Cooper reflects on key bills from legislative session

Sen. Ed Cooper, R-Ten Sleep, looked back at the good and the bad of this session. “There was a lot of noise about some of the things that went on in the House and the Senate. Some of the media talked about the few negative things that happened, but there was some really common sense legislation that came out of this session. Overall, everything is very positive.”
BUDGET
Cooper feels that the budget was equitable on both sides (House and Senate). “I would have liked to see a few more cuts but the cuts that were made were good ones. A couple I didn’t agree with. It’s a solid budget, very conservative. It is 3% less than last biennium budget.”
He said it was passed out of the Senate Friday afternoon. He doesn’t know if or how much the governor might veto.
PROPERTY TAX BILLS
Cooper explained that the property tax bills were equitable and meaningful for everyone across the state. The Wyoming State Constitution requires that taxes be equitable.
Senate File 54 had to do with establishing a homeowner property tax exemption of 25% of the fair market value of a single-family residential structure valued up to $2 million. “I thought that was too high as far as the $2 million cap.” The exemption will help property owners in the smaller counties which was very important to Cooper. It will help keep taxpayers’ heads above water. A backfill will be provided to the counties, cities, and special districts.
This means the potential of 25% less property tax coming into a county will be supplemented by the state.  One hundred percent of property taxes stay in the county in which they are generated. These taxes pay for schools, senior centers, towns, county, library, weed and pest, hospitals, firefighters, any district that receives mill levy funds.
“If we just eliminate property tax, it breaks our cities, towns and counties. The backfill from the state will help keep them whole,” explained Cooper.
Also passed was SF 89. This bill provided exemptions for veterans. “Don’t ever think that one person can’t make a difference. I talked to a person in Cody that was a veteran. He was the nexus for this bill. The Veterans Exemption Program was started in 1949. It was updated in 1957 to $2,000 of assessed value. Well $2,000 in 1957 was a whole house.”
The last time it was updated was 2007 when it was raised to $3000 of assessed value. This meant about $250 in taxes. The current bill doubled the $3,000 to $6,000. Cooper said that it helps Wyoming take better care of its veterans. Some legislators wanted to increase it to $10,000. Others wanted 50% of assessed value. He felt that the bill could be watched for a couple of years and then be adjusted if necessary.
The other two tax property bills that passed were HB 3 and HB 45. HB 3 established a tax exemption for long term homeowners aged over 65 that have lived in their single-family homes for 25 years or more. The exemption is 50%.
HB 45 limited the percentage taxes could go up on single-family residence’s assessed value from the previous year. “There was a lot of misinformation on this bill,” said Cooper. “People thought it would go up 4%. No, it will not. It cannot go up more than 4%. We don’t want to have another situation like we had the last couple of years when it has gone up, 15, 18 or 20%. If taxes go up 3%, then that is the number.”
He continued that if the bill had been in effect over the last 10 years our property taxes would have gone up about 30 or 31% — compared to 78-79%.
HB 125 REPEAL GUN FREE ZONES
Cooper said support and opposition for this bill was about split in half. “It did pass. The issue on this bill is that gun free zones are protected by the Second Amendment under the U.S. Constitution. Also, by Article 1 Section 24 of the Wyoming State Constitution.”
He continued that the first thing he does when looking at a bill is if it is constitutional. “The repeal of the gun free act is something that holds us back within the bounds of the constitution. There are provisions that say schools are responsible for the welfare of their students.” He feels the issue will likely be addressed in the courts in the future because of the constitutionality question. Cooper did support the bill.
SF 99 CHILDREN GENDER
CHANGE PROHIBITION
Cooper said he morally believes deeply in this bill but voted against it at first because it was not constitutional in Wyoming. It is a national bill that hasn’t even been adopted to fit Wyoming’s Constitution.
In Article One Section 38, it says every able-bodied adult is responsible for their own medical and healthcare decisions. “Parents, guardians … are responsible for their wards.” This law goes directly against that by telling people parental control is only for what they want it to be. That’s not how the Constitution reads. This is why he voted against it at first. After talking to some of the sponsors of the bill he told them he would change his vote as he believes it will end up in court eventually. Moving the bill forward means this will happen sooner.