Wyoming Senate

Both Chambers have finished amending their versions of the state’s budget for the next two years. Now, a joint committee will work to negotiate a unified bill before sending it to the governor.

The House rejected its own recalibration bill twice. The version it’s receiving from the Senate includes higher teacher salaries, among other amendments.

As they prepare to give the state budget a final look, Wyoming’s two chambers will begin with radically different versions of what was once an identical bill.

A pair of bills adjusting the Hathaway Scholarship program is heading to the House. The scholarship is available to every in-state high school graduate and financially helps many students attend community college or the University of Wyoming.

Taft Love of Cheyenne was unanimously chosen to fill the vacancy left by Darin Smith's appointment to be the state's new U.S. district attorney.

Senators are frustrated with a late-stage amendment.

Lawmakers are still discussing the details of rebuilding a new dam, as the Wyoming State Engineer's office prepares for a breach in less than three months.

Wednesday was the last day for senators to introduce bills in the legislative general session. 197 Senate Files had been introduced. That’s compared to 324 House bills.

The “Ban on cell phone use in schools” act aims to limit student phone usage during class time. The bill, supported by some educators, seeks to reduce distractions and cyberbullying, while opponents argue it undermines local control and could impact student safety.

Wyoming’s Speaker of the House and veteran of the Cowboy State lawmaking world, Albert Sommers, will be out of politics for now. This political upset in the primaries marks a larger shift in state politics – aligning more with the farther-right Freedom Caucus.