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Legislative Update
Week 4
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Friday February 4, 2005 Legislative Reports for the Wyoming State Legislature 58th Session Week 4 1. Committee Meetings: House Appropriations: HB 001 - General Government Appropriations/Support Business Council funding. Sponsored by Joint Appropriations Interim Committee. -$11.6 million to fund Business Ready Community Grand and Loan Program; -$3 million to fund Air Enhancements Program; -$1.6 million for high capacity internet connectivity service to the Wyoming Technology Center; and -$95,600 for market research center for personnel and data license fees. -$40,000 to reprint 60,000 recreation maps for summer 2005 season. WBA Supports. -$2.2 million was amended for the state’s seven community colleges in adjustment for inflation. -An extra $500,000 was amended for tobacco chewing addition prevention submitted by Rep. Roy Cohee, WBA Steering Committee. ***The supplemental budget bill would increase spending by about $300 million over the current two year appropriation of $2 billion, and would also put $200 million into permanent savings.
HJ 001 – State Special Reserves Account. Sponsored by Representatives Illoway, Edwards, Hinckley, Latta, Lockhart, Martin, McOmie, Petersen, Reese and Walsh and Senators Hanes, Hines, Massie, Nicholas and Schiffer. A bill to amend the Constitution that would required that money in a “rainy day” account could not be spend without a 2/3 vote from both House and Senate. HB 025 creates this account. Action: Passed third reading in House Thursday 2/3. Awaiting consideration in Senate Corporations Committee.
HJ 007 - Children’s Trust Fund. Sponsored by Representatives Osborn, Childers, Cohee, Edwards, Harshman, Harvey, Hinckley, Jackson, Martin, McOmie, Reese, Thompson, Wasserburger and Zwonitzer and Senators Anderson, J. and Sessions. Action: Killed in House Appropriations Committee Thursday 1/27.
HB 005 – Severance Tax Distribution. Sponsored by Joint Revenue Interim Committee. Bill would provide for distribution for certain severance taxes to local governments which would amount to $70.5 million to cities and $84.4 million to counties. Action: Is awaiting action in Senate.
HB 083 – Medical Review Panel-2. Sponsored by Joint Judiciary Interim Committee. Bill would create a medical review panel that could give opinions that are non-binding and would be admissible in court. Action: Passed House Judiciary Monday and Placed on General File. Re-referred to House Appropriations – passed committee. Placed on General File Wednesday 2/2. Passed Committee of the Whole Friday 2/4. -Bill is supported but is a small piece of medical mal practice reform. If a weak bill is enacted, it will not resolve the issues.
House Education: HJ 013 – Education as Free as Possible. (Taylor Plan) Sponsored by Representatives Cohee, Harshman and Wasserberger. A Joint Resolution to determine means of making higher education in Wyoming as free as possible. WBA data utilized in whereas clauses; amended by University lobbyist from merit-based (Taylor Concept) to merit and need based. -The four leading whereas sections are from WBA Q&A info. Action: Passed Committee and placed on General File Thursday 2/3. Passed Committee of the Whole Friday 2/4.
HB 185 – School Finance, Employee Compensation and Development. Sponsored by Representatives Wasserburger, Bagby, Bucholz, Esquibel, Harshman, Hinckley, Jackson, Lubnau, Morgan, Powers, Reese, Robinson and Thompson and Senators Boggs, Decaria, Job, Nicholas, Ross, Scott and Von Flatern. A bill that would provide $28.4 million for teacher and school staff pay increases. Action: Passed Committee Wednesday 2/2. Passed Committee of the Whole Thursday. Passed second reading Friday 2/4.
HB 329 – Executive Training Institute/Graduate School of Business. Sponsored by Representatives Luthi, Cohee, Gingery, Hammons, Illoway, Olsen, Wasserburger and Senators Coe and Larson. A plan to build an executive training center in Teton County, and develop it into a premier graduate school of business. Supported by State Treasurer, Speaker of the House and Senate President. UW President Dubois has proposed a $200,000 budget to study the issue over the coming year. Proponents suggest the location would help draw business professionals to the executive training center and business students to the business school. The bill would have a steering committee headed by the UW dean of Business to plan the content of the executive training program, as well as set tuition levels and find opportunities to establish relationships with other business schools who are nationally recognized. Action: Passed House Education Committee. Passed House Appropriations Friday 2/4 with $1.5 million planning funding. Placed on General file.
