Prioritizing time: Representatives discuss upcoming session

The 2022 Legislative Session will convene on Feb. 14, in Cheyenne. This is a budget year for lawmakers and although the budget bill will be a top priority, there are hundreds of other bills that will require introduction. 

Budget sessions, held on even numbered years, only meet for 20 days. While appearing on Sheridan Media’s Public Pulse program Representative Cyrus Western, R -Big Horn, told listeners the procedure lawmakers will follow to kick-off this limited amount of time, which begins with speeches by Wyoming Senate President Dan Dockstader, R – Afton and Wyoming House Speaker Rep. Eric Barlow, R – Gillette.

With so many bills and such a limited time frame, not all bills can make it to the stage where they are discussed in committees. Rep. Mark Kinner, R – Sheridan, told listeners that during these tight scheduled budget sessions getting a bill to committee can be a challenge. All bills, excluding a few, require an introductory vote. Should those votes not meet a 2/3 requirement, (40 members of the House) the bill dies for the year. 

Although many of these bills will not make it to committees until years to come, the time saved will allow for more effort to be spent on the two big issues facing lawmakers this year, redistricting and the budget. 

Sheridan Media will have more stories on the interview with local Representatives in the future.