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SF0005

Wyoming Law on Confidential Legislative Communications

Last scannedOct 18, 2026, 2:19 AM

In one sentence

This law defines specific communications between legislators, staff, and others as confidential and protected from disclosure unless the privilege is waived.

What it does

  • Creates a new state law, W.S. 28-8-116, regarding confidential communications.
  • States that communications between legislators and legislative staff about research, drafting, committee matters, or legislative positions are confidential.
  • Protects documents and electronic records, such as emails, notes, and drafts, related to those confidential communications, except for bills or amendments approved for introduction.
  • Declares that private communications between a legislator and a constituent are confidential until disclosed by the legislator or the other party.
  • Defines who counts as 'legislative staff' for the purpose of this law.
  • Sets the effective date as immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for the bill to become law.

Who it affects

  • Wyoming state legislators.
  • Legislative staff, including the legislative service office, session staff, interns, and aides.
  • Constituents who communicate with legislators.
  • Contractors or consultants retained by the legislature.

Limits and unknowns

  • The law does not specify how long these communications remain confidential after a legislator leaves office.
  • The text does not explain the legal process for challenging a claim of confidentiality in court.
  • The source does not detail how this law interacts with existing public records laws outside of the specific exclusions listed.

Plain language

Terms to know

Privileged
Protected by law so that the information is deemed confidential and cannot be easily shared or forced to be revealed.
Legislative staff
The staff of the legislative service office, session staff employed by the legislature, and legislative interns and aides.
Waived
Given up or released by the individual legislator involved, allowing the confidential status to be removed.

Official record

Sources

Source checked
Official bill pageIntroduced textOfficial digestOfficial summaryCurrent bill text
Read the official summary

SF0005 Bill Summary Bill No.: SF0005 Drafter: DJP LSO No.: 06LSO-0106 Effective Date: 3/10/2006 Enrolled Act No.: SEA0028 Chapter No.: 33 Prime Sponsor: Management Council Catch Title: Privileged communications. Subject: Confidential communications Summary/Major Elements: Provides that specified communications between legislators, legislative staff and constituents are deemed confidential and privileged unless the privilege is waived. Comments: Vetoed by Governor 03/09/06 Senate voted to override the veto by a vote of 29-1 House voted to override the veto by a vote of 43-14-3

Public statements

Why lawmakers voted

Last checked Sep 12, 11:05 AM

We are still checking public recordings for this bill.

Wyoming roll calls

Recorded votes

8 roll calls

H Overrode Veto 43-14-3-0-02006-03-10 · House43 yes 14 no
Yes
43
No
14
Absent
0
Excused
3
Conflict
0

Yes 43

Alan C JonesH25Becket HinckleyH41Bill ThompsonH60Bruce BarnardH49Colin SimpsonH24David R EdwardsH06David R MillerH55Del McOmieH54Douglas OsbornH40Edward BuchananH04Elaine HarveyH26Erin E Mrs. MercerH53Frank PhilpH34Gerald GayH36Jack D Landon Jr.H30James C HagemanH05Jane WarrenH13Jerry IekelH29Jim SlaterH46Kathleen DavisonH20Keith M GingeryH23Kermit C BrownH14Kevin A WhiteH45Kurt BucholzH47Larry MeuliH08Lorraine K QuarbergH28Mark SemlekH01Mick PowersH18Monte OlsenH22Owen PetersenH19Pat ChildersH50Peter S IllowayH42Randall B LuthiH21Robert A BrechtelH38Rodney "Pete" AndersonH10Rosie M BergerH51Roy CoheeH35Stephen D WattH17Steve HarshmanR · H37Thomas A LockhartH57Tom Lubnau IIH31Wayne ReeseH11Zwonitzer, DK.

No 14

Debbie HammonsH27Deborah AldenH03Doug SamuelsonH07EsquibelGeorge BagbyH15Jeff WasserburgerH32John HastertH39Marty A MartinH48Mary GilmoreH59Pete JorgensenH16Ross DiercksH02Tom WalshH56W. Patrick P GogglesH33Zwonitzer, DL.

