1. HB 66 Lodging Tax. This bill would have imposed a new statewide tax on sales of lodging services. It passed in the House by a vote of 44-16 but failed in the Senate with a vote of 7-19-1-3. We have assigned a plus to the nays because Wyomingites would have been subject to a 5% lodging tax. It violates Wyoming Republican Party Platform #7 as it interferes in the free market system and causes an increase in state government growth and fiscal irresponsibility and violates WRP Resolution: Government passed in 1/12/19, against tax increase. (https://www.wyoleg.gov/2019/Digest/HB0066.pdf)
2. HB 106 Party Affiliation Change. This bill would have revised the state law relating to political party affiliations and would have required that a switch from one major political party to another major political party must occur at least 14 days prior to the primary election. It passed in the House by 41-18-1 but failed in the Senate by 11-14-5. We have assigned a plus to the ayes because this bill directly supports WRP Resolution: Government #10 and brings the original intent and integrity back to the political party primary process. The primary is a party nomination process, and HB 106 was an attempt to thwart last-minute crossover voting. This bill was a high priority for the Wyoming Republican Party. (https://www.wyoleg.gov/2019/Digest/HB0106.pdf)
3. HB 251 Coal Export Terminal Litigation. This bill would have authorized the state to commence a lawsuit challenging the denial of permits for the construction of coal export terminals in the state of Washington. This bill passed the House by a vote of 50-8-2 and passed the Senate by a vote of 22-7-1 but was vetoed by the Governor Gordon who saw the bill as a redundant effort. We have assigned a plus to the ayes because this bill directly supports WRP Resolution: Energy #3 and allows Wyoming to continue fighting for the right to ship Wyoming coal by rail to all West Coast ports to meet the high Asian demand. (https://www.wyoleg.gov/2019/Digest/HB0251.pdf)
4. HB 310 Wyoming’s Tomorrow. This bill would have provided for a study to create a taxpayer funded grant program to make two years of education at Wyoming community college and the University of Wyoming as free as possible. It passed in the House by a vote of 35-23-2 but failed in the Senate by a vote of 8-21-1. We have assigned a plus to the nays because this bill is in violation of WRP Platform #7. There is no such thing as “free” education but rather robs Peter (hard working Wyoming taxpayers) to pay Paul. Not only is this bill fiscally irresponsible by state government, it is socialist in its nature. (https://www.wyoleg.gov/2019/Digest/HB0310.pdf)
5. SF 128 Unborn Victims of Violence Act. This bill would have provided for criminal offenses to be applied for harming an unborn child. It failed in the Senate by a vote of 11-18-1. We have assigned a plus to the ayes because this bill directly supports WRP Platform #1, which states that government’s purpose is to protect the right to life from the moment of conception. (https://www.wyoleg.gov/2019/Digest/SF0128.pdf)
6. SF 144 Medicaid Work Requirement. This bill, known as the Medicaid and SNAP Eligibility Requirements, would have required able-bodied Medicaid recipients to comply with specified work or volunteer requirements as a condition of receiving those benefits. It passed in the Senate by a vote of 23-5-2 but failed in the House by a vote of 20-39-1. We have assigned a plus to the ayes because this bill supports WRP Resolution: Health and Society, #4. (https://www.wyoleg.gov/2019/Digest/SF0144.pdf)
7. SF 146 Medicaid Expansion Study. This bill would have required a study of the costs and benefits of expanding the Medicaid program as HB 244 (#6) envisioned. It passed in the Senate by a vote of 22-6 but failed in the House by a vote of 28-31-1. We have assigned a plus to the nay votes because this bill is in direction opposition to WRP Platform #13 and WRP Resolution: Crime & Law, #8 as the Medicaid program violates the U.S. Constitution’s few and defined powers. (https://www.wyoleg.gov/2019/Digest/SF0146.pdf)
8. SJ 004 Convention of States. This bill would have requested Congress to call a convention for proposing amendments to the United States Constitution. It failed in the Senate by a vote of 10-20. We have assigned a plus to the nays because this bill opposes WRP Resolution: Government, #7 which recognizes the great danger in opening up the Constitution to sweeping changes. (https://www.wyoleg.gov/2019/Digest/SJ0004.pdf)
9. SF 160 Political Party Affiliation. This bill would have revised provisions relating to political party affiliation changes by electors, with party affiliation change allowed between the period of time beginning two weeks before the first day of absentee ballots through the day of the primary election. It passed in the Senate by a vote of 20-10 but died in the House Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions committee. We have assigned a plus to the ayes because this bill directly supports WRP Resolution: Government #10 and brings party integrity back to the political party primary process. (See HB 106). (https://www.wyoleg.gov/2019/Digest/SF0160.pdf)
10. SF 75 Repeal Gun Free Zones. This bill would have repealed gun free zones and provided for the Constitutional carrying of concealed weapons in the State of Wyoming. It was defeated in the Senate by a vote of 8-20-2. We have assigned a plus to the ayes because this bill directly supports WRP Resolution: Crime #6 and supports the 2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. (https://www.wyoleg.gov/2019/Digest/SF0075.pdf)
