Wyoming Governor Vetoes Gun-Free Zones Ban Bill

Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon has vetoed a bill that would have eliminated most gun-free zones in Wyoming.

A Friday evening news release from the governor's office explained his veto of House Bill 125:

Due to concerns that HB0125 exceeds the separation of powers embodied in Article 2 of our Wyoming Constitution. If the bill were enacted, any specific policy, further regulation, or clarification of the law could only be implemented by the Legislature. 

“House Bill 125/Enrolled Act No. 49, erodes historic local control norms by giving sole authority to the Legislature to micromanage a constitutionally protected right,” Governor Gordon wrote in his veto letter. “Any further clarification of the law, if this bill were enacted, would augment the Legislature’s reach into local firearms regulation.”

The bill had passed with big majorities in the Wyoming House and Senate, winning approval by votes of 54-7 and 22-8. In the Senate supporters of the bill took the unusual step of recalling the bill from the Senate Judiciary Committee, where it had been voted down 3-2, and bringing it back to the floor fo the Senate.

The Wyoming Freedom Caucus Responds To the Governor's Veto

The legislature's Wyoming Freedom Caucus was not pleased by the veto.

A Saturday morning Facebook post titled ''Governor Gordon Abandons Second Amendment" included the comments; ''The WYFC condemns his ant-Second Amendment stance  and would like to know what made him change his mind-in 2018, Gordon promised to eliminate gun-free zones."

"According to the United States and Wyoming Constitutions, the right to bear arms is fundamental--it shall not be infringed." 

The post goes on to say 'We know this right comes from our creator, not the government, and that government (no matter how local) cannot take away something that it cannot grant."