House Judiciary : SF 060 - Split Estates. Sponsored by Joint Judiciary Interim Committee. Bill would establish requirements for operators and landowners to follow prior to commencing oil and gas operations on split estates; providing an exception; requiring notice, good faith negotiation and surface use agreements or financial assurances, as specified; authorizing compensation to surface owners for damages due to oil and gas operations. Action: Referred to House Judiciary Friday 2/4. WBA Supports Current Form.
HB 306 - Medical Review Panel. Action: Passed Judiciary Committee Friday 1/28. Provides for two doctors, two attorneys and one citizen on review panel. Testimony presented can be admissible in court by the presiding judge. -Medical community principal concerns include: 1)findings of panel should be admissible in any subsequent legal proceeding; 2) Standard of evidence should be uniform and a higher standard for those contained in existing statutes; and 3) the panel’s composition should be weighted towards healthcare providers and lay members. WBA Supports strong bill favored by medical community.
HB 319 – Excess Liability Account. Sponsored by Representatives Wasserburger, Gay and Jorgenson. Bill would create an excess liability fund that would pay for medical malpractice claims in excess of $350,000 up to $650,000 for physicians who qualify. Action: Passed Committee Tuesday 2/2. Placed on General File Friday 2/4.
House Minerals: HB 053 - Air Services Enhancement. Sponsored by Joint Minerals, Business and Economic Development Interim Committee. Action: Passed Senate Minerals Committee Wednesday 2/2. Rereferred to Senate Appropriations Thursday 2/3. Supported by WBA
HB 232 - Economic Development Excise Tax. Sponsored by Representatives Buchanan, Bagby, Childers, Hageman, Latta, Martin, Olsen, Petersen, Powers and Walsh and Senators Decaria, Meier and Townsend. Local economic funding in line with Constitutional Amendment B passed last November. Provides options for funding of local economic development. Action: Passed Committee Monday. Passed Committee of the Whole Thursday 2/3. Passed second reading Friday 2/4. WBA Supports.
HB 330 – Wyoming Community Enhancement Program. Sponsored by Representatives Berger, Hammons, Harvey, Iekel, Martin, Semlek, Wasserberger, Zwonitzer, and Senators Anderson, J., Decaria, Job, Mockler, Ross, Schiffer, Sessions. An act relating to a community enhancement program; creating a community enhancement program to promote economic development for cities, towns, counties and joint powers boards; authorizing grants for historic or cultural preservation and community enhancement projects, providing appropriations; modifying the business ready community program. Action: Passed Minerals Committee and placed on General File. Rereferred to Appropriations Committee Wednesday 2/2. Passed Committee Friday 2/4. Placed on General File Friday 2/4.
House Revenue: HB 007 - Removal of 4th cent tax. Sponsored by Senators Miller and Case. A bill to reduce taxes as promised by Legislature should revenues allow. Action: Passed Revenue Committee on Monday 1/31. Placed on General File Monday1/31. WBA opposes based on importance of broadening the tax base.
HB 160 - Sales Tax Food Exemption Sponsored by Representatives Robinson, Bagby, Berger, Brechtel, Esquibel, Gay, Gilmore, Hastert, Landon, Martin, McOmie, Morgan, Reese, Thompson, Walsh, Warren and Watt and Senators Boggs, Decaria, Jennings, Job, Massie, Meier, Mockler, Scott, Sessions and Vasey -A bill to remove sales tax on food. WBA opposes as it creates more reliance on mineral taxes for funding.
HB 272 – Coal Benefication Facilities – Tax Exemptions. Sponsored by Representatives Edwards and Lockhart and Senator Anderson, J. -A bill relating to taxation and revenue; creating a sales and use tax exemption for new coal gasification or coal liquefaction facilities. Action: Passed Committee. Passed Committee of the Whole Thursday 2/3. Passed second reading Friday 2/4. WBA supports.
