Lawley watching budget, education recalibration and property tax

Rep. Martha Lawley, R-Worland, will enter her fourth season speaking for House District 27 in the Wyoming House of Representatives on Feb. 9 as chair of the Select Water Committee and sitting on the House Education and House Minerals, Business and Economic Development committees. 

Lawley predicted the top legislative issue affecting her Big Horn County constituents this session will relate to the budget, specifically cuts proposed by the Joint Appropriations Committee to the Department of Health, University of Wyoming and Wyoming Business Council. 

“This budget session is going to be fast and intense; one of my concerns is that some legislators will not take the time to get the facts needed to make informed decisions,” Lawley stated. “For the sake of the State of Wyoming and our constituents, we need to look behind the political rhetoric, roll up our sleeves, and ask good questions. It is vitally important that we get things right based on reliable facts.”

EDUCATION

The Education Recalibration Bill, which passed the Select Committee on School Finance Recalibration, will also be of interest to Big Horn County residents, with proposals set to grow class sizes in Wyoming public schools, cutting teaching positions. Lawley will see it as part of her education committee duties. 

“Educators are concerned about some of the consequence to education funding like larger class sizes or possible elimination of electives like music and art,” Lawley said. She reported she is still receiving data from local districts on how the recalibration bill would affect them.

Lawley anticipated public school discipline would also draw debate. Through House Bill 65 legislation, the state would require school districts to adopt rules or policies establishing requirements for student discipline and require reporting on major disciplinary action to the Department of Education. It would also repeal immunity for corporal discipline.  

Several changes to the Hathaway scholarship will be proposed: House Bill 57 would create a Hathaway scholarship for use at private Wyoming post-secondary institutions, Senate File 36 would eliminate Hathaway requirements relating to continuous enrollment and minimum credit hours and set scholarship amounts and Senate File 47 would increase the Hathaway scholarship awards. 

SELECT WATER

With two state-backed reservoir projects in the works in Big Horn County, Lawley has been appointed as chair of the Select Water Committee after serving on the committee one year prior. 

During this session, the group’s Omnibus Water Planning Bill and Omnibus Water Construction Bill will be presented to the Agriculture Committee to detail the status of various water projects that require state funding. Lawley noted the committee will also bring forth bills on prescriptive easements, voluntary water conservation, water district funds for maintenance projects, forest health and destruction of water.

MINERALS

Lawley noted only one bill out of the Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee’s interim work: Senate File 3 would allow for the use of defensive force to protect commercial nuclear facilities. 

“This bill mirrors the federal requirement for safeguarding nuclear facilities,” Lawley said. 

SPONSORED BILLS

Lawley will also sponsor a bill she hoped would protect women from being coerced into getting an abortion when they do not want or are uncertain about the procedure. 

“There is reliable evidence that some women are coerced into abortions by family member, boyfriends or employers,” Lawley said. “The bill also ensures women considering an abortion are provided the necessary information to give truly informed consent to the procedure.”

She also intends to cosponsor a bill relating to the automation of Wyoming’s court system. 

LOOKING FORWARD

The budget, education recalibration and property tax bills are expected to be key issues this session. Lawley reported she has heard a lot of constituent feedback on property tax cuts, with the vast majority against further cuts. 

“I have heard feedback on each of these things from constituents in both Big Horn County and Washakie County. People are becoming more aware of how property tax cuts affect the local services they rely on… these are not just numbers on a spreadsheet. They represent services and programs that affect many of our friends and neighbors,” Lawley said. 

In a statement made to the Basin Republican-Rustler, Lawley expressed concern about some budget cuts. The Wyoming Business Council and University of Wyoming were among those she worried would be cut too far, with cuts to UW described as “punitive.” Lawley suggested reforms should be made to the existing WBC rather than entirely dismantling it and any concerns regarding UW be brought to the Board of Trustees. 

The Facebook page “Representative Martha Lawley WY State House” will provide updates throughout the session, and Lawley can be reached by email at Martha.Lawley@wyoleg.gov.

“It is a great honor to represent the people of Wyoming House District 27,” Lawley said.