The criteria for WyWatch to look at a bill is the following:
2. Does it protect or destroy parental rights?
3. Does it protect the sanctity of marriage between one man and one woman?
4. Does it protect or destroy family values based on the Judeo-Christian principles?
5. Does it protect or destroy parental right's to educate their children at home, or in private schools?
6. Does it protect or destroy our Constitutional Freedoms?
In The 2008 Legislative Session
We SUPPORT the Following:
To read the bill, click on the name.
SF 74 Traditional Birth Care Failed Introduction 18-12
Sponsored by Senator(s) Johnson and Vasey and Representative(s) Anderson,R., Brechtel and McOmie.
An Act relating to the Medical Practice Act; providing an exemption from the Medical Practice Act for the practice of midwifery; and providing an effective date.
HB 57 Emergency Powers-Right to Bear Arms.
Sponsored by Representative(s) Jaggi, Davison, Iekel, Illoway, Martin, McOmie, Peterson, Shepperson, and White and Senator(s) Cooper, Fecht, Hines, and Jennings.
This bill provides safeguards against overzealous state officials who might otherwise attempt to exploit extraordinary circumstances as an excuse to abridge our Second Amendment right to possess firearms. While it maintains the state's ability to prohibit criminals from wrongfully possessing guns, it explicitly prevents gun confiscation from law abiding citiizens.
HJ 5 Real ID Act-Repeal
Sponsored by Representative(s) Esquibel, F.
This measure would encourage the Congress to cease its former efforts to keep tabs on the citzenry through a national ID card. Such a method of tracking private citizens, who are lawfully pursuing their lives, far exceeds any security need to the state. Ending plans to establish a national ID card would also provide encouragement for the government to pursue more focused and effective methods of identifying those who are in the country illegally.
We Oppose the Following:
HB 93 Universal Health Insurance Failed Introduction
Sponsored by Representative(s) Esquibel, F.
"Universal Heatlth Care, " has long been a goal of virtually every socialist organization that seeks to remold our society to fit its ideology. State mandated and funded "Universal Health Insurance," the goal of HB 93 is a major step in that direction. And implementing it would yield the same dismal results. Quality of care goes down, while costs go up. Increases in patient load (including non-resident and non-citizens) results in longer waiting lines and less attention paid to those who really need care. Ultimately, the state ends up deciding who can receive what care is available. And the taxpayer is forced to shoulder the exorbant costs always associated with socialized medicine.
We are "Watching" the following:
HB 40 Schools-Compulsory Attendance Defeated 5-4 in the Education Committee
Sponsored by Representative(s) Hammons, Illoway, and McOmie and Senator(s) Anderson, J. and Von Flatern. Currently 16 year old children do not need their parent's permission to stop attending public schools. This bill's goal is to make sure the parents are more involved with the decision making process if a 16 year-old is wanting to drop out of High School.
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In the 2007 Legislative Session
We supported the following:
HB 144 Women's Right to Know: Sponsored by:Representative(s) Brechtel,
Anderson, R.,Buchanan, Davison, Edmonds, Harshman, Iekel, Petersen and Semlek
and Senator(s) Jennings and Meier
This bill would give a woman in the difficult situation of a unwanted pregnancy,
the ability to make an informed decision as to how to proceed, based on all available
medical information.
SF 118 Homocide during pregnancy: Sponsored by: Senator(s)Barrasso,
Cooper, Hastert, Jennings, Perkins and Ross and Representative(s) Anderson, R.,
Brechtel,Gingery, Harvey, Lubnau and Martin
This bill would institute accountability for harmful assault to the child of woman
who is known to be pregnant, as well as to the woman herself.
SF 13 Same Sex Marriages: Sponsored by:Senator(s) Geis and Representative(s)Petersen
Although the Wyoming Constitution already defines marriage as being between one man
and one woman, this bill would ensure that Wyoming is not required to recognize such
unions performed in other states. At present, no such protection exists in Wyoming statutes.
HB 79 Reporting of Abortions: Sponsored by: Representative(s) Brechtel,
Anderson, R.,Buchanan, Davison, Iekel, Mercer and Petersen and Senator(s)
Cooper and Geis.
Currently, agencies in Wyoming that perform abortions are not required to provide
the state with any information as to the age of the mother, gestation period, or any
of the other pertinent factors that are customary requirements for any other major
medical procedure. Simply put, this bill would allow for the standard compilation of
statistics that should be a part of normal accountability for any medical practice.
We strongly opposed the following bills:
HB 95 Quality Child Care: Sponsored by: Joint Labor, Health and Social Services Interim Committee
WFC believes that this measure could potentially lead to universal preschool.
Furthermore, it infringes on the current ability of private citizens to provide
care for children, transferring that to the state.
HB 96 Quality Child Care Appropriations: Sponsored by: Joint Labor, Health and Social Services Interim Committee
Although the current appropriations are limited to $12.34 million, expenses for
similar programs in other states have mushroomed out of control. This cycle should
be stopped before it begins.
HB 128 Multi-State Lottery: Sponsored by: Joint Travel, Recreation, Wildlife
and Cultural Resources Interim Committee
Lotteries have historically led to an increase in social pathologies, such as hard-core
gambling. In less populated states, they frequently cost more than then largly populated states.
State trends show that instituting a state lottery leads to either higher taxes or first time
state income tax legislation. In terms of their actual payoff, lotteries constitute "predatory
economics" and would ultimately harm Wyoming's economy.
HB 129 Schools-Compulsory Attendance: Sponsored by: Representative(s) Hammons and McOmie and Senator(s) Coe
By requiring children to remain in school until the age of 18 (currently the age is 16)
this bill would increase the education costs to the people of Wyoming, while forcing
teachers and administrators to deal with pupils who do not want to be in school. No
evidence exists to support a correlation between compulsory attendance and improved
academic performance.
SF 56 Gambling Commission: Sponsored by: Joint Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and
Cultural Resources Interim Committee
While ostensibly providing a means of regulating Bingo, this bill would lay the
groundwork for the establishment of a state lottery. It so doing, it provides a
"back door" to the eventuality of widespread legalized gambling.