February 11, 2008

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The 59th Wyoming Legislative Session opened with much anticipation for a budget session. Governor Freudenthal talked about discipline in his State of the State address. Discipline is near and dear to a parent’s heart but not usually top in the minds of legislators in a state with a surplus of funds. Governor

LEGISLATIVE
SERVICE OFFICE -
STATUS OF BILLS
Information compiled at 17:31:05 on Monday, February 11, 2008

encouraged the policy makers to be cautious on spending, not to decrease in any areas but be wary of making increases line items in the budget for the next generation to fund. The governor reminded the audience that Wyoming is responsible for 1-0% of the energy supplied for the United States. He states that we have the opportunity to grow and maintain but we must be careful of the looming recession and other economic factors that may hinder our growth.

The Senate began the session first. They welcomed two new Senators, taking the place Senator Bob Peck who passed away and Senator John Barraso, who was assigned the late Senator Craig Thomas seat at the US Senate.

The House welcomed two new Representatives as well. Once the housekeeping for both sides was done and they enjoyed musical entertainment from a Buffalo and Cheyenne High School group, they set off to attack the numerous bills and files.

Only 10 bills and files failed introduction on the first day of the session. Committee meetings will begin in earnest on Tuesday and things will begin to move to committees and readings. Some of those included the Bar and grill Liquor licenses, abandoned vehicles, a bill on health and social welfare, school vehicles, Federal grazing permits, and others.

We encourage you to contact your Representative or Senator on topics that concern you and affect your area. Click on the link to the Wyoming Legislative page and check here for daily updates.

February 12, 2008

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Committee meetings started this morning with bills and files approved for introduction on the first day. The House went through many bills and approved introduction for many of them. Fifteen bills were on the consensus list and three were removed for individual vote. A few of the bills that failed introductions were House Bill 18, House Bill 62 which dealt with illegal immigration, and House Bill 72 which addressed unemployment benefits to people who fail a drug test.

LEGISLATIVE SERVICE OFFICE - STATUS OF BILLS
Information compiled at 17:03:46 on Tuesday,
February 12, 2008

In the middle of the afternoon session of the house, Representative Steve Harshman from Casper introduced two special guests. The first was the director for the Wyoming Boys and Girls Club. Then, Representative Harshman introduced Joelon Jackson, a senior from Casper. He played in a basketball game last night in Green River, which Casper won, got home about 11:30, and then got up to come to Cheyenne to the State Boys and girls contest. Joelon is a finalist for the Daniels Award. Representative Harshman announced that Joelon had won the Wyoming State Boys and Girls Club Award. He is also All Conference Football and a varsity player for the basketball team. Joelon is an exceptional example of Wyoming Youth succeeding in sports, life, and community. He will go on to Texas in June to compete for the National Boys and Girls Club to win a $10,000 scholarship. Congratulations Joelon!

Committee meetings hit families and youth hard tomorrow with the Juvenile Justice Reform and TANF Funds reform. Tomorrow at noon is the deadline for bills to be in final draft form to be introduced this session. Remember to contact your Representative or Senator if on of the bills is of interest to you. The best way is to send a personal note through the mail. You can send it directly to the Capitol and they will receive it. Personal notes are few and far between, whereas the policy makers are overwhelmed with emails. Log onto the Legislative page for addresses and phone numbers.

February 13, 2008

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February 14, 2008

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February 15, 2008

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LEGISLATIVE SERVICE OFFICE - STATUS OF BILLS
Information compiled at 17:47:11 on Friday, February 15, 2008

February 18, 2008

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LEGISLATIVE SERVICE OFFICE - STATUS OF BILLS
Information compiled at 18:20:36 on Monday, February 18, 2008

February 19, 2008

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Today, the House and Senate had a nice visit from Junior Senator Barasso.  He received a standing ovation on both sides when he commented on what Wyoming Legislature is doing right.  Wyoming has a balance budget, the Federal Government does not, there is bipartisan cooperation, and the Federal Government does not.  The Nursing Association also visited the Senate and House sides with recent graduates,

