The Regular Session of the Wyoming Legislature (First Virtual Session) is at crossover. Most of the bills being heard address interim committee bills, most of them noncontroversial but needing work. Several bills with budget implications were also heard. Bills of impact to the petroleum marketer and convenience store industry have yet to be heard, including the fuel tax bill, the tobacco tax bill, the liability immunity bills, the road usage charge bill, and the rumored lottery bill. Readers are reminded that the next round of bill introduction will include individual legislator bills. During this round one never knows what to expect but rest assured there will be gun rights bills, abortion bills, health order limitations, tax limiting bills, hunting bills and a host of other measures legislators deem critical for passage. There is an old axiom that when there is no money to appropriate, legislators turn their focus on how to regulate your personal lives. Reading the list of all bills currently introduced at Legislation (wyoleg.gov) may give you some indication if this axiom becomes reality. Many of the virtual session bills will be held over to the February 22nd - 24th in-person committee hearings. The second session, also in-person if health matrix warrant, will begin on March 1st. Watch for the fun to begin after the February 5th adjournment of the first virtual session.
One individual bill that has already been introduced is a revisited concept from former Senator Michael Von Flatern..."Tolling Authority for I-80". Sen. Cale Case (R) Lander, is the sponsor of the revived measure. Sen. Stephen Pappas (R) Cheyenne, an ardent supporter of WYDOT, is a co-sponsor. There is no House sponsor at this time, possibly indicating that the bill sponsors believe that it is not likely to clear the Senate. WPMA will work to help assure that supposition becomes reality. WPMA does support the $.09 fuel tax increase to help with the significant shortfall of highway funding.
Attached is an updated Bill Tracking Report through crossover. This Report will grow substantially by the next Newsletter as the virtual session ends and legislators focus on the March in-person session....the quiet before the storm, if you will.
TRACKING REPORT
