New bill fights vaccination, mask discrimination

WORLAND – General Session began on Jan. 10 for the Wyoming State Legislature in Cheyenne. Around 170 pieces of legislature were prefiled including criminalization of discrimination based on masking and vaccination.

Representative Jeanette Ward (R-Natrona County) is sponsoring House Bill 0066, which would criminalize discrimination, publishing or advertising based on vaccination, face covering or medical testing status. Under this legislation, it would become illegal to withhold or deny services, goods or facilities of a public nature to a person based on the aforementioned status.

In an email to Northern Wyoming News, Ward wrote, “Private businesses do not own their customers or their employees. They don’t have free reign to abuse us; we’re not their slaves. Requiring masks, vaccines, and testing to work, get an education, or be seen by a doctor is a form of discrimination that should be illegal. Businesses, public or private, have no authority to mandate medical interventions, especially those that potentially harm people and/or prevent people from breathing.” 

When asked if the bill would interfere with business owners’ right to refuse service, Ward replied, “No, it does not, except that they cannot discriminate against those refusing to wear a mask, get tested, or receive so-called ‘vaccines.’”

House Bill 0066 also prohibits the publication, advertisement or communication that any person is required to wear a mask, have any vaccination, or submit to medical testing in order to receive goods, services or access to facilities.

Violators of the bill’s conditions would be guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to a maximum fine of $5,000 or maximum imprisonment of one year.

In 2022, Senate File 0088 failed to be introduced to the Wyoming State Senate. Similar to House Bill 0066, the legislation would have prohibited the refusal of goods, services, and privileges due to COVID-19 vaccination status. Violators would have received a felony conviction. Opponents of the bill claimed the wording was too broad and the punishment too great.

“My bill is very similar [to Senate File 0088]. The composition of the legislature is different this year and I expect my bill will at least be heard on the floor. It’s simple. The bill accomplishes more liberty for ‘We the People.’ And who can be opposed to that?” Ward wrote.

FORCED MICROCHIP IMPLANTATION BAN

According to Bloomberg Law, Arkansas, California, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Indiana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Utah and Wisconsin have already enacted laws prohibiting employers from requiring their employees to be microchipped. Wyoming may be added to this list if Senate File 0072 passes.

Representative Dan Laursen (R-Big Horn, Park counties) sponsored the bill, which would make it illegal to inquire via application or interview whether a prospective employee will consent to having a microchip implantation, coerce employees into consenting to microchip implantation, or dismiss, discipline, or withhold salary or position advancement from employees unwilling to consent to microchip implantation. The bill also notes that microchips may be implanted in an employee’s body for the purpose of employment if the employee provides written consent, and that the employee may have the microchip removed at any time. Data collected and maintained from microchips would have to be disclosed to employees by law.

No known employers in the United States are currently requiring microchip implant technology for their employees, according to Bloomberg Law.

APPRENTICESHIPS

The Joint Minerals, Business and Economic Development Interim Committee submitted Senate File 0078, requiring the Department of Workforce Services to provide apprenticeship and on-job training information to secondary students.

NPR reports that nationwide college enrollment has been trending downward since 2012, with a decrease of around 1 million college students enrolled in 2021 from pre-pandemic numbers. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows a steady decline in Wyoming’s labor force participation rate.

The legislation would provide information and guidance to the board of trustees in each school district about apprenticeships and on-job training available to students as well as financial assistance opportunities for those programs. Students would be able to participate for pay, school credit, or both.

The act would become effective July 1 of this year, with the Department of Workforce Services duties beginning as soon as the bill passed.

BACK TO SCHOOL TAX HOLIDAY

Two separate pieces of legislation were prefiled to create an annual sales and use tax holiday from the first Friday of August until the following Sunday to lessen the cost of school supplies.

Senate File 0070 was sponsored by Senator Wendy Schuler (R-Uinta County). House Bill 0071 was sponsored by Representative Landon Brown (R-Laramie County). In a report by Jasmine Hall of the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, the legislators said they were unaware of each other’s drafts. However, the bills are nearly identical.

Roughly 93,000 K-12 students and 20,000 higher education students in Wyoming were factored into the bills. The fiscal notes show approximately $3,428,000 in total tax would be exempted if either piece of legislation passes.

The legislation would exempt clothing, computers and computer hardware, school supplies and sports equipment from taxation during the set time period. However, clothing items with a sale price over $100 per item, computers and hardware over $1,500 per item, school or sports equipment over $50, and any item purchased for resale or rent would not be included in the exemption.

The fiscal note for the legislation estimates an annual decrease of $1,783,000 from the general fund and $1,645,000 from the local sources fund as a result of the tax holiday.

If passed, the legislation would go into effect July 1 of this year.