The Wyoming Legislature’s 2023 session is over. What comes next?
Join the Wyoming Outdoor Council staff to learn about key bills, review our Conservation Vote Report, and find out what’s to come for the legislature in the months ahead.
All events begin at 7 p.m. and drinks will be provided.
Please come out to say hello to the WOC team, enjoy a cold beverage with your fellow members, and hear all the latest news from the legislature!
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Last week, we asked many of you to speak up at the Wyoming Legislature’s Joint Corporations Committee meeting and oppose a bill that would have undercut rooftop solar and small scale renewables in this state. And wow‚ that’s exactly what you did. The impact of your letters, calls, emails, and testimony was undeniable. The committee heard you. Because of you, the bill was dead upon arrival.
But, as many of you know, things at the legislature can change quickly and often unexpectedly. After the committee acknowledged that the votes were not there to pass the original bill, several members pulled the rug out from under the discussion by making a motion to substitute that bill with entirely different language and intentions. No one, including some members of the committee, saw this coming, and apart from a brief screen-share of a private document, the new bill was not even publicly available.
To the many members of the public who had taken time out of their day to participate — some of them taking time out of work — this was a shockingly sneaky maneuver. The last minute bill swap undermined the ability of the public to meaningfully weigh in on the topic while pushing through these committee members’ own agenda on net metering.
Consider for a moment, that the committee hadn’t been assigned net metering as an interim topic, and that the interim is supposed to be a time for thoughtful consideration of complex issues that require public input. Voting to advance a bill that neither the public or many members of the committee had ever seen before flies in the face of that. For those of you who spent time preparing testimony on the original bill that was not even considered, we are sorry.
We’re also sorry that after nearly three and a half hours of public testimony overwhelmingly against changing our existing net metering law, the committee decided to advance the new bill to the 2021 legislative session. This new bill charges the Public Service Commission to study net metering and set new rates and conditions for customers who currently have net-metered systems. The problem is this new bill leaps to the conclusion that net-metered customers are being subsidized by other ratepayers in Wyoming. This is not necessarily true. By thinking about net metering only as a “subsidy,” without also directing the Public Service Commission to consider the economic, social, and environmental that this policy generates, this bill’s narrow focus will make rooftop solar more expensive and kill jobs in this growing sector of our economy.
So what comes next? We believe that rooftop solar and small scale renewables can and should play an important part in diversifying our state’s economy and helping us address growing concerns about carbon emissions and climate change. The Wyoming Outdoor Council, along with a large coalition of solar and renewable energy supporters, will continue working on this issue and preparing for its appearance at the 2021 legislative session. Stay tuned as there will be plenty of opportunities to defeat or amend this bill. This fight is not over.
In the meantime, there are some real heroes on the committee that questioned and fought for the integrity of the public process that could use recognition and a quick thank you. Senator Tara Nethercott, in particular, was a passionate defender against the tactics we saw used last Wednesday. If you have a moment, we would encourage you to send a thank you to her and the other four members of the committee listed below who appreciate the value of public process, and who voted not to move any legislation forward under such circumstances.
Sen. Tara Nethercott
Tara.Nethercott@wyoleg.gov, 307.399.7696
Rep. Dan Furphy
Dan.Furphy@wyoleg.gov, 307. 760.0148
Rep. Shelly Duncan
Shelly.Duncan@wyoleg.gov, 307.575.2894
Rep. Andi Clifford
Andrea.Clifford@wyoleg.gov, 307.840.4327
Rep. Jim Blackburn
Jim.Blackburn@wyoleg.gov, 307.514.4318
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It all started on a Sunday at the Equality State Policy Center’s SHAPE training, a program aimed at empowering citizens to engage with Wyoming politics. It offers ideas, skills, strategies, and tactics for advocating, not just at the Wyoming State Legislature, but anywhere. This material proved useful, as I was scheduled to begin my work with Wyoming Outdoor Council folks, including Steff Kessler, Kristen Gunther, and Mike Kusiek, the next day.
I stayed in Cheyenne at the WOC house, which gave me the ability to focus completely on the experience and work without the worry of commuting. Staying together also gave us time to debrief in the evening and strategize in the morning. Hearing how these veterans thought about and processed their day gave me a great deal of insight into how to organize my own experience and to interpret what I was seeing and hearing. While I was focusing on different bills any given day, in many ways each day had a similar rhythm. There were often committee meetings before the House or Senate began, so that was the time to testify, if it was appropriate, as well as listen to the front line deliberation.
