Holly Morgan
Hmorgan3@uwyo.edu
A bill to allow concealed carry of firearms in government meetings died in the Wyoming Senate Friday after being passed by majority vote in the House.
Wyoming legislators will not revisit House Bill 86 in 2016.
“In essence the bill did not go anywhere in the Senate, as it was not introduced for debate,” Rick Kaysen, Cheyenne mayor, said.
Wyoming firearm law protects the right to bear arms under Article I, Section 24 of the state’s constitution. Carrying concealed weapons is permitted except whilst in law enforcement facilities, detention centers, schools and universities, liquor stores, churches, courtrooms and governmental meetings.
Many of the bill’s proponents, such as Rep. Mark Baker, R-Sweetwater, said a provision like HB86 is necessary in order to fully realize citizens’ Second Amendment right to bear arms for their own safety.
“San Bernardino was in a government building,” Baker said. “Good people can be trusted, but others are going to break the law no matter what.”
Opponents expressed concerns at the necessity of the HB86 and the potential for adding intimidation factor to public meetings.
“At times we’ve had uniformed officers at meetings but it comes down to efficient allocation of resources,” Kaysen said. “I still can’t understand the necessity of bringing a gun for public business. There has to be respect for the purpose of the meeting.”
City council meetings always host an armed officer, while they are present only sometimes during committee meetings.
Others support the bill, but with stipulations.
Rep. Charles Pelkey, D-Albany, endeavored to pass an amendment that would only allow guns at government meetings if the governing body first sanctioned it.
“I put an amendment forth that allowed individual governments to determine if the bill was appropriate for their communities,” Pelkey said.
That amendment was killed on a voice vote.
Expanding Wyoming’s gun laws remains a contentions issue; HB86 is not the first attempt at allowing more liberties with firearms. Bills such as House Bill 144 have pushed for the repeal of gun bans in schools, universities and public buildings.
“The senate president was not comfortable with that bill (HB86); there were similar concerns when we had a bill regarding firearms in schools,” Pelkey said.
HB 86 dying in the senate does not mean it is eliminated from consideration.
“It may come back,” Kaysen said. “This topic of discussion has been around for a number of years.”