Excused 3

Ann RobinsonH58Burke JacksonH52Layton D MorganH12
S Overrode Veto 29-1-0-0-02006-03-10 · Senate29 yes 1 no
Yes
29
No
1
Absent
0
Excused
0
Conflict
0

Yes 29

Austin "Kit" JenningsS28Bill HawksS29Bruce Burns Jr.S21Cale CaseR · S25Charles ScottR · S30Chuck TownsendS01Curtis MeierS03E. Jayne MocklerS08Gerald E GeisS20Grant C LarsonS17Henry R CoeS18Jim AndersonS02John BarrassoS27John C SchifferS22John G HanesS05John J HinesS23Kathryn L SessionsS07Kenneth J DecariaS15Michael J Mr. Von FlaternS24Mike MassieS09Patricia L AullmanS16Phil A NicholasS10Rae L JobS12Ray R PetersonS19Robert A PeckS26Stan CooperS14Tex BoggsS13Tony RossS04Wayne H JohnsonS06

No 1

Bill Mr. VaseyS11
S Did Concur 30-0-0-0-02006-03-08 · Senate30 yes 0 no
Yes
30
No
0
Absent
0
Excused
0
Conflict
0

Yes 30

Austin "Kit" JenningsS28Bill HawksS29Bill Mr. VaseyS11Bruce Burns Jr.S21Cale CaseR · S25Charles ScottR · S30Chuck TownsendS01Curtis MeierS03E. Jayne MocklerS08Gerald E GeisS20Grant C LarsonS17Henry R CoeS18Jim AndersonS02John BarrassoS27John C SchifferS22John G HanesS05John J HinesS23Kathryn L SessionsS07Kenneth J DecariaS15Michael J Mr. Von FlaternS24Mike MassieS09Patricia L AullmanS16Phil A NicholasS10Rae L JobS12Ray R PetersonS19Robert A PeckS26Stan CooperS14Tex BoggsS13Tony RossS04Wayne H JohnsonS06
H Passed 3rd Reading 36-22-2-0-02006-03-07 · House36 yes 22 no
Yes
36
No
22
Absent
0
Excused
2
Conflict
0

Yes 36

Alan C JonesH25Becket HinckleyH41Bill ThompsonH60Bruce BarnardH49Colin SimpsonH24David R EdwardsH06David R MillerH55Del McOmieH54Douglas OsbornH40Edward BuchananH04Elaine HarveyH26Erin E Mrs. MercerH53Frank PhilpH34Jack D Landon Jr.H30James C HagemanH05Jerry IekelH29Jim SlaterH46Kathleen DavisonH20Kermit C BrownH14Larry MeuliH08Lorraine K QuarbergH28Mark SemlekH01Marty A MartinH48Mick PowersH18Owen PetersenH19Pat ChildersH50Peter S IllowayH42Randall B LuthiH21Robert A BrechtelH38Rodney "Pete" AndersonH10Rosie M BergerH51Roy CoheeH35Steve HarshmanR · H37Thomas A LockhartH57Wayne ReeseH11Zwonitzer, DK.

No 22

Ann RobinsonH58Debbie HammonsH27Deborah AldenH03Doug SamuelsonH07EsquibelGeorge BagbyH15Gerald GayH36Jane WarrenH13Jeff WasserburgerH32John HastertH39Keith M GingeryH23Kevin A WhiteH45Layton D MorganH12Mary GilmoreH59Monte OlsenH22Pete JorgensenH16Ross DiercksH02Stephen D WattH17Tom Lubnau IIH31Tom WalshH56W. Patrick P GogglesH33Zwonitzer, DL.

