Latest news with #HouseBill42
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Governor lets gun-free zones repeal become law without his signature
CHEYENNE — Gov. Mark Gordon announced late Thursday that he will let House Bill 172, 'Repeal gun free zones and preemption amendments,' go into law without his signature, while calling it a 'legislative power grab.' In a letter to House Speaker Chip Neiman, R-Hulett, the governor reiterated his support for the repeal of gun-free zones in Wyoming, but expressed frustration that 'Gun-free zones are not repealed — they are now determined exclusively by the legislature.' 'Elections are impactful, and I recognize the overwhelming majority of this legislature opted to drop a political bomb,' Gordon wrote in his letter. 'The final outcome of this legislation is not in doubt. It will become law.' He also reminded Neiman that he vetoed a 'remarkably similar bill' at the end of last year's budget session. As he did so, he noted that he believes each government entity should get to decide whether to allow firearms in their public spaces. 'Reflecting this legislature's lackadaisical effort to openly debate and work on this legislation before sending it to my desk, it is tempting to copy and return the same veto letter,' Gordon wrote. 'Compare that effort to the work done locally from the time of my veto letter, when only four school districts had firearm carry policies, to today, when 60% of school districts (according to the Wyoming Association of School Administrators), every single community college, and the University of Wyoming heeded my call to action and took up the debate.' He noted that a handful of legislators tried to pass amendments to HB 172, recognizing that local process and grandfathering in those local decisions. 'Such a lack of regard for the principle of 'government closest to the people' so fundamental to our Republic is stunning,' Gordon wrote. He later added, 'I am left to imagine this legislative session was never about 'self-defense' or a common-sense effort to extend carry rights. More to the point, it was always about the legislature grabbing power.' Gordon signed several bills into law Thursday, including House Bill 42, 'Regulation of surgical abortions,' which 'adds additional safety requirements to surgical abortion facilities in Wyoming while the state's abortion prohibition is being considered by the Wyoming Supreme Court,' according to a news release from his office. He also signed Senate File 114, 'Missing persons-reporting requirement,' which he said provides better guidance and support to law enforcement when responding to missing adults. The bill also clarifies the process of reporting someone missing, and ensures that the state's missing persons database is updated in a timely manner, increasing the likelihood of better outcomes for missing persons, according to the news release. He allowed two other bills to become law without his signature — SF 168, 'Budget reserve account-repeal,' and SF 77, 'Compelled speech is not free speech.' In his letter to Senate President Bo Biteman, R-Ranchester, about the latter, he said it was 'a solution in search of a problem.' Sponsored by Sen. Lynn Hutchings, R-Cheyenne, the bill prohibits the state and other government entities from compelling employees to refer to their colleagues by their preferred pronouns. 'Given that these issues are not prevalent in Wyoming government, I must conclude that this bill, rather than addressing an urgent policy concern, is instead meant to convey a public perspective on gender and the use of preferred pronouns,' Gordon wrote, later adding, 'Law making should be a serious endeavor, not just a means of making political statements.'
