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HJ0004

Removing Mandatory Retirement Age for Wyoming Judges

Last scannedOct 18, 2026, 2:19 AM

In one sentence

This bill proposed changing the Wyoming Constitution to remove the requirement that judges must retire at age 70.

What it does

  • Proposes to amend Article 5, Section 5 of the Wyoming Constitution.
  • Removes the rule that a judge's position becomes vacant when they reach age 70.
  • Requires the legislature to provide for voluntary retirement and compensation for justices and judges.
  • Allows the legislature to provide for the reassignment of judges to active duty.
  • Appropriates $32,000 for the Secretary of State to pay for the costs of publishing the amendment.
  • Requires the Secretary of State to print a statement on the ballot explaining that the amendment removes the mandatory retirement age.

Who it affects

  • Supreme Court justices in Wyoming.
  • Judges of district courts and other courts in Wyoming.
  • The Wyoming State Legislature.
  • The Secretary of State.

Limits and unknowns

  • The bill did not pass the Senate and was indefinitely postponed.
  • The source does not specify the exact details of the voluntary retirement benefits the legislature would create.
  • The source does not explain how long a judge could serve if they do not retire voluntarily.

Plain language

Terms to know

Joint Resolution
A type of bill that proposes a change to the state constitution.
Voluntary retirement
A judge chooses to leave their job and receive benefits, rather than being forced to leave.
Appropriation
Money set aside by the government for a specific purpose.

Official record

Sources

Source checked
Official bill pageIntroduced textOfficial digestCurrent bill text

Public statements

Why lawmakers voted

Last checked Aug 8, 6:36 AM

Voted Yes

Why they voted this way

The lawmaker believes mandatory retirement should not be in the Constitution but rather set by statute to allow for flexibility, while still favoring some age limit.

Public statementFloor statement at 1:32:05 Watch the statement
Voted No

Why they voted this way

The lawmaker argues that retirement age must be in the Constitution rather than set by legislature to prevent political manipulation of judges based on their rulings.

Public statementFloor statement at 1:33:27 Watch the statement
Voted No

Why they voted this way

The lawmaker supports keeping the age limit in the Constitution to avoid potential legal challenges regarding age discrimination if it were set by statute instead.

Public statementFloor statement at 1:35:32 Watch the statement
Voted Yes

Why they voted this way

The lawmaker expresses conflict about removing the arbitrary age limit due to increased longevity but acknowledges the need for an independent judiciary that cannot be easily removed by legislators.

Public statementFloor statement at 1:37:48 Watch the statement
Voted Yes

Why they voted this way

The lawmaker supports the bill despite personal dislike because they believe taxing digital products is necessary to ensure fairness between online retailers and local brick-and-mortar businesses.

Public statementFloor statement at 1:36:09 Watch the statement

If a lawmaker is not listed, we couldn't find a published reason.

Wyoming roll calls

Recorded votes

7 roll calls

S02 Recommended Do Pass 5-0-0-0-02010-02-26 · Senate5 yes 0 no
Yes
5
No
0
Absent
0
Excused
0
Conflict
0

Yes 5

Chuck TownsendS01Curtis MeierS03Mike MassieS09Phil A NicholasS10Ray R PetersonS19
S Failed CoW; Indef Postponed 13-17-0-0-02010-02-26 · Senate13 yes 17 no
Yes
13
No
17
Absent
0
Excused
0
Conflict
0

Yes 13

Bruce Burns Jr.S21Dan DockstaderR · S16Drew A PerkinsS29Grant C LarsonS17James E Elliott Jr.S11John C SchifferS22John HastertS13John J HinesS23Kathryn L SessionsS07Mike MassieS09Ray R PetersonS19Saundra MeyerS15Wayne H JohnsonS06

No 17

Austin "Kit" JenningsS28Bill LandenR · S27Cale CaseR · S25Charles ScottR · S30Chuck TownsendS01Curtis MeierS03Eli D BeboutS26Floyd EsquibelS08Gerald E GeisS20Henry R CoeS18Jim AndersonS02Marty A MartinS12Michael J Mr. Von FlaternS24Phil A NicholasS10Rick D HunnicuttS05Stan CooperS14Tony RossS04
S01 Recommended Do Pass 4-1-0-0-02010-02-24 · Senate4 yes 1 no
Yes
4
No
1
Absent
0
Excused
0
Conflict
0

Yes 4

Bruce Burns Jr.S21Drew A PerkinsS29Kathryn L SessionsS07Saundra MeyerS15

No 1

Tony RossS04
H Passed 3rd Reading 50-7-3-0-02010-02-16 · House50 yes 7 no
Yes
50
No
7
Absent
0
Excused
3
Conflict
0