I greatly appreciated when Steff or Kristen clarified background information about a representative or an issue that was not clear from the first hearing. Much of the rest of my days were spent listening to the House or Senate debates while attempting to draw out a lawmaker in order to offer them a bit more information or perspective on an upcoming vote. Sometimes there were evening committee meetings or informal gatherings where I met legislators and offered warm words or thank yous. I had the opportunity to meet my House representative at one such dinner, something that surely would not have happened otherwise. I also felt confident enough to walk up to my senator and introduce myself since I had a context in which to engage him.
I was amazed by the array of bills addressed during a session, and gained an appreciation for the effort that our legislators voluntarily put in for weeks. I also gained a great deal of respect for the work that lobbyists and advocates do for the legislators. Legislators do not have staff and often can read about the upcoming bills only shortly before a vote. Having well-informed advocates to do some of the research for the legislator is actually important; and thus, gaining a good reputation and rapport is crucial for good relationships with legislators.
On Wednesday of my internship week, I did not have any particular task in front of me and decided to see what the Senate Minerals committee was reviewing. There were two bills, HB 4, Wyoming coal marketing program, and HB 3, Wyoming energy authority – amendments. HB 4 proposed that a program be established to market Wyoming’s coal and address some of the monetary impacts faced by communities as the coal market changes. It was a modest amount of money, and, as such, seemed like not much of a help — for either idea. I had not spoken in a committee meeting before and was a bit nervous. However, the chair, Sen. Anderson, was gracious and humorous as I made a comment about the small amount of money for something like international marketing and perhaps it would be best to simply focus on assisting impacted communities. The bill passed committee with only the chair against.
Emboldened by my “success” at my first attempt to speak, I also decided to speak up on HB 3 — a bill meant to clarify some language and authority about public utilities, including creating a “Wyoming energy authority” board. I was curious as to the description of the board members. It stated that of the seven members, two had to be knowledgeable in the field of energy but an additional two had to be specifically knowledgeable of oil and gas issues. It struck me that that amendment stacked the board towards oil and gas, so I asked that specific question. Sen. Anderson suggested that, yes, the oil and gas folks were concerned that they would not be represented. However, my question was taken up by Sen. Rothfuss who said he had the same question and pursued the conversation further. Again, the bill passed the committee as written.
However, two things happened after the committee adjourned that were quite satisfying, especially as this was the first time I had spoken in a committee hearing. Sen. Anderson stopped to say thank you and that he had agreed with me that HB 4 seemed like “too little, too late,” which was why he voted against it. Then Sen. Rothfuss also stopped to thank me for my question as it was obvious he had similar concerns. Speaking in the committee was a great experience as Sen. Anderson was so supportive, and it was also really wonderful to have the senators make a point of thanking me for my input. I am now ready to tackle my next committee meeting knowing I will be heard and perhaps can even start a conversation among the committee members.
It was a pure delight to be in the Capitol building. It is a beautiful structure with frescoes, floor tile designs, lovely wooden balconies, and high windows I took some time to wander around, in and out of some offices, so I could see more of the building. I ran into a longtime employee who gave me an unofficial tour of all the small and large rooms with painted vault doors; we both wondered what would have been in each. Even the tunnel with the committee meeting rooms was nicely done with lots of natural light from the skylights. Coming to the Capitol in the early morning as the sun was just hitting the building was lovely, and I had to take photos of the edifice in the sun.
In the end, I am grateful for the opportunity to have participated in the Outdoor Council’s legislative internship program. I learned a great deal about the Wyoming Legislature, the role and importance of advocacy, and some about myself as well. I am much more likely to engage civically in the future and have a better idea of how to actually be useful in that role.
Elizabeth Traver is a lab manager in the University of Wyoming’s Center for Environmental Hydrology and Geophysics, as well as a doctoral student in soil science. She was one of the Outdoor Council’s five citizen interns during the Wyoming Legislature’s 2020 budget session.
Wyoming’s legislative session wrapped two weeks ago after tremendous work from your legislators, who had to address hundreds of bills while also crafting the state’s budget for the next two years. As they made the important decisions required to move the state forward, they made time for personal conversations and testimony from us and numerous stakeholders, and engaged with citizens over phone and email. It’s a big job — and, since Wyoming has a citizen legislature, they do it all as volunteers.
