Senator Cooper concerned about bills that are dismantling public education

Senator Ed Cooper, R-Ten Sleep expressed concerns about the education bills coming out of the Wyoming House. 

In an interview on Sunday, Jan. 2 he said, “The bills coming out of the house, in my opinion are designed to dismantle the public education system. The three bills that are getting so many responses from the public are HB0100, HB0199 and HB0200. The responses have been overwhelming against those and I agree. These bills are taking us the wrong direction.”  

HB0100-AN ACT relating to education; allowing school districts and charter schools to adopt policies to employ persons without holding a certificate or permit issued by the Wyoming professional teaching standards board; specifying requirements for the adoption of policies; authorizing school districts and charter schools to obtain criminal histories and request fingerprinting; making conforming amendments; and providing for an effective date.

HB0199-AN ACT relating to education; modifying the education savings accounts program; changing the name of the program to the Wyoming freedom scholarship act; creating the Wyoming freedom scholarship program account; modifying distribution of state funds; modifying definitions; increasing the maximum scholarship award; modifying eligibility requirements; repealing provisions; providing appropriations; making conforming amendments; and providing for an effective date.

HB0200-AN ACT relating to education; clarifying procedures and requirements for school districts to provide parents notice of information regarding students; requiring school districts to publish and make materials available to parents; prohibiting school districts from requiring school district personnel and students to use a student’s preferred pronoun if the pronoun does not align with the student’s biological sex; requiring parental or guardian permission before instruction relating to diversity, equity or inclusion; authorizing school district personnel to opt out of mandatory trainings as specified; specifying disciplinary measures; providing for a cause of action; providing for a civil penalty; providing definitions; requiring reporting; and providing for an effective date.

Regarding HB0200 Cooper said that he believes that parents should know what is being taught. However, a syllabus is sometimes a work in progress and updated on a regular basis. There should not be the threat of being sued by parents because the plan may have to be changed for something as simple as a teacher out sick or school canceled for a snow day.” 

Cooper said there are also some bills coming out of the House about defunding the public education system. “I will stand against those as well.” 

  SF0087-Prescriptive easement for electricity delivery.  AN ACT relating to property, conveyances and security transactions; establishing prescriptive easements for electricity delivery; providing requirements for the prescriptive easements; specifying uses of the prescriptive easements; providing definitions; specifying applicability; and providing for an effective date.

The senator said he laid back this bill.  “We ran into some legal technicalities that need to be addressed. I am asking for it to be addressed as an interim topic.” He added it is important and needs to be addressed He wants the bill to be done correctly. 

SF0037-Enhanced concealed carry in school zone. AN ACT relating to weapons; authorizing the issuance of enhanced concealed carry permits; specifying requirements and conditions for the enhanced permits; specifying places where enhanced concealed carry permittees may carry concealed weapons; making conforming amendments; requiring rulemaking; and providing for effective dates.

Cooper said the bill will likely never see the light of day. It was not really intended to. “I feel like superintendents are focusing on the wrong bill. They need to put their focus on HB0172” It reads “AN ACT relating to concealed weapons; repealing gun free zones; providing for the carrying of concealed weapons as specified; creating a criminal offense for prohibiting entry to a person carrying a concealed weapon as specified; clarifying that only the state legislature may regulate firearms, weapons and ammunition; providing for exceptions; requiring rulemaking; and providing for an effective date.”

The senator noted that this bill has passed the House. “What was probably a reasonable bill now has some serious problems with it. This will have to be addressed when it comes to the Senate. One amendment said the concealed carry could be allowed by an 18-year-old.” 

SF0122-Voyeurism-sex offender registration amendment. AN ACT relating to criminal procedure; amending the requirement for persons convicted of felony voyeurism to register as a sex offender; and providing for an effective date.  

Cooper said this bill came about because of a case in Powell. A person took 1000’s of videos and photos of co-workers in the restroom. A few years ago, Senator RJ Kost
R- Powell put forth a
bill in the legislation to address the issue. 

That bill only applied if the victim was a minor. This year’s bill states that the perpetrator is registered as a sex offender no matter the age of the victim.