Wyoming Senate Passes Daylight Saving Bill, No On Higher Per Diem

The Wyoming Senate on Wednesday approved a bill that could eventually lead to Wyoming doing away with the twice-a-year time change but rejected a proposal to increase the per diem rate for members of state boards and commissions and members of the legislature when that body is not in session.

The vote in favor of House Bill 44 was 17-11. That vote marks the first time that both houses of the legislature have voted in favor of a bill to move away from the time change, but because the House and Senate have passed different versions of the measure, they will have to agree on a final version before the bill can be sent to Governor Mark Gordon.

The House version stipulates that Wyoming would ask for permission to say on Daylight Saving Time year-round if the states of Colorado, Utah. Montana and Idaho pass similar bills. The Senate version requires that at least three states from among, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Colorado, Idaho, Utah, and Montana pass similar legislation.

Congress would also have to sign off on the idea.

Meanwhile, House Bill 227 -- the per diem increase bill -- was defeated on a vote of 11-17 on Wednesday.

That measure would have increased the per diem from the current $109 to $151 in most of Wyoming.

The legislature would have not received the increase while in session under the amended version of the bill but would have gotten an increase for expenses during times when they were not in session.