LEGISLATIVE SERVICE OFFICE - STATUS OF BILLS
Information compiled at Tuesday, February 19, 2008

and the Director of the Nursing Association.  Senate File 93, Child Care revisions, went to the Agriculture Committee late after the Senate recessed from a grueling day of budget amendments and first readings.  Senator Perkins brought two guests to speak for the bill.  In essence, it will amend the existing statute to include grandparents so that they may watch three non related children in their home and three related children at the same time, up to six but no more than three related children.  The Department of Family Services, Wyoming Children Action Alliance, and Prevent Child Abuse Wyoming were also present to speak about the amendment.  All in the room were for grandparents stepping in to care for their grandchildren.  But with the caveat that the children were in safe, secure, healthy, and fun environments.  Often, the grandparents will take on more than they are capable of to assist their struggling children.  The amendment is good but needs some special considerations to make sure that the best interest, safety, and concern is looked after for the children.  The file was unanimously voted out of the Agriculture Committee and will go in front of the Senate some time this week.

February 20, 2008

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The Second reading of the Budget took precedence over the House and Senate today.  Both sides went well into the late afternoon and early evening.  According to the rules of the Legislature, there needs to be one day between the second and third reading of the budget.  The transportation Committee on the Senate side met upon adjournment to discuss the TANF Amendments. 

LEGISLATIVE SERVICE OFFICE - STATUS OF BILLS
Information compiled at 20:55:04 on Wednesday, February 20, 2008

House Bill 59 discusses raising assistance levels and allowing for annual adjustments as well as amending the eligibility requirements by removing the limit on the value of excluded motor vehicles.  This bill has already made it through the House and is up in Committee on the Senate side.  On Second reading on the House side, House Hill 13, Psychology Licensure passes, as well as House Bill 43, Penalties for Domestic Violence, House Bill 46, Abuse of Animals, the dog fighting bills.  On Third Reading on the House side, House Bill 44 passed with a vote of 55-5 for Crime Victims’ Compensation.  The Senate didn’t discuss any General Files.  One House Bill that you may want to look at is House Bill 128.  It is not a child friendly Bill and actually doesn’t do much good for the parents as well.  The Central Registry in Wyoming exist in order to provide employers information on specific individuals who authorize and pay a fee to look into the registry to see if they have had an investigation or a substantiation of Child Abuse.  The registry is only available to employers who have first hand contact with children.  No other employers, lenders, landlords, or lay people can look into the registry, nor can employers who fit the criteria receive a list of everyone in there.  They must have authorization from the individual and only then do they receive notification of that persons standing on the registry.  If this bill passes, it will broaden the rights of parents at the expense of the children.  The Department of Family Services is undergoing and audit through the Legislative Service Offices which should be finished in the early spring.  The recommendation from Prevent Child Abuse Wyoming is to wait until the audit is completed, see what findings they have and close the loopholes in the registry to make it work more effectively not at the expense of the children.  Your voice does count, especially in Wyoming when our representatives live next door to us and have to look you in the eye when they come home.  Get involved and call your representative today.

February 21, 2008

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The ninth day of the Legislature was a packed day for third reading amendments to the budget as well as both sides of the legislature trying to get the General File cleaned up.  Prevent Child Abuse Wyoming had many still on General File.  House Bill 13, Psychologist Licensure passed on third reading in the House  Bill 46, Abuse of Animals, passed on third reading as well and moves to the Senate.  House Bill 43, Penalties for Domestic Violence, passed on third reading as well as House Bill 97, Juvenile Hearings.  They will both move to the Senate.  House Bill 128, Central Registry, which we discussed yesterday failed to pass, which is what we wanted. 

House Bill 1412, Forcible Entry and detainer Amendments passed the General File and House Bill 102, Quality Child Care, passed the general file.  The other bills on the House side we were watching that made it off of General File were Development Preschool Funding, HB 117, HB 98 Speech Pathologist Licensing, and HB 137 Castle Doctrine. 

