On the final day to introduce bills for the 2024 budget session, an avalanche of last-minute proposed legislation successfully received the two-thirds vote to advance in the Wyoming Senate.

The nature of these bills target hot topic issues including gender-affirming care, diversity programs in state agencies and promoting gun access.

Gun rights

Fatal shootings in both Sheridan and Cheyenne occurred this week within days of each other. The Sheridan community mourned the loss of Sgt. Nevada Krinkee, who was shot and killed Tuesday in his attempt to serve a trespass warning, as reported in The Sheridan Press. Two days later, a shooting in Cheyenne left one person dead and two injured; it is currently being investigated by the Cheyenne Police Department.

Two bills sponsored by Sens. Bo Biteman (R-Ranchester) and John Kolb (R-Rock Springs) passed the introduction vote Friday. Senate File 109, “Prohibit Red Flag Gun Seizure Act,” sponsored by Biteman, bans red flag gun laws in Wyoming. Red flag gun laws have been enacted in some states, where a firearm can be taken away from a person who is deemed as a threat to themselves or others.

“The biggest threat to our gun rights in the state of Wyoming right now is red flag policy,” Biteman said. “Red flag gun seizure is taking your guns and your Second Amendment rights away from you without due process.”

He added there are provisions in the bill that contemplate domestic violence orders and protective orders, which the senator referred to as “reasonable, common sense exceptions.”

Kolb introduced SF 86, “School safety and security- funding,” which allocates up to $100,000 from the Wyoming Department of Education into a firearm on school property account, should a school opt-in to this policy. He said it was a simple funding mechanism for schools that opt-in to a firearm policy, which is already available under school safety and security.

Gender-affirming care 

Sen. Anthony Bouchard (R-Cheyenne) brought up a bill similar to one that failed to pass last year prohibiting minors in Wyoming from receiving gender-affirming care. 

SF 99, “Chloe’s law-children gender change prohibition,” prohibits any physician from performing gender- affirming care on a minor. The bill lists penalties for any physician violating this law, including revoking or suspending their license.

“What this bill does is that it has teeth in it. It says you can’t do it in Wyoming,” Bouchard said. “You can’t change the sex of a minor.”

Another bill sponsored by Bouchard related to gender- affirming care also passed its introductory vote. SF 98, “Statute of limitations-medical procedures on minors,” allows a minor to sue a physician for performing any gender-affirming care on them before they turn 21.

Invalid driver’s license, DEI programs

The Biden administration has long faced criticism from right-wing lawmakers at both the state and federal levels for the crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border. Gov. Mark Gordon has announced that he stood with Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott in his views to tighten the southern border.

A bill introduced and sponsored by Bouchard would invalidate out-of-state driver’s licenses or driving operating privilege cards given to non-U.S. citizens. These driver’s licenses are already not offered under current Wyoming statute. SF 120, “Driver’s licenses- unauthorized alien restrictions,” would invalidate any driver’s license in this circumstance.

“This is a good little bill, but it has a big voice in standing with the border states,” Bouchard said.

Biteman introduced SF 130, “The equality state not equity state act,” a bill that prohibits any state agency from participating in a diversity, equity or inclusion (DEI) program. He said this bill was the result of a concern brought to him by his constituents regarding the infiltration of DEI programs in state agencies.

“(This bill) prevents most state institutions from adopting this discriminatory behavior,” Biteman said. “This is the equality state, not the equity state.”

These bills all successfully passed their introduction vote and were assigned to their respective committees for further discussion.