First Budget Debates Last Until Midnight

$100 million was added by the Uniparty.

On Monday, the Wyoming House dug into House Bill 1, debating for nearly ten hours on amendments to the state budget.

In sum, the Uniparty (establishment republicans and democrats) voted to add $100 million to what is already the biggest budget Wyoming history. The Wyoming Freedom Caucus offered $250 million in cuts, with all but $700K of these reductions being rejected by the tax-and-spend elites.

What was added?

Despite opposition from the WYFC, the Uniparty added $25 million for government-funded broadband expansion, $700K for 6 new Wyoming Gaming Commission employees to regulate horse racing, $5 million to the already flush Wildlife Trust Fund, and more.

While prohibited by the Wyoming Constitution, a great deal of legislating in the budget took place. Policies that should have been debated on their own merits were jammed through the process in D.C.-omnibus fashion.

What was cut?

The WYFC brought multiple budget amendments amounting to a quarter of a billion dollars in cuts. Unfortunately, only one of our cuts survived.

Republican Representative Tom Walters (Natrona) championed spending $700K to purchase flowers and send a float to the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena, CA.

Our amendment to strip this offensive expenditure from the budget passed.

Watch highlights from that debate here.

Here’s how the vote broke down:

In another win for sanity, Representative Sarah Penn (R- Fremont) successfully brought an amendment to prevent any state funds from being used for abortions or so-called “gender affirming” care. 12 republicans voted against this amendment.

What was stopped?

House democrats sponsored a budget amendment that would have provided state-funded vasectomies and birth control.

Republican Representative Lloyd Larsen (Fremont) supported the measure, arguing that it was needed in order to avoid “unwanted” pregnancies, keeping low-income women in the workforce.

Despite being supported by 19 republicans, this Orwellian amendment failed after WYFC member Representative Rodriguez-Williams stated the truth at the mic: it’s eugenics.

Watch the exchange here.

Here’s how the vote broke down:

What’s Next?

Stay tuned for more budget updates as the House considers more amendments tomorrow.