Key actions in the Wyoming Legislature, 2-2-23

CHEYENNE — The 67th Wyoming Legislature completed its 17th day of the 2023 general session on Thursday, and took action on a variety of bills, including:

• The Senate passed Senate File 143: Wyoming freedom scholarship act-2 on third reading. The vote was 17-14. It would create education savings accounts of $6,000 each for those students and parents who opt into the program for use at a charter school, career or technical school, or institute of higher education.
• The Senate Committee of the Whole passed Senate File 131: Prohibition on delivery of unsolicited ballot forms on first reading. It would prohibit a person from distributing unsolicited absentee ballot request forms for voting, and sets penalties. 
• The Senate unanimously passed Senate File 167: Domestic violence protection hearings-remote appearance on third reading. It would allow the petitioner or other party to appear at the hearing by remote means for an order of protection.
• The Senate passed Senate File 155: Education-teacher resources on third reading. The vote was 30-1. It would restrict expenditures of funds through the education block grant model for teacher resources, and require the Wyoming Department of Education to collect data on expended funds for teacher salaries, health insurance and other benefits.
• The House passed House Bill 121: Property tax deferral program-amendments on third reading. The vote was 42-20. It would revise the amount of taxes that can be deferred and clarify eligibility. 
• The House passed House Bill 19: State Indian Welfare Act task force on third reading. The vote was 48-14. It would create a state Indian Child Welfare Task Force, and specifies the duties and requires a report.
• The House passed House Bill 128: Voyeurism within enclosed spaces on third reading. The vote was unanimous. It would specify that the offense of voyeurism may be committed be “within” an area, not just into an area.
• The House passed House Bill 147: Unlawful trespass signage-taking of wildlife on third reading. The vote was 61-1. It prohibits a person who has the intent to prevent or hinder the lawful taking of wildlife from “knowing and without authorization post signs that restrict access to or use of state or federal land on which the lawful taking of or the process of lawfully taking any wildlife is permitted.”