NEWS

The Wyoming House took up a slate of firearm-related bills this week—each one focused on expanding, clarifying, or reinforcing Second Amendment protections.   Though Second Amendment legislation is run in every legislative session, it takes on particular urgency for legislators in the budget session because it’s an election year.

In Wyoming, there are two political absolutes: if you want to win an election, don't vote for an income tax and don't vote against guns.
 
This year, there are six firearm related bills: five are in the House of Representatives, and there’s a mirror bill in the Senate.  The Senate bill, SF0101-Second Amendment Protection Act Amendments 3, passed the Senate with ease and is now in front of the House Appropriations Committee.

Wyoming’s Second Amendment Protection Act (SAPA) is considered by many gun advocacy organizations to be among the nation’s strongest with a criminal penalty of a year in jail and $1,000 fine.  Passed in 2022, the SAPA law has become the basis of much of the proposed recent gun policy.

Four of the House’s firearm bills passed Committee of the Whole on Thursday and will be heard on third reading Saturday.  Those bills are: HB95, Campus Carry Expansion; HB96, Lowering Carry Age; HB98, Red Flag Enforcement Penalties; HB39, Restoration of Rights Recognition and HB130 Second Amendment Protection Act Amendments.

Committee of the Whole votes are not recorded and are conducted with a voice vote.  However, this being a budget session, each of this year’s gun bills had to first pass a 2/3 introductory vote before being introduced.  This being an election year, the introduction votes for this slate of bills yielded few surprises; with the exception of one bill, that is.

Here’s the Breakdown


HB0095 — Campus Carry Expansion 
Allows concealed carry in public college and university facilities, continuing Wyoming’s broader expansion of lawful carry in public spaces. 


Voting no: Rep. E. Campbell, Rep. Chestek, Rep. Jarvis, Rep. Provenza, Rep. Sherwood, Rep. Storer 
 
 
HB0096 — Lowering Carry Age
Reduces the concealed carry permit age from 21 to 18, aligning firearm carry rights with legal adulthood. 


Voting no: Rep. Chestek, Rep. Provenza, Rep. Sherwood, Rep. Storer 
 
 
HB0098 — Red Flag Enforcement Penalties 
Creates a misdemeanor penalty for violating Wyoming’s ban on red flag-style firearm seizures, adding enforcement teeth to existing law. 


Voting no: Rep. Chestek, Rep. Nicholas, Rep. Provenza, Rep. Sherwood, Rep. Storer, Rep. Yin 
 
 
HB0039 — Restoration of Rights Recognition 
Clarifies that Wyoming will recognize firearm rights restored in other states, closing a legal gap for individuals who have had rights reinstated elsewhere. 


Voting no: Rep. Chestek 

Republicans Voting Against the Second Amendment

The Second Amendment Protection Act still appears to be a source of consternation for some Wyoming Republicans.  This year’s iteration would create civil liability and penalties for state and local entities that enforce unconstitutional federal firearm regulations.  This coupled with the criminal penalties already in Wyoming statute would create the nation’s strongest protections for the Second Amendment.

Perplexingly, there were five Republicans that voted against introduction of HB0130: Art Washut, Bob Davis, Lloyd Larsen, Bob Nicholas and Elisa Campbell.  These Representatives will face strong opposition from gun rights groups in the upcoming election.

 

House Bill 0108-Firearm Purchase Protections has not received a vote in Committee of the whole and is still on General File.  This bill would prevent credit card companies and other financial institutions from tracking the sale of gun and accessory purchases.

The Wyoming House is not divided on whether to advance firearm legislation—those bills are moving. But there is a clearly defined group of lawmakers who are consistently opposed to those expansions. And when those votes are tracked across multiple bills, the distinction becomes difficult to ignore. 
 
 Call it debate. Call it disagreement. But when the same names show up every time the Second Amendment is mentioned, it’s a voting record.