Your legislators put in an incredible amount of work, especially during the fast-paced budget session. Please join us in expressing your thanks! The button below will take you to a form where you can draft an email that will go to your senator and representative. Please personalize the message!
The session provides us with a direct opportunity to see legislators hard at work, and we at the Outdoor Council try often to give our personal thanks. But it’s also important to take the time to thank the legislators who made a significant difference this year.
We would like to thank Chairman Bill Landen (Casper) and the Senate Corporations committee for their work stewarding Senate File 36, Large scale solar and wind energy facilities, through multiple long nights and complex negotiations with stakeholders. This bill creates an important first step toward a more comprehensive approach to siting industrial solar and wind facilities — a topic we hope to carry forward into future sessions! Thanks to this entire committee for their depth of work and engagement on this issue. We’d like to thank each Senator by name due to the extraordinary work that this bill entailed!
This year, we’d like to thank Chairman Mike Greear (Worland) and the House Minerals committee for their commitment to transparency, wise stewardship of resources, and extensive work over the interim. While we don’t see eye to eye with the committee on all issues, we have found that House Minerals prioritizes public process, due diligence, and having detailed, thoughtful discussions about each issue before them. We found this committee’s work and discussions on House Bill 13, Sage grouse mitigation credits (a vital bill that codifies a key part of the state’s sage grouse strategy) and Senate File 110 (a bill that would have analyzed the private property value of all public lands in Wyoming) to be particularly thoughtful. Thank you!
We have two conservation lobbyists to thank this year as relative newcomers to the legislative session. Jenny DeSarro (Cody) from the Greater Yellowstone Coalition is a seasoned advocate who’s no stranger to the legislature, but this year came down for her first lengthy stint lobbying for GYC. Her work ethic and the quality of her engagement were tremendous. We would also like to recognize Liz Rose (Cheyenne) from Trout Unlimited, who came on board shortly before the session and made a powerful impression on legislators and lobbyists alike. Her work to represent TU’s many members on all issues related to fisheries was exemplary.
And to the conservation and sportsmen’s groups that worked to represent Wyoming conservation values throughout the session:
Finally, and most importantly, thanks to YOU, our members and supporters. We could not achieve success at the legislature or advocate your conservation values without the enduring support that you provide. Thank you for your engagement.
DECEMBER 2019 UPDATE: Bills for the Wyoming State Legislature’s 2020 budget session are being prepared for introduction. In the coming weeks, we’ll begin our pre-session planning — stay tuned for more details about the bills we’ll expect to see. We’re excited to support the formation of a Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund account, and we’ll continue tracking efforts around Greater sage-grouse mitigation and new channels to fund wildlife crossings from the Joint Transportation, Highways and Military Affairs Committee. Along with those details, we’ll be keeping you posted about the best ways to engage with ongoing budget negotiations, and how to speak up against legislative attempts to interfere with big game migration corridors.
Last month, we shared an update with you about the chaos and lack of transparency that has riddled this legislative interim. We highlighted four problematic bills that would have explicitly undermined our shared Wyoming conservation values: two that would have essentially killed rooftop solar in the state; one that would have opened the door to making Wyoming the nation’s dump for nuclear waste; and another that would jeopardize big game migration corridors, undermine science-based wildlife management, and strip authority from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.
You responded in force. Because of your dedicated engagement — writing to and calling legislators, showing up at committee meetings, and spreading the word about the importance of fighting these bad bills — we have some great news to report.
When the legislature’s Joint Corporations Committee considered gutting the state’s net-metering law — the statute that enables homeowners and small businesses to connect rooftop solar panels to the grid — the response from the public was swift. We’ve been in touch with hundreds of you who are passionate about protecting renewable energy options for Wyoming consumers, and supporting the small but growing in-state solar industry. After hundreds of messages were sent to the committee (more messages than the committee has received on any other topic this interim); after citizens gathered around the state to discuss these bills; and after four hours of public testimony in a packed meeting room, the committee voted not to advance either anti-solar bill forward. The Wyoming people spoke up, and the committee took the time to listen — that’s right, Wyoming people won.
