Politics Shen Wu Tan Politics Shen Wu Tan

LEGISLATIVE WATCH WYOMING: University of Wyoming Receives State Funds for Staff Pay Raises, Construction Projects

Lawmakers allocated over $120 million to the University of Wyoming (UW) to wrap up long-planned construction projects and greenlighted additional funding for employee salary raises. Several initiatives also will receive more funding as outlined in the supplemental budget approved during this year’s general session.

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Politics Ashton Hacke Politics Ashton Hacke

BREAKING: Abortion Outlawed in Wyoming as Gov. Gordon Enables New Restrictions to Take Effect

Wyoming has become the latest U.S. state to outlaw abortions, as Gov. Mark Gordon on Friday signed one measure banning medications used to terminate pregnancies, and enabled another measure criminalizing most abortions in the state to take effect without his signature.

By signing Senate File 109 into law, Wyoming is the first state in the nation to explicitly ban medications that terminate pregnancy, the most prevalent abortion method today. Beginning in July, the prescription, sale or distribution of medications used “for the purpose of procuring or performing an abortion on any person” will be criminalized.

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Politics Ashton Hacke Politics Ashton Hacke

LEGISLATIVE ROUNDUP: State Poised to Restrict Abortion, Limit Transgender Athletes (Part 2)

The familiar topics of Medicaid expansion and abortion returned to the Wyoming Legislature this winter, and lawmakers took action.

Following up on legislation from last year, lawmakers passed two bills that further restrict abortion in Wyoming and another that will expand Medicaid coverage for new mothers.

Senators and representatives also considered several pieces of legislation related to transgender issues, though the only notable bill to pass was one banning students assigned male at birth from competing in female sports in middle and high school.

Additionally, the Legislature boosted alert systems for missing persons and prohibited child marriages, with few exceptions.

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Politics Ashton Hacke Politics Ashton Hacke

LEGISLATIVE ROUNDUP: Wyoming Lawmakers Provide Tax Relief, Limit Voting Options (Part 1)

Over the past two months, lawmakers, lobbyists, activists and others gathered in Cheyenne to debate nearly 500 pieces of legislation covering the gamut of Wyoming life.

Most of the bills failed for one reason or another; some never got a hearing. But when the dust settled Friday on the at-times contentious session, Wyoming’s citizen Legislature had passed 196 bills. They included new restrictions on abortions and recognition of July 20 as “Moon Landing Day.”

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Politics Shen Wu Tan Politics Shen Wu Tan

LEGISLATIVE WATCH WYOMING: Governor Signs Law Setting Minimum Age to Marry

Gov. Mark Gordon on Thursday signed a law that sets a minimum age limit for marriages in Wyoming.

The governor green-lighted House Enrolled Act 44, also known as House Bill 7 or “Underage marriage-amendments,” which requires that individuals getting married must be at least 18 years old (with few exceptions) and prohibits marriages for anyone under the age of 16.

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