Bill to allow concealed guns at government meetings advances

CHEYENNE (AP) — People could carry concealed guns into Wyoming legislative hearings and other meetings of public bodies around the state under a bill that advanced in a state legislative committee on Monday.

The House Judiciary Committee voted 8-to-1 to send the bill to the full House.

Sponsor Rep. Kendell Kroeker, R-Evansville, told the committee he wanted lawmakers and others to have the means to defend themselves. “For me, the biggest issue is in most of these places, they don’t have the means of stopping someone if they are bringing a weapon in with the intention to do harm,” Kroeker said.

The Wyoming Highway Patrol does a good job of providing security at the Legislature’s temporary quarters at an office building in Cheyenne, Kroeker said. The historic state Capitol in downtown Cheyenne is closed for extensive renovations.

However, Kroeker noted there are no metal detectors in the Legislature’s temporary quarters and many entrances to the building.

“If somebody has their mind set on bringing a weapon in, they’re going to get it in,” he said. “I think all we’re doing is preventing the innocent from being able to defend themselves if the situation ever came up.”

The Wyoming House last year approved a bill that would have allowed concealed carry of guns on school campuses and other public buildings, including legislative hearings. The billed died in the Senate.

Kroeker said he narrowed this year’s bill to exclude schools and college campuses from the list of places that would have to allow concealed carry.

Brian Farmer with the Wyoming School Boards Association told the committee on Monday that school boards often meet on school campuses. He suggested excluding school boards from the list of governmental entities that hold meetings at which concealed weapons would be allowed.

Erin Taylor, speaking for the Wyoming Association of Community College Trustees, said her group shared the same concerns.

Shelley Simonton, executive director of the Wyoming Association of Municipalities, suggested amending the bill to allow governing bodies to opt out of allowing concealed weapons at their meetings. The association strongly supports gun rights and the Second Amendment, she said.

Simonton said allowing local governing bodies to decide whether to allow concealed guns at their meetings would “put control back where it should be.”

Bill co-sponsor Rep. Mark Baker, R-Rock Springs, asked Simonton, “Is WAM in support of giving local control over our First Amendment as well?” She responded that the association hasn’t taken up that issue.

Representatives of several pro-gun groups as well as the Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation and spoke in favor of the bill.

Pete Obermueller, executive director Wyoming County Commissioners Association, said his membership supported the bill to allow concealed carry.

“Commissioners for their own meetings are comfortable with the bill,” he said.

The committee rejected a proposed amendment from Rep. Charles Pelkey, D-Laramie, that would have allowed governing bodies to opt out. He cast the lone vote against the bill.