Wyoming
Several High-Profile Bills Die In Wyoming Legislature
Although the 2024 budget session of the Wyoming Legislature is only one week through a scheduled four-week budget session, quite a few high-profile bills are already dead for this session.
The failed bills are mostly non-budget proposals. Such legislation faces a higher threshold during a budget session, with a two-thirds majority needed for introduction. There is also a time element involved.
The session is slated to wrap on March 8.
“Time is our enemy in a budget session,” said House Speaker Sommers. “We prioritize urgent fiscal matters, often leaving little room for other legislative proposals, which is exactly how the Wyoming Constitution intends a budget session to be.”
A total of 221 bills were filed just in the Wyoming House, with another 8 Joint Resolutions considered by the body. Sommers says that is the second most ever in a budget session for that body. In the Senate, 130 bills and five Joint Resolutions were filed. That means over 350 bills and 13 Joint Resolutions had to be tackled by lawmakers.
The deadline for introduction of bills was Friday, and a lot of proposals died because they weren’t taken up in time.
Among the notable proposals that have already died this session:
-House Joint Resolution 6 and Senate Joint Resolution 4. These resolutions would have called for a Convention of the States Under Article V of the U.S. Constitution. The House proposal was not considered for introduction, the Senate measure failed an introduction vote.
Senate File 124. Would have prevented teacher’s unions from calling strikes. Failed an introduction vote.
House Bill 132. Would have banned the teaching of Critical Race Theory in Wyoming Schools. Was not considered for introduction
House Bill 204. Would have decriminalized cannabis. Was not considered for introduction.
House Bill 193. Would have banned sanctuary cities in Wyoming.
House Bill 50. The What Is A Woman Act. Would have mandated separate accommodations for males and females in restrooms and locker rooms, among others. Got a majority vote in favor at 37-24. But that margin fell short of a 2/3 majority needed for introduction during a budget session.
Meet the Four-Legged Heroes of the Cheyenne Police Department
They may not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, but make no bones about it, police dogs play a vital role in the fight against crime.
In many situations, they’re the first ones to put their lives on the line to protect their human partners, proving that not all heroes wear capes, some wear fur coats.
Gallery Credit: Joy Greenwald
JACKSON, Wyo. – Jackson Hole Public Art (JHPA) is proud to announce the
public installation of 250 Portraits, a community art project featuring self-portraits created and submitted by Wyoming residents from across the state. Launched in honor of the nation’s 250th anniversary, the project invited Wyomingites of all ages and backgrounds to submit portraits of themselves or other Wyoming residents, resulting in a vibrant and deeply personal collection of artwork.
Portraits were submitted by artists ranging in age from 5 to over 80, representing residents from 16 of Wyoming’s 23 counties. Participants included individuals, families, school groups, and educators who worked with their students to take part. The result is a wide-ranging snapshot of the people who call Wyoming home, from young children just beginning to express themselves through art to lifelong residents reflecting on decades of experience and identity.
The portraits are now on display in five large-scale grid installations located throughout downtown Jackson. They can be found at the Center for the Arts, JH Book Trader, the Antler Inn, the alley at Pinky G’s, and the Jackson Hole Elks Lodge. The exhibition will remain on view throughout the summer, giving locals and visitors alike the opportunity to take in the full collection at their own pace.
The exhibit, 250 Portraits, was designed to highlight both individual identity and collective belonging, weaving together faces from communities large and small into a single, statewide visual portrait of Wyoming’s people. By placing the work in accessible, high-traffic locations in downtown Jackson, JHPA hopes to spark conversation among residents and visitors about what it means to be part of a community that spans such a wide and varied landscape.
A self-guided walking map is available to help visitors navigate between the five sites and experience other public art projects throughout Jackson. For more information and to access the 2026 Public Art Map, visit https://www.jhpublicart.org/art/2026map.
Pair your portrait with an audio story! Please consider adding your voice to another state-wide project celebrating the stories of everyday Wyomingites: Re-Storying the West.
All over Wyoming, there are little free libraries in neighborhoods for those who are looking for a new book. The process is simple. Take a book and leave one for others to experience.
READ MORE: Wyoming’s Little Libraries
We also have neighborhood food pantries for families in a pinch who need a little help. Again, the process is easy. Take a meal, and when you’re able, leave one for another family in need.
READ MORE: A New Local Neighborhood Food Pantry System in Wyoming
Several of the North Platte River’s access points have loaner life jackets. Once again, it’s simple. If you need a life jacket, take one, then return it to another access point for others who need it.
READ MORE: Return The Loaner Life Jackets After You Use Them
These are fantastic programs across the state that show how much communities care about others. I found another program that I think would really fly here, and it’s already going strong in some places around the country, like Montana.
The process, just like these other programs, is simple but very effective. With Wyoming fisheries being so popular, these could help make it an even bigger global sensation.
Flybrary – Take a fly, leave a fly.
I saw this article on FlyLordsMag.com and thought it was fantastic.
Montana artist Brandi Massey is passionate about fly fishing, and she used her own experience of leaving her fly box at home when leaving for a fly fishing trip. After that experience, she remembered seeing a “Flybrary” on her social media timeline and decided to jump into action and do her own version of the “Flybrary” to ensure other fly fishing trips don’t get ruined because of not having any flies.
She had her dad build the box, got her permits, and put up her first “Flybrary” on the Blackfoot River, and has more in the works.
In the article, Brandi explained why she decided to do it.
I’ve been fly fishing since I could hold a fly pole in my hand. Always trying to catch more fish than my dad. I love the fly fishing community and this is a great way to stay connected to the community. I’m an artist and this is an amazing way to show a piece of myself to the world.
Have you ever seen a “Flybrary” out in the wild? LET ME KNOW HERE
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