One the Senate side, Senate File 31, Domestic Violence counseling period passed the General File, SF 66, Community Juvenile services passed the General File, SF 93, Child Care facility certification was pulled from consideration by its sponsor Senator Perkins.  This file addressed the ability of a grandparent to watch up to 3 related children and three unrelated children in their home.  Although Prevent Child Abuse Wyoming supports grandparents being involved in a child’s life, there needs to be more consideration for the child’s safety and well being, not just consideration for the grandparent to make money while watching related children. 

The First Lady’s Luncheon was held on Thursday at The Plains.  In attendance were many of the spouses of the Representatives and Senators as well as elected officials better halves.  There is a story from Zig Zigler.  The Mayor of San Francisco is showing a visiting dignitary a new building project on the poorer part of town.  The wives of both officials ware with them.  During the visit, one of the constructi0on workers calls out to the Mayors wife.  He is an old love interest of hers.  After the visit, the Mayor says, “Well, honey, just think, if you would have married him, you would be a construction workers wife.”  His wife calmly replies, “No, honey.  If I would have married him, he would be Mayor.”  It’s not always the person in the seat; it is the support and respect behind them.  The luncheon honored the unnamed people responsible for policy changes in Wyoming.

February 22, 2008

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February 25, 2008

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February 26, 2008

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LEGISLATIVE SERVICE OFFICE - STATUS OF BILLS
Information compiled at 17:55:08 on Tuesday, February 26, 2008

February 27, 2008

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LEGISLATIVE SERVICE OFFICE - STATUS OF BILLS
Information compiled at 17:11:16 on Wednesday, February 27, 2008

February 28, 2008

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The session is beginning to wind down tot he final week.  Rumor has it that they may adjourn for the year on Wednesday instead of Friday.  Both sides of the legislature are ahead of schedule on bill readings.  Many of the 35 bills Prevent Child Abuse Wyoming was following have failed or have been assigned a number for signature by the Governor to be enacted into law.  Some of the failures were justified in the eyes of Prevent Child Abuse Wyoming.  Today, the Senate discussed the House Bill on Juvenile Justice and the amount of time between the disclosure and the trial date.  Only District Court Judges can try a juvenile court case.  They can pass off other cases on their docket but they have to keep all of the juvenile cases.  Senator Scott from Casper took offences with this bill stating that 120 days from the existing 60 days was too long to keep children in limbo, in foster care or in detention.  Senator Ross made good arguments for the bill stating that if not given proper lead time for a case, judges may not rule appropriately for the children.  And in the interim of the court hearing, the Guardian Ad Lidem is in care and custody of the child’s best interest.  The bill failed by 10 votes to 19 and one excused. 

Friday will bring many general files up since it is the last day for any bill to be reported out of committee in the second house.  This is another chance for a bill to die before ever reaching the floor.

February 29, 2008

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Friday was a quick day for both houses.  This was the last day for a bill to make it out of a committee of the second house.  Sunday evening is the Republican Party Roast for Senator Schiffer and Representative Cohee.  Next week is the last week of the session.  Committees begin to discuss interim study topics.  If you have something you would like to be addressed in the next session, next week is the time for you to get over to the capitol and speak to your representatives or Senators.  You might also want to drop them a personal note in the mail reviewing your idea and thanking them for their service.  One of the interim studies that Prevent Child Abuse Wyoming is looking at is Corporal Punishment in our schools.  Wyoming has a statue that is no longer used in all but two of the school districts allowing for corporal punishment as a form of discipline.  Watch for more on this through the Judiciary and Joint Judiciary Committees in the coming months.

Go to Legislative Updates for March 2008>

To reach the Prevent Child Abuse
Wyoming office please call:

1-800-CHILDREN or (307) 637-8622

We are located at:
See Map
2603 Warren Avenue
Cheyenne, WY 82001
FAX: (307) 635-7755

Email: info@pcawyoming.org