Wyoming Legislature update

Last week, Senator Wyatt Agar reported an 11-1 vote effectively killed a bill related to the Wyoming Pioneer Home. Specifically, the legislation sought to have the the department of health conduct a study and develop recommendations on the financial benefits cost savings and programmatic impacts of transferring state ownership of the Pioneer Home and Wyoming Retirement Center to another health care provider.

Ager also reported that within the Appropriations Committee they are having hearings regarding departments that require additional interview — among them the Wyoming Department of Health and Wyoming Game and Fish — to allow members of the Legislature to ask additional questions regarding budgets.

Among the Senate files Agar has put his name on are SF0068, addressing meat harvested from livestock or poultry. The bill calls for an act relating to food and drugs that would prohibit misrepresentation of a product as meat that is not derived from harvested production livestock or poultry.

Agar explained it is largely the opinion of industry experts that in the next two years lab-produced meats — those that are grown from the stem cells of animals — will come online. The bill would not only give ag producers protection by restricting the labeling of lab products as meat, but also give consumers information as to what they’re buying.

In going through other states laws, Agar said, he learned that Wyoming has one of the best definitions of meat, and it is simply “a protein product harvested from livestock, poultry or exotic livestock.” As lab meat doesn’t meet that definition, it can’t be labeled as meat. Essentially, it informs the consumers and allows them the choice of whether they want, for instance, ground hamburger defined as meat, or “lab burger.”

Agar is also a co-sponsor of SF0075, which would repeal gun free zones. Under the bill, persons lawfully carrying concealed weapons in Wyoming may carry concealed in: any meeting of a governmental entity, any meeting of the legislature or a committee thereof, any public school, college or professional athletic event, any public elementary or secondary facility, or any public college or university or facility.

The bill is not meant to alter concealed weapon prohibitions relating to courtrooms, allow carrying of concealed weapons where otherwise prohibited, prohibit school districts from regulating possession of firearms by employees of the districts on school property, or prohibit private property owners from restricting firearms on their property.

Agar said the bill would mean those who conceal carry on campuses must have gone through the proper training to earn a valid concealed carry permit. He further noted the bill respects the decision of individual school districts to arm or not arm their teachers, and he would not have put his name to it if that were not the case.

While new for Wyoming, Agar explained this is not new legislation but rather a copy of a bill in Utah where it has worked well.

Regarding the ability of people to conceal carry to public meetings, Agar said he spoke at length to a former mayor, who told him if there are meetings where firearms would be a concern, officials can speak with members of local law enforcement to have them present and checking people at the meeting.