KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Wyoming

HJ0006 • 2021

Legislative budget session.

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

Budget Elections
Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor
Representative Harshman
Last action
2021-03-08
Official status
inactive
Effective date
3/1/2021

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide information on the impact of this proposal on general session legislation or future reintroduction attempts.

Removing Vote Requirement for Budget Bills

This resolution proposes changing the Wyoming Constitution by removing a rule that requires a two-thirds majority vote to introduce bills other than budget bills during legislative budget sessions.

What This Bill Does

  • Proposes to change Article 3, Section 6 of the Wyoming Constitution.
  • Removes the requirement for a two-thirds majority vote in either house to introduce non-budget bills during budget sessions.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Legislators who will be able to introduce more types of bills during budget sessions.
  • The Wyoming Constitution, which would be amended if the proposal is approved by voters.

Terms To Know

Budget session
A special legislative meeting held in even-numbered years for discussing and passing the state's budget.
Super-majority vote
A higher percentage of votes needed to pass certain types of legislation, more than a simple majority.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The resolution did not move forward and was not considered for introduction.
  • It is unclear if the proposal will be reintroduced in future sessions or how it would affect current legislative practices.

Bill History

  1. 2021-03-08 House

    H Did Not Consider for Introduction

  2. 2021-03-08 House

    H Did not Consider for Introduction

  3. 2021-02-24 House

    H Received for Introduction

  4. 2021-02-22 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
21LSO-0262
2021
STATE OF WYOMING
21LSO-0262
Numbered
2.0

House Joint Resolution NO. HJ0006

Legislative budget session.

Sponsored by: Representative(s) Harshman, Barlow, Connolly, Greear, Paxton, Sommers and Stith and Senator(s) Schuler 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:

In 1972 the Wyoming Constitution was amended to allow the legislature discretion to meet in even-numbered years for a "budget session."

That 1972 amendment also required a super-majority vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the membership of the house or senate for legislation, other than the budget bill, to be considered during any "budget session."

The proposed amendment would remove this 1972 change requiring a two-thirds (2/3) super-majority introductory vote requirement for the "budget session" and allow legislators to introduce bills in both the general and budget session without an introductory vote.

(END)

1
HJ0006