Yes 50

Allen M JaggiH18Amy L EdmondsH12Bernadine CraftH17Bill ThompsonH60Bryan K PedersenH07Catherine R ConnollyH13Colin SimpsonH24David R MillerH55Debbie HammonsH27Del McOmieH54Edward BuchananH04Elaine HarveyH26Frank D PeasleyH03George BagbyH15Glenn W MonizH46Gregory R BlikreH53Jack D Landon Jr.H30James A RoscoeH22James W ByrdH44John D Bonner Jr.H25John W PattonH29Joseph M BarbutoH48Kathleen DavisonH20Keith M GingeryH23Ken A EsquibelH41Kermit C BrownH14Lisa A SheppersonH58Lori A MillinH08Lorraine K QuarbergH28Mary A ThroneH11Mary W HalesH36Matt TeetersH05Michael A GilmoreH59Owen PetersenH19Pat ChildersH50Peter S IllowayH42Richard L CannadyH06Rodney "Pete" AndersonH10Rosie M BergerH51Ross DiercksH02Roy CoheeH35Seth A CarsonH45Stanley L BlakeH39Steve HarshmanR · H37Terry L KimbleH49Thomas A LockhartH57Timothy M StubsonH56Tom Lubnau IIH31William "Jeb" StewardH47W. Patrick P GogglesH33

No 7

Dn.Mark SemlekH01Michael K MaddenH40Robert A BrechtelH38Robert M McKimH21Sue E WallisH52Zwonitzer

Excused 3

Frank PhilpH34Pete JorgensenH16Timothy P HallinanH32
H02 Recommended Do Pass 6-0-1-0-02010-02-11 · House6 yes 0 no
Yes
6
No
0
Absent
0
Excused
1
Conflict
0

Yes 6

Bryan K PedersenH07Debbie HammonsH27Pete JorgensenH16Rosie M BergerH51Steve HarshmanR · H37William "Jeb" StewardH47

Excused 1

Frank PhilpH34
H01 Recommended Do Pass 9-0-0-0-02010-02-10 · House9 yes 0 no
Yes
9
No
0
Absent
0
Excused
0
Conflict
0

Yes 9

Frank D PeasleyH03George BagbyH15Gregory R BlikreH53John W PattonH29Joseph M BarbutoH48Keith M GingeryH23Lorraine K QuarbergH28Mary A ThroneH11Richard L CannadyH06
H Introduced and Referred to H01 48-10-2-0-02010-02-09 · House48 yes 10 no
Yes
48
No
10
Absent
0
Excused
2
Conflict
0

Yes 48

Amy L EdmondsH12Bernadine CraftH17Bryan K PedersenH07Catherine R ConnollyH13Colin SimpsonH24David R MillerH55Del McOmieH54Edward BuchananH04Elaine HarveyH26Frank D PeasleyH03George BagbyH15Glenn W MonizH46Gregory R BlikreH53Jack D Landon Jr.H30James W ByrdH44John D Bonner Jr.H25John W PattonH29Joseph M BarbutoH48Kathleen DavisonH20Keith M GingeryH23Ken A EsquibelH41Kermit C BrownH14Lisa A SheppersonH58Lori A MillinH08Lorraine K QuarbergH28Mary A ThroneH11Mary W HalesH36Matt TeetersH05Michael A GilmoreH59Michael K MaddenH40Owen PetersenH19Pat ChildersH50Peter S IllowayH42Richard L CannadyH06Robert M McKimH21Rodney "Pete" AndersonH10Rosie M BergerH51Ross DiercksH02Roy CoheeH35Seth A CarsonH45Stanley L BlakeH39Steve HarshmanR · H37Terry L KimbleH49Thomas A LockhartH57Timothy M StubsonH56Tom Lubnau IIH31William "Jeb" StewardH47W. Patrick P GogglesH33

No 10

Allen M JaggiH18Bill ThompsonH60Debbie HammonsH27Dn.James A RoscoeH22Mark SemlekH01Pete JorgensenH16Robert A BrechtelH38Sue E WallisH52Zwonitzer

Excused 2

Frank PhilpH34Timothy P HallinanH32

Official activity

Bill history

  1. S Failed CoW; Indef PostponedSenate
  2. S Placed on General FileSenate
  3. S02 Recommended Do PassSenate
  4. S Rereferred to S02Senate
  5. S Placed on General FileSenate
  6. S01 Recommended Do PassSenate
  7. S Introduced and Referred to S01Senate
  8. S Received for IntroductionSenate
  9. H Passed 3rd ReadingHouse
  10. H Passed 2nd ReadingHouse
  11. H Passed CoWHouse
  12. H Placed on General FileHouse
  13. H02 Recommended Do PassHouse
  14. H Rereferred to H02House
  15. H Placed on General FileHouse
  16. H01 Recommended Do PassHouse
  17. H Introduced and Referred to H01House
  18. H Received for IntroductionHouse
  19. Bill Number AssignedLSO