law in 2022. That law prohibits the state and its departments from using state funds to enforce or cooperate with any regulation of the federal government that infringes on the rights guaranteed under the Second Amendment.
This year’s amendments added federal funds and expanded the act to prohibit cooperation or enforcement of any federal regulation regarding firearms, accessories or ammunition. It allowed civil action on anyone who violated the new law. This included aiding any federal agency. It also prohibited the state and its departments from hiring former employees of the U.S. government who may have enforced any of the regulations described in the act.
“I never expected Wyoming's Legislature would ratify an idea undermining law enforcement. To think our great state would take up a notion kindred to the "Defund the Police" efforts we have seen elsewhere in this country comes as a shock,” wrote Gordon in his explanation letter.
Over three pages, Gordon slammed lawmakers for not backing law enforcement but rather vilifying them, throwing reason and common sense out of the window and listening to out-of-state lobbyists.
“We are passionate about our gun rights and our support for law enforcement, veterans, and others willing to serve our nation and our state. We shouldn't need to pass boilerplates created in far-flung states that seek to fix problems we haven't seen in Wyoming. Wyoming is not a stooge and should not be willing to become one either,” he wrote.
Gordon said the Second Amendment Protection Act with its current language works and is enough.
Line-item vetoes: Repeal of the Strategic Investments and Projects Accounts
SF 169 would’ve repealed the Strategic Investments and Projects Accounts (SIPA). SIPA allows the state to invest capital gains. It also included two last-minute capital construction funds added after the Senate announced it wouldn’t be passing a supplemental budget.
Those included money to build the new State Shooting Complex and to update the security system at state correctional facilities.
Gordon criticized the Legislature for simplifying the budget by preventing the governor from using SIPA funds to create budget recommendations.
“As Wyoming's Treasurer, I witnessed a perennial struggle between the Legislature and the Governor over how to anticipate, and what to do with, capital gains, which are notoriously hard to predict. Rather than argue about how to engineer investment income for a particular purpose, I advocated for responsible investment policy and against an ever-present temptation to ‘harvest’ capital gains to meet budget goals,” Gordon wrote.
Gordon said without SIPA, Wyoming law doesn’t allow the governor to recommend any appropriations utilizing realized capital gains, which he said can be hundreds of millions of dollars in a biennia. He said this limitation is pointless since the governor can only recommend a budget, while the Legislature appropriates.
The governor also vetoed a section that would have terminated the Wyoming State Penitentiary Account (WSPA), a subaccount of SIPA.
Attached to the end of the bill, lawmakers allocated $10 million to fund the siting, construction and operation of the State Shooting Complex. While Gordon left those funds in place, he questioned the need to fund that project when there were more pressing construction projects, like a new veterans home.
“Our veterans, who have been waiting for this new facility for several years, can now wait even longer. Instead of meeting their needs at a time when inflation is more predictable, we will wait to address those needs when the cost of building is likely higher,” Gordon wrote.
Lastly, the bill only funded half of the estimated amount to replace security systems at state correctional facilities. Gordon vetoed that and appropriated the full amount, approximately $52 million, of the WSPA to the Department of Corrections. Only $18 million is needed to replace the security system, so Gordon said he will transfer the unused balance immediately thereafter.
Gordon made the law effective immediately so the construction projects can move forward without delay. He followed up by writing, “Something that all capital construction projects, if they had been considered and approved by the 68th Legislature, should have had the opportunity to do.”
Gordon has until midnight Friday to take action on the bills remaining on his desk.
The governor signed the following bills on Mar. 18. Click this link and search by bill number or title to see drafts of the bill. A regularly updated list of bills Gordon has signed, let become into law without his signature and vetoed is here.
Enrolled Act, Bill #, Bill Title
HEA0062 HB0318 Maintenance of voter lists.
HEA0065 HB0228 Prohibition on private funds for conducting elections.
HEA0071 HB0165 Ranked choice voting-prohibition.
HEA0076 HB0133 Sanctuary cities, counties and state-prohibition.
SEA0073 SF0174 Constitutional apportionment of legislators.
SEA0074 SF0166 Political party formation-amendments.
SEA0077 SF0057 911 service reporting.
SEA0081 SF0032 Unpaved roads speed limits-amendments.
SEA0090 SF0160 Treatment courts-amendments-2.
The Governor vetoed the following bill. Click on the bill for the Governor’s letter:
SEA0082 SF0196 Second Amendment Protection Act-amendments.
The Governor exercised his line-item veto authority on the following bill. Click on the bill for the Governor’s letter.
SEA0098 SF0169 Strategic investments and projects account-repeal.
