Four bills tracked by the Wyoming Tribune Eagle are headed to the governor's desk

Mar. 7—CHEYENNE — On the last day to pass bills on third reading in the second house, four bills the Wyoming Tribune Eagle has kept an eye on successfully made it through every legislative hurdle.

Senate File 86, "School safety and security-funding," sponsored by Sen. John Kolb, R-Rock Springs, provides a state funding mechanism for schools opted into a firearm program. The bill includes a one-time allocation of $480,000 from the state's general funds, with the idea to split the sum among Wyoming's 48 school districts at $10,000 each.

SF 109, "Prohibit Red Flag Gun Seizure Act," sponsored by Sen. Bo Biteman, R-Ranchester, also passed the Senate with a unanimous concurrence vote. The bill prohibits the seizure of an individual's firearms without due process.

Several amendments to the bill were adopted in the House of Representatives and passed in the Senate. One big amendment to the bill, introduced by House Speaker Albert Sommers, R-Pinedale, expanded the list of individuals excepted from protections under the act. The list includes those who are undocumented immigrants, were dishonorably discharged from the military, convicted of domestic assault or a fugitive.

The House also took out the differentiation between "violent" and "nonviolent" felons — the bill now excludes anyone with a felony from protection under the act. Another added amendment included the Wyoming Department of Game and Fish as an agency prohibited from red flag gun seizures under the act.

"The heart of the bill is still the same," Biteman said Thursday. "You cannot seize anyone's firearms without due process."

SF 99, "Children gender change prohibition," sponsored by Sen. Anthony Bouchard, R-Cheyenne, passed its concurrence on a vote of 28-2. Votes against the bill were Sens. Cale Case, R-Lander, and Chris Rothfuss, D-Laramie.

The bill bans any gender-transition or affirming treatment of minors in Wyoming. Rep. Steve Harshman, R-Casper, added an amendment to the bill, clarifying minors could still receive mental health treatment, as long as prescribed medication didn't violate medication prohibited in the bill.

SF 19, "Developmental preschool funding," sponsored by the Legislature's Joint Education Committee, updated the formula for funding child development centers in Wyoming. The House Education Committee inserted an allocation of a little more than $16 million in the bill. However, funding for developmental preschools was reduced to approximately $12.3 million of on-going funding in the second joint conference committee's approved budget, which will be voted on in each chamber on Friday.

Sen. Charles Scott, R-Casper, said on the Senate floor Thursday that the budget's allocation will trump the allocation in the bill.

These bills, having been signed by Senate President Ogden Driskill, R-Devils Tower, will head over to the governor's desk. Gov. Mark Gordon can either sign the bill, veto the bill or refuse to sign the bill (which will not prevent it from going into law).

Hannah Shields is the Wyoming Tribune Eagle's state government reporter. She can be reached at 307-633-3167 or hshields@wyomingnews.com. You can follow her on X @happyfeet004.