Wyoming is advancing a workforce development initiative to diversify the state’s economy and build a highly skilled workforce.

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.

Gov. Mark Gordon on Thursday signed a law that protects the requirements listed in the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) at a state level ahead of a forthcoming decision from the U.S. Supreme Court about the future of the federal act.

The House on Wednesday passed a bill that would codify provisions of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) into state law as the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule on the fate of the federal act later this year.

The governor on Thursday signed a law to support funding efforts for around-the-clock local suicide prevention services in Wyoming, a state with one of the highest suicide rates per capita nationwide.

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.

Gov. Mark Gordon this week signed a law that boosts Wyoming’s missing persons alert systems to include vulnerable adults and to assist tribal nations with their emergency communications networks.

Gov. Mark Gordon on Saturday signed into law an act that establishes a state task force to study the federal Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and Wyoming’s and other states’ legislation and protections as the act faces court challenges.

The Senate on Thursday advanced a bill that would set a minimum age limit for marriage in Wyoming.

Senators voted 23-7 for House Bill 7, also known as “Underage marriage-amendments,” which mandates that persons getting married must be at least 18 years old (except in a few cases) and prohibits marriages for those under the age of 16.

“It certainly is a problem; I think it’s probably well hidden,” Sen. Tara Nethercott (R-Cheyenne), who voted in favor of the bill, said about underage marriages. “But if you don’t believe that the marriage of a 14-year-old girl is not in some form exploitation because I assure you, it is not the fantasy of two teenagers who fall in love. It is much different and much more exploitive…. This body is committed to the protection of children from exploitation.”

The Senate on Wednesday voted in favor of a bill that establishes a trust fund to back 24/7 local suicide prevention services, which mental health advocates believe are critically needed in a state with one of the highest suicide rates per capita.

A House committee advanced a bill that would allow Wyoming residents to gather shed antlers and horns of big game animals three days before the start of the collection season for nonresidents.

The House on Wednesday advanced a bill that establishes a trust fund to finance around-the-clock in-state suicide prevention services, but lawmakers opted to not put money into this account right away.

The Senate on Tuesday passed a bill that would codify provisions in the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) as state law ahead of the Supreme Court’s impending deliberations about the constitutionality of the federal act.

CASPER, Wyo. — Though it’s been barely two weeks since Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.) was officially sworn into office, Wyoming’s new Congresswoman was back in her home state this weekend to highlight her achievements to date.

A bill that would establish a trust fund as a sustainable means of financing in-state 24/7 suicide prevention services passed committee of the whole in the House on Thursday.

Two committees on Wednesday advanced bills that would lead to the review or codification of provisions outlined in the Indian Child Welfare Act as the federal law faces legal challenges in court.

A House committee on Tuesday advanced a bill that would set a minimum age for marriage in Wyoming.

The House Revenue Committee voted 6-3 for House Bill 7, or “Underage marriage-amendments,” which states that individuals getting married should be at least 18 years old with a few exceptions. It also forbids marriages involving those under the age of 16.

A House committee on Monday unanimously passed a bill that would ramp up Wyoming’s missing persons alert systems to include adults at risk and to help tribal nations create an emergency communications network, especially in light of missing and murdered Native Americans.

The Senate on Friday advanced two education bills in the legislature: one that would clarify Wyoming school districts’ policies prohibiting bullying aren’t limited to students and another that would repeal a statutory provision offering civil and criminal immunity for school staff for corporal discipline of a student.

The Senate education committee wasted no time getting down to business on the second day of the legislative session and passed a bill Wednesday that specifies Wyoming school districts must develop policies to prohibit bullying and harassment beyond just students.