The Hill
28-02-2025
- Health
- The Hill
Wyoming adds new regulations for abortion clinics
Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon (R) signed a new bill into law regulating surgical abortions in the state. Gordon signed House Bill 42 late Thursday night which adds 'additional safety requirements' to surgical abortion facilities in Wyoming while the state's 'the state's abortion prohibition is being considered by the Wyoming Supreme Court,' according to a statement from his office. Abortion is currently legal in Wyoming until fetal viability after a years-long battle in the state to restrict access. Anti-abortion advocates and some Republican lawmakers have introduced legislation seeking to ban the procedure. Under the new law, the state's only clinic offering surgical abortions — Wellspring Health Access — will need to be licensed as an ambulatory surgical center before it can perform the procedure again. It also requires clinics that perform at least one abortion a year to have a physician with admitting privileges to a hospital located within 10 miles of the clinic. Physicians must also report each surgical abortion to the Wyoming Department of Health. 'Make no mistake—this law directly targets our clinic with the explicit goal of forcing us out of business,' President of Wellspring Health Access Julie Burkhart said in a statement. 'By doing so, it limits healthcare options, increases costs, and puts countless individuals at risk.' Wellspring added in its statement that the law is 'blatantly unconstitutional' and interferes with Wyomingite's ability to 'freely exercise their constitutional right to seek health care as they see fit. Wellspring has since filed a lawsuit challenging the newly enacted law. 'The newly approved Criminal TRAP Laws will strip Wyoming women and their families of their fundamental rights,' the lawsuit reads. '…[they] attempt to indirectly ban abortion by regulating Wyoming women and abortion providers…' The lawsuit also seeks to challenge another piece of legislation on its way to the governor — House Bill 64 — which requires women in the state to undergo an ultrasound within 48 hours before receiving the drugs needed for a medication abortion. Under the bill, pregnant women will receive an ultrasound to provide them with the chance to 'view the fetal heart motion' or to 'hear the heartbeat' of the fetus.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Gov. Gordon will see surgical abortion regulation bill again after last year's veto
CHEYENNE – Gov. Mark Gordon vetoed a bill last year that would require surgical abortion centers to be licensed as an ambulatory surgical center. An identical bill is headed back to the governor's desk this year after the House of Representatives voted to concur with the Senate on House Bill 42, 'Regulation of surgical abortions.' On Monday, representatives passed HB 42 on a concurrence vote of 55-6, with one member excused. Five of Wyoming's six House Democrats and Cheyenne Republican Rep. Bob Nicholas voted against the bill. Fort Washakie Democrat Rep. Ivan Posey voted in favor of it. Last year's bill, HB 148, 'Regulation of abortions,' was amended in the House to also apply to chemical abortions, and require an ultrasound no more than 48 hours before a pregnant woman takes drugs or substances to induce abortion. Gordon said in his veto message these amendments to the bill 'complicated' its intention, making it 'vulnerable to legal challenges.' There are two separate bills this year addressed to surgical abortion centers and requiring an ultrasound before taking abortion pills. Although both bills crossed over to the Senate and were passed by the Senate Labor, Health and Social Services Committee at the same time, only one of them has passed all the way through the Legislature at this point. HB 64, 'Chemical abortions-ultrasound requirement,' which is in its third and final reading in the Senate, was delayed for discussion a second time on Monday. A 'burdensome' bill Both of the Senate's Democratic lawmakers, and a handful of Republican colleagues, questioned the necessity of the bill during its first reading on the Senate floor last week. Sens. Mike Gierau, D-Jackson, and Chris Rothfuss, D-Laramie, said abortion is the only type of surgical health care that's been targeted by state lawmakers. 'The only surgeries that we mention in the green books are abortion,' Rothfuss said. 'Every other surgery we actually leave up to the medical board.' Sen. Chris Rothfuss, D-Laramie (2025) Sen. Chris Rothfuss, D-Laramie Gierau pointed to the state's difficulty in keeping and recruiting health care providers. The Cowboy State faces a growing maternity services crisis, as hospitals shut down OB-GYN services in order to stay afloat. Anti-abortion laws, such as HB 42, are the only legislation that can turn doctors into felons, he said. 'At some point, we need to say we really don't want doctors here, because if we keep doing bills that turn them into felons, that is the result,' Gierau said. 