HB 345 – Incentives for Mineral Exploration – 2 Sponsored by Representatives Miller, Buchanan, Cohee and Simpson. -Relating to taxation and revenue; providing for a severance tax credit for certain mineral exploration and providing procedures, a report and rules and regulations. Would allow for annual mineral severance tax credit equal to 50% of tax liability for a calendar year or $100,000, whichever is less. I has moved on to consideration but is unclear if house will have time to review it. Action: Passed Committee of the Whole Friday 2/4.
Senate Agriculture: SF 019 – State Lands Trust Responsibilities. Sponsored by Joint Agriculture, Public Lands and Water Resources Interim Committee. Action: Referred to House Agriculture Committee Tuesday 2/1. WBA supports.
HJ 009 – State Standards for Federal Resource Management. Sponsored by Representatives Hageman and Luthi. A Joint Resolution relating to state involvement in federal resource management. Action: Passed committee and placed on General File Tuesday 2/1.
SF 069 - Water Development Account III. Sponsored by Senate Select Water Committee. Action: Passed Senate Appropriations Monday. Passed Committee of the Whole Tuesday. Passed Second Reading Wednesday. Passed Third Reading Thursday 2/3. House received for introduction Friday 2/4. WBA supports added water storage projects.
Senate Appropriations: SF 001 - General Government Appropriations/Support Business Council funding. Sponsored by Joint Appropriations Interim Committee. -$11.6 million to fund Business Ready Community Grand and Loan Program; -$3 million to fund Air Enhancements Program; -$1.6 million for high capacity internet connectivity service to the Wyoming Technology Center; and -$95,600 for market research center for personnel and data license fees. -$40,000 to reprint 60,000 recreation maps for summer 2005 season. WBA Supports. -Senate denied plan for spending $105 million intended to recruit outstanding faculty. Two thirds would have been for UW and the remaining third for community colleges. -Senate denied $28.4 million budget amendment for teacher and staff raises. Proposal may survive as similar legislation has been passed in House.
SF 015 – State Lands Preservation Account Sponsored by Joint Agriculture, Public Lands and Water Resources Interim Committee Action: Passed third reading 1/26. Received by House 1/28 Referred to House Agriculture Committee Tuesday 2/1.
HB 25 – Special Reserve Account. Sponsored by Representatives Illoway, Edwards, Hinckley, Latta, Lockhart, Martin, McOmie, Petersen, Reese and Walsh and Senators Hanes, Hines, Massie, Nicholas and Schiffer A bill to create a rainy day account which Legislature could tap into during lean times. Passed House 45-10 and moves to the Senate. Bill does not specify dollar amount for new account but may begin with $200 million amount with state’s projected $949 million surplus. A 2/3 vote from both chambers would be required to tap into account. Action: Passed third reading in House Wednesday 2/2. Referred to Senate Appropriations 2/3.
SF 71 – Wyoming Community Facilities Program. Sponsored by Senators Ross, Anderson, J. and Schiffer and Representatives Hammons, Hinckley and Semlek. A bill establishing a program assisting local governments with community facility projects with program administration by the Business Council. Action: Passed Committee 3/2 after reducing initial appropriation from $30 million to $5 million. Placed on General File Thursday 2/3.
SF 77 – Medical Trauma Care. Sponsored by Joint Labor, Health and Social Services Interim Committee. An act to aid hospital trauma centers who are facing increasingly higher unpaid bills. Bill provides $2.5 million to pay bills in FY beginning June 30. No hospital can receive more than 25% of the total sum. Action: Passed third reading Wednesday 2/2. 25-4-1. House received for introduction Friday 2/4. WBA Supports.
Senate Corporations: SF 88 –Medical Malpractice Claims Reporting. Sponsored by Representatives Ross and Simpson. Bill is effort to get more information about the true cost of medical malpractice litigation in Wyoming. Requires insurers to report information about all malpractice claims against them including the nature of the claims and how the money was spent to settle the claims. Action: Passed third reading Wednesday 2/2 on vote 29-0 -1. House received for introduction Friday 2/4. WBA Supports.