Strong, spirited public opposition was also a factor in defeating a proposal to store the nation’s high-level radioactive waste in Wyoming. This “zombie” bill reflected an idea has been considered repeatedly by decision-makers in the last several decades, and defeated each time — it’s been rejected by two different governors. Analysis also quickly revealed it would bring in only a few million dollars, while posing risks to Wyoming lands and people. Once again, Wyomingites of all stripes reached out to decision-makers and to their friends and neighbors, making it clear that the Wyoming public won’t allow our state to be turned into a nuclear waste dump. And at the Joint Minerals Committee meeting earlier in November, it was clear that the public response against this bill had been heard loud and clear: the bill’s original proponent withdrew the bill wholesale.
We are grateful to the legislators on these committees for taking the time to listen — and then respond positively to — strong, unified public input against both proposals. The successful outcomes on these bills reflect the power of Wyoming citizen voices and input: when we say that your voice matters and makes a difference, this is why.
Unfortunately, not everything we have to share is good news. Despite strong public opposition against a Select Federal Natural Resource Management Committee bill that would derail conservation of wildlife migration corridors, the committee elected to move this bad bill forward. Stakeholders ranging from agriculture and county governments to sportsmen and conservation groups weighed in to raise concerns — both in advance and in the meeting room. A Game and Fish Commissioner objected to the idea that anyone but the Game and Fish has the authority to designate habitat, while the governor’s policy advisor said the timing for the legislation was problematic given the pending migration corridor executive order that Gov. Gordon will issue. But the committee refused to take a step back.
That said, the public continued to make a big impression: the committee readily acknowledged that Wyoming people are incredibly invested in protecting wildlife and the landscapes that support them, and referenced the immense amount of contact they’ve received on this issue. Though the committee made some attempts to make the bill look more palatable, it remains a dangerous, anti-wildlife, and anti-science proposition. We’ll need your help to make sure this bill doesn’t move forward in Cheyenne in 2020, and that the Governor’s executive order is strong and will be successfully implemented.
As always, thank you for all that you do to fight for good conservation policy for Wyoming. Your voice is critical — and it matters. Please stay tuned as we move toward this year’s session … we’ll need your help again!
Over the last several months, we’ve been hearing from many of you who are frustrated that the Legislature has been unusually difficult to keep up with. We hear you. Here at the Wyoming Outdoor Council, we, too, have been struggling to deal with legislative committees’ lack of transparency, last-minute additions to meeting agendas, information gaps, and problematic interventions into other branches of government. We will be advocating for increased transparency and accountability in the coming months.
The chaos of this interim demands, more than usual, a high level of public attention and participation. That means that you’ll be hearing from us frequently in the coming weeks as we work to combat a few very bad ideas with major ramifications for Wyoming.
Here’s an overview of some of the upcoming bad draft bills we need to defeat:
Political interference in wildlife migration corridor management
Over the summer, the Outdoor Council tracked and provided feedback to the governor’s Wildlife Migration Advisory Group. All stakeholders were at the table, including the oil and gas industry. The group’s hard work, collaboration, and good-faith negotiation resulted in full stakeholder consensus on a proposed state-level solution that will protect Wyoming’s most critical wildlife habitat, create balance among uses, and support the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. On the recommendation of this group, the governor will be drafting an executive order concerning migration corridors, an important step for protecting the future of our big game herds.
This should have been the beginning of a new chapter for wildlife migrations, with big game corridor management now guided by a citizen-backed state process designed to meet all needs.
Instead, seemingly out of the blue, the Select Federal Natural Resource Management committee suddenly decided to take on the topic of big game migration. They’ve now drafted a bill that undermines science, the authority of the Game and Fish, and the entire North American Model of Wildlife Conservation. Most importantly, it poses a direct threat to the vital habitat that keeps our big game populations alive.
Why did this happen? How was a process started by the governor suddenly undercut by the Legislature? The oil and gas industry presented its point of view to the governor’s advisory group multiple times — and received everything it asked for — but apparently, the industry wants more. Specifically, it’s clear that they don’t want to be required to mitigate their impacts to migration corridors. So rather than work in good faith with the rest of the stakeholders, industry voices have ignored recommendations that their representatives agreed to and asked the Legislature to intervene.
Unfortunately, lawmakers are listening. The resulting bill would let oil and gas call the shots and would undo years of important collaborative work on migration corridor identification and protections. Rather than let science and thoughtful public input guide wildlife management, this disastrous bill would cede wildlife authority to inappropriate agencies (e.g. the Department of Revenue) and undermine the governor’s commitment to sensible, compromise solutions. It’s an egregious overreach, and it’s just plain wrong.
