Sens. Kinskey, Steinmetz Call for Special Legislative Session

Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon vetoed a number of bills and also exercised his line-item veto authority on others last week.

Since then there have been calls from legislators and the public alike for the state legislature to call a Special Legislative Session.

Senators Dave Kinskey (R-Sheridan) and Cheri Steinmetz (R-Lingle) have issued

a poll of state legislators to see if there is enough support to convene a Special Session.

Kinskey said he is fully in support of a Special Session.

Note: Kinskey later reported that there was a 35% calling for the vote by members of the legislature, which means they can now go on to the actual vote.

To read the full memorandum sent to members of the 67^th Wyoming Legislature, scroll down.

Memorandum from Sens. Kinskey and Stinmetz to the other members of the 67^th Wyoming Legislature:

Pursuant to Article 3, Section 7 of the Wyoming Constitution and Rule 18-1 of the Joint Rules of the Senate and House of Representatives, we would like to initiate a poll from the Presiding Officers of the Senate and House of Representatives of the membership of the Wyoming Legislature to determine whether the Legislature should be called into Special Session.

The purpose of the Special Session would be to only address issues which were vetoed or line item vetoed by Governor Gordon from the 2024 Budget Session.

To initiate this poll, Joint Rule 18-1(b) (ii) requires at least thirty-five percent (35%) of the membership elected to each house provide a written statement to the Presiding Officers signed by those members. The Presiding Officers would then send out the official poll to call a Special Session which would require a concurrence of at least a majority of each house of the Legislature to call us into Special Session.

Attached to this email is an official ballot for you to use in responding to this poll. You will need to print, sign and date the ballot and return it as soon as possible to the Legislative Service Office. To expedite the tabulation of the poll, we would encourage you to scan and attach a copy of your signed ballot in an email to LSO Director Matt Obrecht, matt.obrecht@wyoleg.gov. Please note however, even if you email an attached copy of your ballot you will still need to mail the signed original to the Legislative Service Office to formally register your vote.