Wyoming Legislature To Consider Ban on Sanctuary Cities
A bill to cut off funding for any Wyoming city or county that declares itself a "sanctuary city'' has been filed for the upcoming legislative session.
House Bill 105 would cut off state funding and potentially some state-administered federal money as well to local governments that designate themselves as sanctuary cities.
The bill would specifically target local governments that withhold their cooperation in reporting the immigration status of people to homeland security or immigration officials. State agencies that are in charge of disbursing money for local government would have to certify that those governments are cooperating on providing the information before they would be eligible to receive the money from the state.
The bill's primary sponsor is Rep. Chuck Gray (R-Natrona County). The bill is being co-sponsored by seven members of the state house as well as Senator Larry Hicks (R-Albany/Carbon/ Sweetwater counties).
The 2018 Wyoming Legislature is scheduled to convene a 20-day budget session on Monday (Feb. 12) in Cheyenne. Because it is a budget session, non-budget items will need a 2/3 majority vote for introduction.