Excused 2

Burke JacksonH52Kurt BucholzH47
H12 Recommended Amend and Do Pass 10-3-0-0-02006-03-01 · House10 yes 3 no
Yes
10
No
3
Absent
0
Excused
0
Conflict
0

Yes 10

Bill ThompsonH60Colin SimpsonH24Douglas OsbornH40Frank PhilpH34Jeff WasserburgerH32Marty A MartinH48Peter S IllowayH42Randall B LuthiH21Rodney "Pete" AndersonH10Roy CoheeH35

No 3

Ann RobinsonH58Deborah AldenH03Wayne ReeseH11
S Passed 3rd Reading 30-0-0-0-02006-02-20 · Senate30 yes 0 no
Yes
30
No
0
Absent
0
Excused
0
Conflict
0

Yes 30

Austin "Kit" JenningsS28Bill HawksS29Bill Mr. VaseyS11Bruce Burns Jr.S21Cale CaseR · S25Charles ScottR · S30Chuck TownsendS01Curtis MeierS03E. Jayne MocklerS08Gerald E GeisS20Grant C LarsonS17Henry R CoeS18Jim AndersonS02John BarrassoS27John C SchifferS22John G HanesS05John J HinesS23Kathryn L SessionsS07Kenneth J DecariaS15Michael J Mr. Von FlaternS24Mike MassieS09Patricia L AullmanS16Phil A NicholasS10Rae L JobS12Ray R PetersonS19Robert A PeckS26Stan CooperS14Tex BoggsS13Tony RossS04Wayne H JohnsonS06
S12 Recommended Do Pass 5-0-0-0-02006-02-15 · Senate5 yes 0 no
Yes
5
No
0
Absent
0
Excused
0
Conflict
0

Yes 5

E. Jayne MocklerS08Grant C LarsonS17John C SchifferS22John J HinesS23Rae L JobS12
S Introduced and Referred to S12 29-1-0-0-02006-02-13 · Senate29 yes 1 no
Yes
29
No
1
Absent
0
Excused
0
Conflict
0

Yes 29

Austin "Kit" JenningsS28Bill HawksS29Bill Mr. VaseyS11Bruce Burns Jr.S21Cale CaseR · S25Charles ScottR · S30Chuck TownsendS01Curtis MeierS03E. Jayne MocklerS08Gerald E GeisS20Grant C LarsonS17Henry R CoeS18Jim AndersonS02John BarrassoS27John C SchifferS22John G HanesS05John J HinesS23Kenneth J DecariaS15Michael J Mr. Von FlaternS24Mike MassieS09Patricia L AullmanS16Phil A NicholasS10Rae L JobS12Ray R PetersonS19Robert A PeckS26Stan CooperS14Tex BoggsS13Tony RossS04Wayne H JohnsonS06

No 1

Kathryn L SessionsS07

Official activity

Bill history

  1. Assigned Chapter Number - 33LSO
  2. H Overrode VetoHouse
  3. S Overrode VetoSenate
  4. Governor Vetoed SEA No. 0028
  5. H Speaker Signed SEA No. 0028House
  6. S President Signed SEA No. 0028Senate
  7. Assigned Number SEA0028LSO
  8. S Did ConcurSenate
  9. H Passed 3rd ReadingHouse
  10. Amendment FailedHouse
  11. H Passed 2nd ReadingHouse
  12. H Passed CoWHouse
  13. H Amendments AdoptedHouse
  14. Amendment AdoptedHouse
  15. H Placed on General FileHouse
  16. H12 Recommended Amend and Do PassHouse
  17. H Introduced and Referred to H12House
  18. H Received for IntroductionHouse
  19. S Passed 3rd ReadingSenate
  20. S Passed 2nd ReadingSenate

Changes

Amendments

5 stored

SF0005H3001

Withdrawn 3rd reading by JORGENSEN

SF0005H3002

Withdrawn 3rd reading by HASTERT

SF0005H3003

Failed 3rd reading by REESE

SF0005HS001

Adopted Standing Committee by H12

SF0005S3001

Withdrawn 3rd reading by MEIER