Wyoming Legislative Report - January 24 - KGWN –Cheyenne, WY– Scottsbluff, NE News,Weather, Sports

Wyoming Legislative Report - January 24

Education and another tax at the forefront of the Legislature today.

The bill to transfer power over education from the Superintendent of Public Instruction to an appointed director passed the House on a second vote.

Final House vote on Senate File 104 tomorrow. Also the human trafficking bill has passed a second vote.

House Bill 133 would address victims of sex and labor trafficking.

Under the bill, perpetrators would be added to the highest level of the sexual offenders registry, where they'd stay for life and victims, like prostitutes, would no longer be treated as criminals if they report they were trafficked.

Two other House bills we've been following have passed a final vote there.

House Bill 143 would allow people to take roadkill if they're going to eat or process it.

House Bill 149 establishes the jackalope as the state's mythical critter. A bill allowing schools to teach classes about the bible has passed the House Education Committee and is waiting for debate on the House floor. House Bill 130 would allow schools to offer a bible class as an elective.

The class would focus on bible history and literature, not theology. Vanderberge says some 40 states have similar legislation. A pack of smokes could go up a buck if House Bill 199 becomes law.

It would raise the tax a nickel on each cigarette in a pack.

Sponsor Gerald Gay says the average heavy smoker smokes a half million cigarettes in a lifetime adding a hefty amount to healthcare costs. That bill is in the House Revenue Committee Friday morning and the hitchhiking bill passes it first major test in the Senate.

Senate File 29 is on a second vote Friday.