By Carrie Haderlie
Wyoming Tribune Eagle
Via- Wyoming News Exchange

CHEYENNE — The Senate voted on third reading to repeal Wyoming’s gun-free zones, approving a version of legislation that, in its final form, remained very similar to what was introduced in the early days of the session.

The bill, Enrolled Act 49, must still be signed by Gov. Mark Gordon to become law.

House Bill 125, “Repeal gun free zones and preemption amendments,” was sponsored by Rep. Jeremy Haroldson, R-Wheatland, and co-sponsored by numerous others: Reps. Abby Angelos, R-Gillette; John Bear, R-Gillette; Ben Hornok, R-Cheyenne; Mark Jennings, R-Sheridan; Christopher Knapp, R-Gillette; Chip Neiman, R-Hulett; Pepper Ottman, R-Riverton; Sarah Penn, R-Lander; Rachel Rodriguez-Williams, R-Cody; Scott Smith, R-Lingle; Tomi Strock, R-Douglas; Clarence Styvar, R-Cheyenne; Jeanette Ward, R-Casper; John Winter, R-Thermopolis; and Sens. Bob Ide, R-Casper, and Brian Boner, R-Douglas.

Bills sponsored by individual lawmakers, or groups of lawmakers, rather than Legislative committees, do not go through the same months-long process of examination between sessions. 

Bills sponsored by committee are considered in open meetings during the interim session, where the public has the opportunity to comment, but that was not the case on HB 125. 

Two committees during the Legislative session heard public comment on the bill in the last several weeks: the House Judiciary, which voted 7-2 to pass the bill and the Senate Judiciary, which voted against the bill Monday night after hearing less than two hours of public comment in a 3-2 vote. 

The Senate then voted to suspend its own rules, overturning the decision of the committee to bring the bill to the Senate floor this week.

“The bill does exactly what the title says,” Boner said Tuesday afternoon. “It would repeal the gun-free zones that we have throughout the state, the idea being that these are often targets of soft areas where if somebody wants to do something, they will be focused on going where there aren’t any firearms.”

Sen. Wendy Schuler, R-Evanston, made an amendment attempt on third and final reading Thursday. Her amendment would have required that any person intending to carry a concealed weapon in a public school facility notify the school district superintendent in writing, effective for one year.

“Maybe we should also have those folks that are concealed carry going into a school district … contact the superintendent. Is it an onerous thing? I don’t think so,” Schuler said.

Sen. Anthony Bouchard, R-Cheyenne, pushed back.

“Simply put, what good is a concealed weapon permit if the identity of those who are issued such a permit is of general public knowledge?” Bouchard said.

Schuler’s amendment failed. 

Sen. Bill Landen, R-Casper, voted in favor of HB 125 Thursday, although it was his vote that killed it in committee.

“Is this a safety bill? I don’t know. I don’t know. It is OK that we call it that, I think that is hopefully something down the road that maybe it will do,” Landen said Thursday, adding that his hesitation to vote for the bill Monday was over concern it could not be ready to become law by the end of the session.

“I guess in part, that has borne out. That is the will of the body, and I respect that. I respect that the Senate felt that bill was far enough,” Landen said, adding that he is “hopeful” lawmakers will revisit the bill to add in provisions for local rulemaking in hospitals, colleges and at the University of Wyoming at a later date.

Sen. Chris Rothfuss, D-Laramie, argued a final time against the bill. Teachers, he said, had not asked for it, and neither had local governments.

“When we reflect on our cities, towns and counties, what this bill does is says to them, our city councils, our county commissioners, your judgment is not good enough,” Rothfuss said.

Sen. Troy McKeown, R-Gillette, said HB 125 restores a fundamental right.

“This is an interesting discussion. We are going to give our constitutional rights over to a government agency. If they are going to deny our Second Amendment rights, what’s next? The First Amendment? Fourth Amendment? This is guaranteed in the Constitution,” McKeown said. “If we let school superintendents decide on this constitutional right, it won’t be long before they are deciding on First Amendment rights.”

Voting against the bill were Sens. Jim Anderson, R-Casper; Fred Baldwin, R-Kemmerer; Cale Case, R-Lander; Dan Furphy, R-Laramie; Mike Gierau, D-Jackson; Stephan Pappas, R-Cheyenne; Chris Rothfuss, D-Laramie; and Schuler.