By KARLA POMEROY
“We’re on the downhill slide now,” Sen. Gerald Geis said Monday of the 2010 Legislative Budget Session.
The Senate was scheduled to begin working the budget Monday with first reading Monday, second reading Tuesday and third reading Thursday, he said. While he anticipated some amendments would be introduced, “I think we can hold the budget where it’s at now,” he said.
According to the Legislative Web site, http://legisweb.state.wy.us, both the House and Senate approved the budget bills, which are being worked simultaneously, on first reading and both were scheduled for second reading Tuesday.
Geis said several bill died in committee last week as the deadline passed for them to be moved out of committee onto General File. He said there were no surprises. “Some need to lay there and cook a little longer. Some of the good bills just needed a little bit more work,” he said.
One bill that died in committee was Senate File 29, Coroners-disclosure of information. The file would have defined which items of coroner’s records would be public record. Many coroner’s voiced opposition against the bill, including Big Horn County Coroner Del Atwood. In an interview in January, Atwood said he agreed that the current law is vague, but said the proposed law was too far reaching.
The law would make everyone’s medical history and medical findings public record, he said.
“If your father had a venereal disease, would you really want that to be public information?” he said.
Geis said he expects some debate this week on House Bill 113, which would allow people, meeting certain criteria to carry a concealed weapon without a permit. Geis said he has received more than 130 e-mails from across the state and country in support of the bill.
He said the Senate passed a bill regarding concealed weapons permit as well. Senate File 26 would change language in the statute to allow Wyoming’s permit to be valid in other states, and permits issued in other states would be valid in Wyoming.
Basin Chief of Police Dennis Peters said he is “absolutely dead set against HB113.” He said the bill will create more problems than it is trying to solve, although he doesn’t understand what problems exist with the current system.
The permitting process currently in place resembles what the federal government is trying to do. Background checks are required and permit applicants must take a class that includes a shooting test.
Permit classes are offered frequently in Basin through Carroll Brown.
The bill does prohibit someone carrying a concealed weapon without a permit if the person is a chronic or habitual alcohol user. The current law does prohibit concealed weapons into establishments where liquor is dispensed, as well as schools and government entity meetings. This would not change under the new bill.
The Senate will also be working on House Bills this week. Geis said he is pleased that HB2 that modifies the veterinarian loan repayment program is moving through the Senate quickly. It was up for second reading Tuesday.
Some bills the Senate approved last week included:
• The bill to authorize tolling for I-80. The bill has been referred to the House Transportation Committe.
• SF64 that increases penalties for not using a seat belt while driving a moving vehicle from $25 to $75. Geis said the seat belt violation remains a secondary offense but if a driver doesn’t put on his seat belt, “he’s going to pay, so my advice is to buckle up.”
• SF13 Economic Analysis. Geis said this bill will help the counties because the state will collect data that counties can use regarding grazing permits and much more. The bill provides for collecting, compiling, analyzing and distributing county economic data, providing for establishment of uniform data criteria
The session is scheduled to end next Friday, March 5.