HJ0004 • 2020

Legislative sessions.

A JOINT RESOLUTION proposing to amend the Wyoming Constitution by repealing the introductory vote requirement for bills in a legislative budget session.

Budget

Inactive

Wyoming marks this bill as inactive, which usually means it is no longer moving in the current session.

Sponsor: Representative Harshman
Last action: 2020-03-11
Official status: inactive
Effective date: 3/1/2020

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not support claims about changing the number of legislative working days from sixty to sixty-five.

Amending Wyoming Constitution on Legislative Sessions

This resolution proposes to change the Wyoming Constitution by removing a rule that requires a two-thirds majority vote in either house of the legislature for introducing bills other than budget and reapportionment bills during even-numbered year legislative sessions.

What This Bill Does

Proposes an amendment to Article 1, Section 6 of the Wyoming Constitution.
Removes the requirement for a two-thirds majority vote to introduce non-budget and non-reapportionment bills in even-numbered year budget sessions.

Who It Names or Affects

Members of the Wyoming Legislature
The citizens of Wyoming who vote on constitutional amendments

Terms To Know

Legislative session: A period during which the legislature meets to make laws.
Budget session: A special legislative session focused on budget matters, typically held in even-numbered years.

Limits and Unknowns

The resolution is marked as inactive and has died in committee.
It requires approval by a majority of Wyoming voters to become part of the Constitution.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HJ0004H2001

2nd reading • Representative Yin

Failed

Plain English: This amendment changes the Wyoming Constitution by removing a requirement for an introductory vote on bills during budget sessions and extends the number of days the legislature can meet every two years from 60 to 65 days.

Removes the need for an introductory vote on bills in legislative budget sessions.
Increases the maximum number of days the Wyoming Legislature can convene every two years from 60 to 65 days.

The amendment text does not provide details about how removing the introductory vote requirement will affect the legislative process.

Bill History

2020-03-11 Senate
S:Died in Committee Returned Bill Pursuant to SR 5-4
2020-03-11 Senate
S No report prior to CoW Cutoff
2020-03-03 Senate
S Introduced and Referred to S04 - Education
2020-03-02 Senate
S Received for Introduction
2020-03-02 House
H 3rd Reading:Passed 43-17-0-0-0
2020-02-28 House
H 3rd Reading:Laid Back
2020-02-27 House
H 3rd Reading:Laid Back
2020-02-26 House
H 2nd Reading:Passed
2020-02-25 House
H COW:Passed
2020-02-21 House
H Placed on General File
2020-02-21 House
H02 - Appropriations:Recommend Do Pass 7-0-0-0-0
2020-02-19 House
:Rerefer to H02 - Appropriations
2020-02-19 House
H07 - Corporations:Recommend Do Pass 6-3-0-0-0
2020-02-13 House
H Introduced and Referred to H07 - Corporations 46-14-0-0-0
2020-02-12 House
H Received for Introduction
2020-02-11 LSO
Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

20LSO-0189
2020
STATE OF WYOMING
20LSO-0189
Introduced
2.0

House Joint Resolution NO. HJ0004

Legislative sessions.

Sponsored by: Representative(s) Harshman, Barlow, Greear, Lindholm, Pelkey, Sommers and Zwonitzer and Senator(s) Rothfuss, Schuler, Von Flatern and Wasserburger

A JOINT RESOLUTION

for

A JOINT RESOLUTION proposing to amend the Wyoming Constitution by repealing the introductory vote requirement for bills in a legislative budget session.

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING,
two-thirds of all the members of the two houses, voting separately, concurring therein:

Section 1.
The following proposal to amend Wyoming Constitution, Article 3, Section 6 is proposed for submission to the electors of the State of Wyoming at the next general election for approval or rejection to become valid as a part of the Constitution if ratified by a majority of the electors at the election:

Article 3, Section 6. Compensation of members; duration of sessions.

The legislature shall not meet for more than sixty (60) legislative working days excluding Sundays during the term for which members of the house of representatives are elected, except when called into special session. The legislature shall determine by statute the number of days not to exceed sixty (60) legislative working days to be devoted to general and budget session, respectively. The legislature shall meet on odd-numbered years for a general and budget session. The legislature may meet on even-numbered years for budget session.
During the budget session no bills except the budget bill may be introduced unless placed on call by a two-thirds vote of either house.
The legislature shall meet for no more than forty (40) legislative working days excluding Sundays in any
one
(1) calendar year, except when called into special session. The compensation of the members of the legislature shall be as provided by law; but no legislature shall fix its own compensation.

Section 2.
That the Secretary of State shall endorse the following statement on the proposed amendment:

Currently the Wyoming Constitution allows the legislature discretion to meet in even-numbered years for a "budget session." A super-majority vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the membership of the house or senate is required for legislation, other than the budget bill and reapportionment bills, to be considered during any "budget session." The proposed amendment would remove this two-thirds (2/3) super-majority introductory vote requirement for the "budget session."

(END)

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