Greear weighs in on current legislation

CHEYENNE- State Representative Mike Greear (R-Worland) gave some rare insight into legislation moving through the Wyoming House of Representatives this legislative session, specifically the state of the state’s budget and issues involving the death penalty and abortion.

“We’ll come out with a balanced budget, like Wyoming always does, but there’s been some division,” said Greear on Monday. “Overall we’re still doing a good job of keeping the state running.”

The House and Senate both passed budget bills last Thursday, although the House budget saw a dramatic increase in education spending, with over $59 million above previous recommendations from the Joint Appropriations Committee.

“They added $5.1 million for community colleges, and another $5 million for school resource officers, plus some tax rebates for the elderly, so it jumped up quite a bit,” said Greear.

“It’s a bit aggravating when some are trying to backfill programs we cut four years ago when we were having budget problems, and I was here for those cuts, so it’s not like we all of the sudden have the money,” said Greear.

Two more controversial bills that garnered national attention also passed the House, a 48-hour waiting period for abortions in the state, and a repeal of the death sentence, reestablished in 1976.

“I voted no to repeal the death penalty, because the state doesn’t even have the money to prosecute or defend a death penalty case right now,” said Greear. “It seems like a moot point.”

“As a man, I’m pro-life,” said Greear, in relation to the abortion bill, “but I voted for the 48-hour waiting period before an abortion, from first consultation with a physician to the procedure. I don’t know of any procedure you can just walk in and get done, so it seemed like a good compromise.”

While Greear is tracking most of the bills going through the House, his main focus has been on energy-related issues.

“I’ve been talking with a lot of people around the energy industry and we need to look at updating our state statutes to reflect the changes in oil production,” explained Greear. “ Most of it was written toward vertical drilling and horizontal multi-mile drilling is the thing now, so we need to make sure that’s updated to take care of our mineral and land owners and make sure they are protected.”