Legislative Report: Gov Nixes New Mansion [AUDIO]

The supplemental budget bill has been approved and the validity of marriage bill dies in the Senate. Amy Richards has more in Wednesday's Legislative Report.

This Legislative Report is brought to you by Hilltop National Bank.

Gov. Matt Mead signed the supplemental budget bill this afternoon.

Gov. Matt Mead:

"I appreciate the exceptional hard work of the Legislature and Joint Appropriations in putting together this supplemental budget bill in ways that meets many of my recommendations, including the funding for highways, including a compromise, but still a very good start on funding for local governments."

The governor used his line item veto authority on two footnotes. One would have set aside 450,000 dollars to purchase lands for a new governor's mansion.

Sen. Phil Nicholas co-chairman of the Joint Appropriations Committee says one of the focuses of the supplemental budget bill was to promote economic development.

Sen. Phil Nicholas, budget bill:

"Seems to me that we have a high priority, that we wanted to make sure that we were funding, and a lot of them had to do with jobs and economic development. When I go do the tallies, Governor, I think we've got about 296, almost 300 million dollars of capital construction throughout the state."

The governor also signed two bills SF 144 and House Bill 111, that will help in state builders and contractors. The governor also signed original SF 47, the concealed weapons bill today. That bill allows Wyoming residents to carry a concealed weapon without a permit. A bill that would expand the "Healthy Frontiers" health care pilot project has passed the Legislature. It's sponsor Sen. Charlie Scott says it's an important bill, because it may provide a blueprint for how the state provides health care for low income residents.

Sen. Charlie Scott, SF 139:

"So getting them good quality care, at an affordable cost, and that means it can possibly be used as an alternative to the Medicaid expansion that is required in the national health care reform."

The Senate voted 28-2 to adopt the Joint Conference Committee report on HB 127 the school finance recalibration bill. Senate Education Committee Chairman Sen. Hank Coe says he's satisfied with the bill.

Sen. Hank Coe, recalibration:

"Dealt with local cash flows and assessments and I'm very pleased that it passed. We put a year's worth of work into this."

The Senate also voted to adopt the Joint Conference Committee report on SF 107. The bill provides some money for roads in counties in southeast Wyoming which are being affected by the Niobrara oil shale activity. Sen. Curt Meier says it's needed.

Sen. Curt Meier, standards in statute:

"Yes, that is correct, we're at the Senate position is 6 million and the House had more money in it, but I think we wanted to kind of walk before we ran on this. The good thing about the bill is that it puts all of the standards in statute."

After the House voted this 31 to 28 this morning to adopt the joint conference committee report on House Bill 74, the validity of marriage bill, the Senate this afternoon voted 14-16 not to adopt the Joint Conference Committee report. Barring the appointment of another conference committee, which is unlikely, the bill is dead for the session.

With the Legislative Report, I'm Amy Richards for K2 Radio News.