The ASUW Senate met for their regular meeting. On the agenda that night they debated and voted on two bills and heard the first reading of two new bills. Jean Garrison, Special Assistant to the Provost addressed the chamber concerning the university’s application to the Carnegie Foundation’s elective classification for community engagement. She spoke about…
Avery Kerman akerman@uwyo.edu Last year the UW board of trustees was forced to reorganize in order to meet equal party affiliation requirements; however, a new bill would allow for the majority of a board to be one party affiliation. Senate File 37, will allow the governor the ability to appoint more members affiliated with one…
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…
Anthony Rodd arodd@uwyo.edu The 2016 Wyoming legislature is in its first week of session discussing an array of bills, but focusing primarily on appropriations and budget committee operations. One bill that was shot down was HB No. 3 which would vastly lower the penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana. Representative James Byrd, D-Laramie,…
Hannah Robinson Hwood3@uwyo.edu A bill introduced by Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso and Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson last week would make protection of gray wolves in Wyoming and the Western Great Lakes region a state responsibility rather than a federal one. Gray wolves in Wyoming have been under federal protection for the past year since a…
Wyoming lawmakers are co-sponsoring a congressional bill aimed at leaving protection of the sage grouse to the states. Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colorado) pushed the bill in the U.S Senate, and Wyoming Senators Mike Enzi and John Barrasso are co-sponsoring the bill. The bill would block federal authorities from protecting the sage grouse, leaving enforcement of…
ASUW senators passed senate resolution no. 2461 that compensates ASUW senators on a trial basis during Tuesday night’s meeting. Josh Messer, the senator representing the College of Agriculture said many senators left ASUW because they are not getting anything in return of their work. “The topic of senatorial compensation is a topic that has been…
The unspeakable violence against Michelle Wilkins when she was 8 months pregnant is a tragedy beyond imagination. The sadness of this horrifying crime will linger for a long time. Colorado is the one state in this country that has found a careful balance of protecting pregnant women, punishing those who are criminally responsible for ending…
On March 26 Indiana passed a discriminatory law under the camouflage of a “religious freedom” bill designed to protect the rights of angry Christians. However, what the bill will forever be known as is allowing businesses to deny service to any member of the LGBTQ community. Now, I know what you’re thinking: Wasn’t this whole…
After much debate ASUW passed Senate Resolution 2454 supporting an off-campus party registration program. The City of Laramie established the party registration program to reduce noise caused by parties. The program allows party hosts to register their gatherings with local authorities, so any noise complaints or issues with the party can be promptly responded to…
Gov. Matt Mead signed into law a bill last week giving veterans from any state in the U.S. in-state tuition to UW. The bill is effective for the summer 2015 semester and every semester thereafter, and allows veterans to qualify as a resident for the purposes of tuition. It also makes it possible for a…
The death of Senate File 115 in Wyoming’s legislature last week has been characterized by one unfortunate phrase: “When hell freezes over.” Uttered by Rep. Harlan Edmonds, R-Cheyenne, his tragically bigoted demeanor prevailed as the legislature allowed a bill extending anti-discrimination workplace protections for gay and transgender people in the state. Edmonds had plenty of…
