Busy week and many topics addressed by State House

WORLAND - State Rep. Martha Lawley (R-HD27, Worland) wrapped up another week of general session in the 67th Wyoming Legislature on Friday. "Probably the best word to describe the week was busy, but I think it was productive as well," Lawley said.

As a member of the House Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee, Lawley saw House Bill 69 pass its third reading and move on to the Senate, which she supported. The bill made amendments to existing legislation allowing the governor through authority of the attorney general to participate in lawsuits related to the Wyoming coal industry.

Through 2021 Wyoming Session Laws, Chapter 112, $1.2 million from the general fund is appropriated to intervening in, defending, commencing and prosecuting lawsuits against the federal government and its agencies as well as other states and their agencies should they impede Wyoming's coal industry. House Bill 69 expanded on and clarified the abilities of the governor's office to participate in such lawsuits.

"My thoughts were that the coal industry is a very important in Wyoming and for our country. Coal is still the most reliable source of what I will call 24/7 electricity availability. It is important, I believe, for the governor and his office to have the authority and to have the funding to go in and engage those issues, whether through administrative agencies or in court proceedings, to give a voice to the coal production in Wyoming and challenge that are sometimes, in my view, unreasonable restraints on that business," Lawley said.

In the Education Committee, Lawley discussed House Bill 32, which seeks to clarify some interpretations of the education mill levies, particularly surrounding Board of Cooperative Education Services (BOCES) and adult education.

"It's clearing up that ambiguity. The districts were kind of interpreting it in different ways," Lawley said.

"I don't think it has any direct impact, and it certainly doesn't take anything away from Washakie County [school districts] in terms of what they were already doing. That was one of the difficulties on the policy side; for those that had interpreted the statute more liberally, we did not want to take away if they were using those mills. I guess it could possibly open up for Washakie County the possibility of more available mills, but again, it doesn't take anything away."

In addition to defining the mill levy limits for special schools as two and one-half mills for adult education programs, the bill requires that board-voted mill levies be submitted to district voters every fifth general election, or every 10 years. The House placed the bill on general file on Friday.

Also in the education committee, Lawley supported House Bill 70, which would change the definition of a home-based education to include non-family members as instructors. "The world has changed a lot, and that little restriction on the end may have been appropriate years ago, when home-based learning was designed, but it really doesn't speak as much to the world we live in today," Lawley said. The House placed the bill on general file on Friday.

Lawley also voiced her support for House Bill 130, which would establish a grant program for fentanyl-detection canines for county, city and town law enforcement agencies. As it stands, the bill would appropriate $4 million from the general fund for this project. "I believe it is very important to provide these resources to help local law enforcement in fighting against these dangerous drugs," said Lawley, who has co-sponsored the bill.

The bill is awaiting debate with the Agriculture Committee.

The Legislature did not convene on Monday but resumed meetings Tuesday. Meetings, upcoming legislation and session schedules can be viewed on wyoleg.gov.