Proposed bill would prohibit taxpayer funded buyback program

WORLAND — With more than a month before the Wyoming Legislature opens the 2020 budget session on Feb. 10, legislators and legislative committees are prefiling bills fast and furious.

On Tuesday there were already 37 House Bills and 27 Senate Files that have been pre-filed. The budget session that begins next month will require all non-appropriation bills to receive two-thirds vote for introduction.

One bill, co-sponsored by Worland Republican Rep. Mike Greear, expands on the Wyoming Firearms Freedom Act that the Legislature passed in 2010.

“This is the only bill I’m co-sponsoring. This basically says we will not allow taxpayer money to be used to buy back firearms. It’s a statement bill,” Greear said.

Under that original legislation:

The law specifies that firearms, firearm accessories or ammunition manufactured, sold, purchased and which remain solely within Wyoming have not entered the stream of interstate commerce and, therefore, are not subject to federal regulation;

It also, per the summary from the Legislative Service Office “prohibits a Wyoming public servant or firearms dealer from attempting to enforce any federal regulation relating to a personal firearm, firearm accessory or ammunition covered under this act;

“Creates a criminal offense for a federal agent who enforces or attempts to enforce a federal restriction on a personal firearm, firearm accessory or ammunition covered under this act, and provides a penalty for commission of the offense;

“Authorizes the Wyoming Attorney General to defend a Wyoming citizen who is prosecuted by the federal government for violation of a federal law relating to the manufacture, sale, transfer or possession of a firearm, firearm accessory or ammunition covered under this act.”

Under the new proposed legislation, legislators hope to include any firearm buyback program into the Wyoming Firearm Freedom Act.

Specifically, the bill states, “No city, town, county, political subdivision, state agency or entity or any other governmental entity shall operate a firearm buyback program or participate in the implementation, administration or operation of a firearm buyback program.”

It also states, “’Firearm buyback program’ means a program designed to reduce the number of firearms, firearm accessories or ammunition owned by members of the public through the purchase of privately owned firearms, firearm accessories or ammunition. The term does not include any other program operated by a law enforcement agency to purchase firearms, firearm accessories or ammunition to be used for law enforcement purposes.”

Greear asked why should taxpayers pay if a municipality, county or state wants to engage in a buyback program for firearms, ammunition or large magazines.

Greear said that the bill’s main sponsor, Rep. Tyler Lindholm (R-Sundance), called and asked if he would be a co-sponsor.

“We get a lot of Second Amendment bills,” Greear said, but noted some bills tend to infringe on other rights while trying to protect the Second Amendment. This one I agree with. We own our firearms. I don’t think we should have restrictions on what firearms we can own. That’s our right. It drives me nuts when people think certain types of guns are the problem. They’re not. It’s my right whether I want to shoot an AR-15 or a .243.”

He added, “The Second Amendment is alive and well and we should support it.”

Another pre-filed bill of note is House Bill 0005 — Driver’s license and IDs, sponsored by the Joint Transportation, Highway & Military Affairs Interim Committee. The bill would allow for an additional fee of $20 to purchase a digital version of your driver’s license. You still must get the physical driver’s license.

The bill provides for the definition of a digital driver’s license as “a secure electronic representation of a physical driver’s license that is stored on the driver’s portable electronic device and may be viewed or verified by a person to whom access is allowed. A digital driver’s license may be used in lieu of a physical driver’s license and is optional to purchase and supplemental to a physical driver’s license.”

Another change is regarding the number of valid IDs a person can have.

Current state statute states that no person shall have more than one valid driver’s license at any one time.

The proposed bill adds “any other state-issued, Real ID Act-compliant identification card.”

In order to receive a driver’s license in Wyoming a person “shall surrender to the division all valid physical driver’s licenses or state‑issued, REAL ID Act or other applicable federal law compliant identification cards in his possession or any person who has been previously licensed or issued an identification card in this or any other state but who does not have in their possession the license or identification card previously issued in this or any other state shall complete an affidavit of ‘No License/ID Card in Possession.’”