Senate Education: SF 122 - University Endowment. Sponsored by Senator(s) Scott, Barrasso, Boggs, Coe, Larson, Massie --and Vasey and Representative(s) Hammons, Harshman, Illoway, Jorgensen, Luthi, Reese and Wasserburger The package includes $105 million for endowed chairs and $5 million for scholarships. $75 million for energy institute stricken. Action: Rereferred to Senate Appropriations Committee Passed Committee and placed on General File Tuesday 2/1. Measure died in House because similar legislation also drafted by Senator Scott is awaiting debate in the Senate.
Senate Labor: SF 062 – Medical Review Panel. Sponsored by Senator Jennings. A bill relating to pretrial screening panels; prohibiting the filing of a medical malpractice claim in a court until the claim has been reviewed by a medical review panel; providing that the decision of the panel is not binding; requiring that the decision of the panel be submitted with any medical malpractice complaint; creating the panel and providing for selection of its members; designating the attorney general or his designee as panel director to perform administrative tasks; establishing procedures for review of claims; providing definitions; granting rulemaking authority; requiring a person filing a complaint in court to file the decision of the panel; requiring a person filing a complaint in court to obtain an expert witness who has not appeared before the panel Action: Passed Committee and placed on General File Friday 2/4.
Senate Minerals: SF 078 - Medical Malpractice Insurance. Sponsored by Joint Labor, Health and Social Services Interim Committee Bill mandates additional advance notice of policy cancellation or premium increase and limits the premium for "tail" requiring a public hearing for certain noncompetitive premium rate proceedings. Action: Passed third reading 1/20 House received for introduction 1/24 Still in Committee.
Senate Revenue: SF 009 – Intangible Property Taxation Study Sponsored by Joint Revenue Interim Committee Action: Passed third reading 1/28 Introduced and referred to House Revenue Friday 2/4.
HB 024 - Sales and Use Tax Exemption – Aircraft. Sponsored by Joint Revenue Interim Committee. Action: House Passed third reading 1/21. Introduced to Senate and referred to Senate Revenue 1/28. Passed committee Tuesday 2/1. Placed on General File 2/1. WBA Supports.
SF 127 - Four Lane Highway Funding. Senators Von Flatern, Boggs, Geis, Jennings and Johnson and Representatives Berger, Cohee, Edwards, Illoway, Latta and McOmie Purpose of bill is to improve highway safety by converting two-lane to four-lane highways Action: Passed Senate on Second Reading 1/28. Passed third reading Monday 1/31. 25-4-1 House received for introduction Tuesday 2/1. Referred to Minerals Committee Friday 2/4. WBA Supports.
Senate Travel: SF 041 - Wildlife Trust fund. $75 million Fund. Sponsored by Joint Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources Interim Committee Approved by Senate Natural Resources committee Tuesday Amendments included expanding the board from 7-9 members Requiring wildlife, tourism, energy, agriculture and sportsman interests to be on the board. Action: Rereferred to Senate Appropriations Committee. Passed Committee Tuesday 2/1. Placed on General File Wednesday 2/1. Passed Committee of the Whole Friday 2/4.
SF 128 – Entering Private Property While Hunting or Fishing. Sponsored by Senator Geis. A bill modifying restrictions on entering private property without permission to hunt, fish or trap. Would give the Game and Fish Department the Authority to ticket people for crossing the corner of private land between parcels of public land. Sportsmen object with concern to losing access to public lands and suggest the issue needs further study. Some ranchers and land owners have concerns about the practice of corner jumping as well and their only recourse is pursuing criminal trespassing charges. Action: Considered in Senate Travel Friday Morning 2/4.
SF 152 - Cultural Trust Fund Endowment. Sponsored by Senators Nicholas, Anderson, J., Hines and Job and Representatives Berger, Jorgensen and Simpson. Action: Heard by Senate Travel Committee Thursday 1/27. Passed Committee Wednesday 2/2. Placed on General file 2/2.
Information cited from Wyoming State Legislature web site, LSO, committee and floor observation, Casper Star Tribune, and Cheyenne Tribune Eagle.
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