Redistricting heads to the Senate

The Wyoming House of Representatives passed HB0100 with an amendment that included Arvada and Clearmont in House District 40. Upon reaching the Senate, the bill was referred to the Senate Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivisions committee, who removed that amendment. 

The amendment put HD 40 over deviation, something some Senate lawmakers feel is not acceptable.  

Senators Bo Biteman (R) and Dave Kinskey (R) will now work to restore that amendment, either under a 60/30 or a 62/31 plan and keep Johnson and Sheridan Counties whole. 

Biteman has drafted an amendment to be introduced which retains the 60/30 plan and puts each district into the required deviation. According to Biteman, the Scott 60/30 amendment contains the revisions and work that the Region 5 delegation agreed to earlier in the process.

“My hope is to go back to 60/30 and keep Sheridan and Johnson whole,” Biteman said in an email to Sheridan Media. “This plan does that.”

According to Biteman, should that amendment fail, Kinskey has prepared an amendment on the 62/31 plan. This amendment would reinstate the amendment made by Rep. Barry Crago (R), placing Arvada and Clearmont back into HD 40, but will move Story from Sheridan County (HD51) to Johnson County. 

“Arvada Clearmont, and School District #3, are part of Sheridan County and should remain part of the Sheridan and Johnson County House and Senate representation,” Kinskey said in an email. “To pull it into Campbell County is to completely disenfranchise those voters and it is just not fair or right.”

The bill now heads to the Senate floor for further debate.