Simply put, it’s the job of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department — not politicians — to interpret the science and manage our wildlife. We need to let this committee know that.
If you have an interest in supporting migration corridors, please watch your inbox. The committee will meet on Wednesday, October 23 in Casper, and members of the public are encouraged to attend and comment.
Zombie nuclear waste proposals return to Wyoming
Nuclear waste was another topic not publicly vetted for the interim. But sometimes, bad ideas take on a life of their own (or rise from the dead). If you were surprised to see this issue resurface after being vetoed by Wyomingites repeatedly over the decades…well, we were, too.
As many of you have read, a special subcommittee of the Joint Minerals committee met last month to discuss whether Wyoming should consider storing spent fuel rods (high-level radioactive waste) in our state. This is an idea that has been proposed and shot down more than once; two different Wyoming governors have vetoed it. Storing nuclear waste poses many practical and logistical threats to Wyoming, and wouldn’t even generate the amount of money legislators hoped. We find it unacceptable that the Legislature chose to consider such a controversial topic without proper public vetting.
For more details, check out our fact sheet on nuclear waste storage — and learn why it’s (still) a terrible idea for Wyoming. The Minerals committee will consider this topic at their upcoming meeting on November 5 in Casper, and we’ll send an alert to our members to remind you of this opportunity for public comment.
Killing off rooftop solar in Wyoming?
Last year, Wyoming’s House of Representatives passed a bill that the Outdoor Council (alongside partner organization Powder River Basin Resource Council) worked to advance, which would have supported expanded opportunities for rooftop solar arrays. Unfortunately, the bill hit a brick wall in the Senate, where it was considered a threat to coal-fired power plants. However, the Legislature decided to take on rooftop solar as an interim topic.
The Corporations committee’s work on this issue took a destructive turn when opponents of small solar used the discussion as an opportunity to make our current laws more hostile toward solar. The committee is now considering two draft bills that would effectively gut solar opportunities in Wyoming — damaging a growing industry, killing jobs, and reducing the ability of consumers to choose how they want to power their homes.
We’ll be reaching out to you prior to the final Corporations meeting, which is scheduled for November 18–19 in Cheyenne, to let you know how you can speak up for renewable energy choices for Wyoming consumers.
Final thoughts
These are only three of the many issues that citizens have struggled with during the legislative interim. Overall, many of us have been dismayed at the flood of last-minute decisions and lack of transparency we’ve seen, including left-field attacks on local conservation and community planning efforts, changes in meeting locations and topics, and sometimes late circulation of meeting materials.
But we’ll continue working hard to bring you the information that you need to stay informed and engaged. The Outdoor Council is committed to advocating that our state legislature work in the public eye and for the public interest of Wyomingites. We believe that together we can achieve important policy victories that secure a strong, conservation-focused future for Wyoming — and defeat bad ideas that threaten our shared heritage and love of the outdoors.
Thank you for being an important partner in this work, and stay tuned to learn more about opportunities to ensure we can move forward together, instead of doubling down on the bad ideas of the past.
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]Many legislative committees have already launched into their “interim” work (the rest of the year between winter sessions), and we’ve been traveling the state to attend the public hearings and advocate for smart conservation policy.
Last month we mentioned a major legislative success: you helped us convince the Minerals Committee to back off from a proposal for the state to take over the federal authority for evaluating oil and gas development (and other projects) on public lands in Wyoming. Read this WyoFile article for more details about abandoning the idea for Wyoming taking over NEPA primacy. This is the level of influence we can have when we collectively mobilize and engage with lawmakers throughout the year. Thank you!
We traveled to Gillette to cover the “joint” (House and Senate) Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee, which takes on big topics with big implications, such as fossil fuel and renewable energy policies.
One proposal we’re following closely would revise public comment rules regarding permitted mines (think gravel pits and everything that’s not a big coal mine). The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality’s public comment rules generally allow for adequate public notice, public comment, and comment response. However, when it comes to non-coal mines, any public comment on a proposed permit automatically triggers a hearing before the DEQ’s governing body — the Environmental Quality Council.
This can be intimidating for citizens and small groups that merely wish to provide information and comments that may be useful for the DEQ to consider. Environmental Quality Council cases are legally technical — proceedings are similar to a court hearing. Often there are discovery submissions and attorneys involved. All of this can discourage citizens from weighing in and offering helpful information regarding a proposed small mine permit.
