Wyoming Legislative Report - January 25 - KGWN –Cheyenne, WY– Scottsbluff, NE News,Weather, Sports

Wyoming Legislative Report - January 25

The House has passed the bill on a final vote removing the Superintendent of Public Instruction as Head of the Education Department and giving that power to an appointed director. Senate File 104 passed on a 39-20 vote today.

The measure goes back to the Senate to see if Senators concur with the minor changes made by the House.

If they do, it's on to the Governor for his signature.

The current Superintendent, Cindy Hill, would remain an elected state officer with some education duties and would retain her position on State Lands and Investment Boards.

The bill which creates criminal penalties for human trafficking and forced labor also passes the House on a final vote. The human trafficking bill heads to the Senate.

The bill to raise the tax a buck on a pack of smokes passes the House Revenue Committee 5 to 4.

House Bill 199 would add a nickel tax to each cigarette in a pack. It goes to the full House.

Those higher hunting and license fees sought by the Game and Fish Department were shot down by the Travel, Recreation and Wildlife Committee this morning.

Average fees under House Bills 136 and 137 would've gone up over 21 percent with some more than doubling.

In the Senate, an animal cruelty bill has made its way to the Senate floor.

Senate File 143 makes it a crime to confine livestock and not supply them with sufficient food and water.

Senator Ogden Driskill says it's a problem that somewhat stems from weather and the economy and this reminder again, beginning Sunday, merchants will be allowed to charge a fee for accepting Mastercard and Visa. Whether they actually will remains to be seen. They're called checkout fees up to 4 percent of your purchase. It's part of a $7 billion anti-trust settlement. 10 states, including Colorado, prohibit this.

No legislation here so far to address check out fees.