'We should stop messing around with it.' Sen. Mike Gierau, D-Jackson (2025) Sen. Mike Gierau, D-Jackson Sen. Evie Brennan, R-Cheyenne, responded that the discrimination issue is actually reversed in the bill, since physicians who perform surgical abortions are not currently required to be in good standing with the state or have hospital admitting privileges. 'Madam Chairwoman, those are things that we require of all other types of major surgeries and even minor surgeries within the state,' Brennan said to Sen. Wendy Schuler, R-Evanston, who was presiding over the Senate at the time. Sen. Evie Brennan, R-Cheyenne (2025) Sen. Evie Brennan, R-Cheyenne Katherine Knutter, the executive director of Wyoming's sole surgical abortion center, Wellspring Health Access in Casper, previously testified that her physicians don't admit enough patients to the hospital to get hospital admitting privileges. '(That's) because abortion is very, very safe,' Knutter said during a House committee's discussion of the bill. Sen. Bill Landen, R-Casper, echoed his Democratic colleagues' concerns. Landen said he failed to see the justification behind legislation penalizing doctors, especially as the Cowboy State faces a shortage in health care providers. Sen. Bill Landen, R-Casper (2025) Sen. Bill Landen, R-Casper 'I don't think that we're giving enough thought to what we're doing to our medical community out there,' Landen said. 'What we're doing here is making them think twice or three times before they come back, and they sure as heck aren't going to be in women's health, I'll tell you.' Potential shutdown Knutter previously told both House and Senate committee members the passage of this bill could mean shutting down Wellspring Health Access. The bill would require the clinic to undergo extensive construction in order to comply as an outpatient surgical center, in addition to the "major barrier" of getting hospital admitting privileges for her physicians. 'We feel that this is specifically targeted to put us out of business,' Knutter previously told House committee members. Senators in favor of the bill during its first reading on the floor said it was about protecting the health and safety of pregnant women. Sen. Lynn Hutchings, R-Cheyenne, denied that the bill was meant to restrict abortion access for women. "If we're going to have legal abortions, we're going to try to make them as safe as possible," Hutchings said. "The bill is pretty clear cut. Nobody is trying to prevent anybody's reproductive rights from being denied." Rothfuss, however, didn't buy that argument. "It would be refreshing to just hear, perhaps, an admittance that this has nothing to do with women's health. ... The bill is not about that," Rothfuss said. "The intent is to make it harder to have abortions."
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Child sex offenders could be banned from trick-or-treating under Lexington lawmaker's bill
LEXINGTON, Ky. (FOX 56) — It may be a little early to start planning your Halloween costume this year, but one lawmaker aims to make the holiday safer.'I just don't think anybody had thought about it. It seems to be a relatively new idea. This passed just within the last couple of years in Ohio. It seems to be catching on from state to state and gaining momentum,' Rep. Chad Aull (D-Lexington) told FOX 56 News. Can sex offenders hand out Halloween candy in Kentucky? Here's what the law says 'It's critical': Kentucky lawmaker aiming to bar sex offenders from Halloween events with minors Lexington lawmaker Chad Aull believes it's one simple way to keep families a little safer in spooky season. House Bill 42 is only a page long, but it would make it illegal for anyone who has committed sex crimes against a minor to participate in a 'Halloween-related activity.' 'Whether that's trick or treating or going to a costume party during and around the holiday of Halloween, specifically,' Aull said. Kentucky law doesn't have any guidelines about restricting offenders on the holiday. The bill would legally define 'Halloween-related activities' to mean: 'An activity involving minors organized around and concerning the celebration of Halloween that occurs any time during the fourteen (14) days before or after October 31 of each year, including but not limited to: Trick-or-treating; A costume party where minors are in attendance; or Any event involving the distribution of candy to minors.' 'We were very strict and very strategic in how we drafted the bill to make sure we didn't accidentally include anything else,' Aull said. Kentucky hunters bring in near record-breaking deer harvest This Kentucky wellness center provides mental health resources to first responders Child sex offenders could be banned from trick-or-treating under Lexington lawmaker's bill Aull is basing this bill around a similar no-candy law recently passed in Ohio. While it covers a broad range of activities, there is a carveout to allow wearing a costume for a legitimate work-related event or the commercial sale of candy and Halloween merchandise—but again, without minors involved. The first violation would be a Class A misdemeanor, and any following would be a felony. The bill has gained bipartisan backing and is waiting to be heard when lawmakers return in February for the remainder of the session. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
