CHEYENNE – With the sound of a gavel, the Wyoming Legislature wrapped up the 2015 General Session Friday at the State Capitol in Cheyenne.

At the start of the Session on Jan. 13, a total of 410 bills were numbered for introduction. The Wyoming Legislature passed a total of 203 bills. Of the 153 bills numbered in the Senate, the body introduced 151 pieces of legislation with 91 of those bills passing in both the House and Senate. Of the 257 bills numbered in the House, 257 bills were introduced with 112 of those garnering the approval of both bodies. Legislation that passed both houses has either been signed or is waiting to be signed or vetoed by Gov. Matt Mead.

In addition to those bills, the Cowboy State’s supplemental budget bill was signed by the Governor Wednesday. Gov. Mead submitted budget recommendations totaling $166 million in General Fund (GF) monies. After the House and Senate acted on the legislation, a Joint Conference Committee was assigned and met a number of times to reconcile the differences in the House and Senate versions of the bill. On Monday afternoon, the Legislature adopted an agreement of $9.6 million in GF appropriations and $275.7 million in potential appropriations contingent upon investment earnings over the next two fiscal years.

Both the House and Senate have addressed a broad range of issues affecting Wyoming residents and while some of these laws will take effect immediately, many will not go into effect until July 1 of this year. Lawmakers will begin their interim committee work in the coming weeks. The Legislature’s Management Council finalized interim committee topics Friday. The list of approved studies can be found at www.wyoleg.gov. Wyoming’s Sixty-third Legislature will convene on Feb. 8, 2016 for a 20-day Budget Session. Due to the Capitol Square Project, which is expected to begin later this year, the Legislature will be meeting at the Jonah Financial Center, located at 3001 E. Pershing Boulevard in Cheyenne. The Legislature’s operations will be moved this summer, pending the Oversight Group on Capitol Building Restoration and Rehabilitation’s final approval of the guaranteed maximum price for the project.

The Wyoming Legislature encourages the public to participate in interim activities. The public can use the Legislature’s Website at www.wyoleg.gov to find information about interim legislative committees, including committee membership, the dates and locations of interim legislative committee meetings – which are held throughout the state – and minutes of committee meetings. The Website also contains a free email subscription service for all interim committee activities.

 

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