We’re supporting a measure that would allow for an informal conference before triggering a full hearing before the EQC. This good governance revision will encourage more free exchange and problem solving among stakeholders and the DEQ.
At the Minerals Committee, we also heard a report by the DEQ about the series of dangerous ozone spikes in the Upper Green River Basin this past winter. The DEQ recently conducted a survey of compliance among oil and gas operators there. DEQ Administrator Todd Parfitt told committee members the results were disappointing: the agency found that operators were less than 70 percent in compliance with emissions requirements.
We’re grateful to the Pinedale-based Citizens United for Responsible Energy Development for its leadership on this issue. They identified compliance and inspection issues as essential for lowering industrial emissions in the area. We’re joining the grassroots organization in seeking solutions that will help ensure clean air in the Upper Green River Basin — including better accountability from the state to protect clean air and public health.
Stay tuned — we’ll write about ozone efforts in a separate blog post.
In coming months, the Minerals Committee will also explore measures regarding Wyoming’s oil and gas regulations, as well as potential actions to better manage a historic glut of applications for permit to drill in eastern Wyoming. We expect more discussion and action on these topics at the committee’s next hearing in August.
Also in Gillette, the Transportation, Highways and Military Affairs Committee laid out several options to provide stable funding for safer wildlife crossings. There’s broad support for this effort, but still a lot of discussion ahead about how to fund it. The Wyoming Department of Transportation’s top 10 priority wildlife crossing projects are estimated to cost between $197.5 million to $256 million. (Check out WyDOT’s excellent wildlife crossings presentation here.)
At the Joint Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee hearing in Casper, we encouraged lawmakers to consider more flexibility in Wyoming’s laws regarding onsite renewable energy use, including rooftop solar installations and net-metering. We see many opportunities for the state to modernize its laws around small-scale, onsite renewable energy to support property owners’ desire for electrical self-sufficiency and to help add more jobs in response to growing demand for renewables.
Next, we’ll travel to Sheridan for the Agriculture, State and Public Lands and Water Resources Committee hearing where the growing threat of invasive plant species will be a major topic. In Gillette, the Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources Committee will discuss chronic wasting disease, state lands, and efforts to encourage Wyoming’s growing tourism and outdoor recreation industries.
In all of our conservation advocacy we look for ways to be proactive, and that includes forwarding a conservation agenda for the legislature. We’re currently crafting several measures we believe all Wyomingites can get behind (more on these later) — and we want to hear from you about your conservation ideas. Our work is not possible without you! If you have an idea the legislature should consider, or if you’re looking for more details about a legislative topic we’re following, contact our program director Steff Kessler at stephanie@wyomingoutdoorcouncil.org.
Don’t forget to check the legislature’s calendar for upcoming meetings and agendas. You can also livestream many of the meetings as they happen. To watch past legislative meetings, go to the Wyoming Legislature’s website, click on the committee you’re interested in, and click on the “audio/video” tab.
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Thanks to your quick action, the Joint Minerals Committee backed off from a proposal for the State of Wyoming to take over the federal process of evaluating and making recommendations for oil and gas developments and other industrial projects on public lands in Wyoming. Thank you!
Nearly 100 of you answered our call to write to members of the committee asking them to oppose the idea of the state taking primacy over implementation of the federal National Environmental Policy Act. This is the kind of positive influence we can have when citizens take part in the legislature’s formative “interim” period (the legislative work that happens between winter sessions).
To learn more about why NEPA primacy should remain with the federal government, read this fact sheet.
So far this month we’ve covered the Joint Revenue Committee in Lander, Joint Corporations in Casper, and Joint Minerals in Gillette. We’ll travel to Sheridan to cover the Joint Agriculture Committee next.
Stay tuned!
The legislature holds dozens of “joint” (House and Senate) committees throughout the year, around Wyoming. These meetings are open to the public, and they offer an opportunity for citizens to address the committee and to speak with legislators individually during breaks.
Check the legislature’s calendar for upcoming meetings and meeting agendas. You can also livestream meetings as they happen. To watch videos of past legislative meetings, go to the Wyoming Legislature’s website, click on the committee you’re interested in, and click on the “audio/video” tab.
We’ll have more detailed updates on the issues we’re tracking in our June newsletter.
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Conservation had some great wins at the 2019 legislative session! In addition to the creation of our first-ever Wyoming Public Lands Day, we saw the passage of several important bills that better fund and protect our natural resources. Plus, every bad bill that we opposed was defeated.
Wyoming Outdoor Council staff spent many weeks and many long hours in Cheyenne — and in addition to the support of citizens and partner groups, a big part of our success was the incredible team of legislative interns who joined lobbyists Steff Kessler and Kristen Gunther. Three interns each worked for a week, researching, testifying, and keeping track of the legislative action to sharpen their skills as citizen conservation lobbyists.
We asked them to share their experiences, in their own words:
Mary Grace Bedwell
I am a second year graduate student pursuing my Masters of Public Administration with a concentration in Environment and Natural Resources at the University of Wyoming. I’m originally from Alabama, so working closely with the people who cultivate policy in my new home of Wyoming was a new and exciting experience. After working with WOC at the legislature, I feel energized and empowered to make a difference in Wyoming and beyond.
My favorite moment came when, during a House Agriculture Committee meeting I was attending, I realized that one of my favorite family friends and my cousin’s college roommate were in the same room with me! Not only was it awesome to see these folks I hadn’t seen in years, but it was amazing to realize just how interactive and easy to access the legislature is in Wyoming.
The lessons I learned through my brief internship will have lasting impacts on my life and my career. I found joy and invigoration in advocacy that I plan to take with me in my future. I cannot speak more highly of the experiences I had working with WOC. I have always wanted to work to save the world, and if more folks were as motivated and driven in what they do as the amazing individuals I had the pleasure of working with, then doing just that will be much easier.
Jason Hill
Prior to participating in the legislative lobbying internship, I’d also taken part in WOC’s Conservation Leadership Institute. It was in this class that I hoped to gain a better perspective, as a new resident, of Wyoming’s conservation landscape and to develop a better sense of what drives policy decisions. This is important to me because I see the impact of Wyoming conservation policies in my work at NOLS.
As a legislative intern, I learned how civic engagement can occur beyond the scope of voting, volunteering, or other direct service efforts that many of our nonprofits engage in.
During my internship week, Kristen and I pulled senators off the floor and asked them to vote against SF 148, Federal facilities seizure, a bill we opposed because it would supposedly allow the state to seize control of important public lands and resources like Yellowstone National Park. After speaking with a couple of senators together with Kristen, she turned me loose to lobby a few lawmakers on my own. That experience, as well as later testifying in a committee meeting, made me feel the most like a real lobbyist.
This experience allowed me to explore policy in the context of the legislative session, which is grounded in recognizing that policy work also happens outside of session. Working with stakeholders, building relationships, and creating an environment where policy can be given meaningful consideration occurs year-round, every year. It’s long-term work. It’s the work that calls for us, too, as citizens, to help shape our communities.
Rhiannon Jakopak
When I followed the legislature in previous years, I found it overwhelming and confusing. I frequently found myself wondering what opaque acronyms meant (“CoW,” anyone? That’s “committee of the whole” — i.e. the entire body of the House or Senate) or wondering whether I had the most up-to-date version of a bill. Before my WOC internship, I certainly did not feel confident in my ability to participate in the legislative process.
As a scientist, I want to be able to independently draw my own conclusions, and as a citizen, I want to be informed and involved in legislative processes. After completing the legislative internship with the Wyoming Outdoor Council, I feel empowered to engage in policy work because I have a dramatically improved understanding of how the legislature works. During the brief time that I followed Kristen and Steff around the Capitol, I observed how bills were shaped by careful discussions regarding fine minutiae of language and legal considerations.
I also had the opportunity to testify in a committee meeting on SF 87, a bill that could have improved instream flows for fisheries. It was there that I learned how receptive legislators can be when people show up to voice their concerns. When I stood up to provide testimony, I was nervous that the room would be hostile and uninviting. However, both legislators and members of the audience were attentive and listened as I — someone who was clearly not a “policy person” — spoke, even though it was the final committee meeting of the day and was well after 5 p.m. When the committee adjourned, a few folks came up to me and offered encouragement and congratulated me on speaking.
I am encouraged by the experience, and better prepared to take part in policy work, both as a scientist and as a citizen. I’m using the lessons I learned, and I happily share my newfound knowledge regarding the legislative process with others.
Interested in joining WOC for a week at the 2020 legislative session? Learn more on our “careers” page!
