From The Casper Star-Tribune Wyoming gay marriage bills receive bipartisan support Snippet: Rep. Sue Wallis, R-Recluse, is a co-sponsor of both bills. She cited Section 2, Article 1 of the Wyoming Constitution, which reads: “In their inherent right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, all members of the human race are equal.” She also cited a second section that prohibits arbitrary power. Those two sections do not say, “All people except those who believe differently than I do,” Wallis said. “Basically, I don’t think it’s any of the government’s business, and we as a Legislature should not be inhibiting the liberty of other free people,” Wallis said. According to the Jackson Hole Daily, GOP Reps. Keith Gingery and Ruth Ann Petroff of Jackson are also in support of Connolly’s two bills. “It’s a basic human rights and fairness issue,” Petroff told the Daily. “It’s a basic constitutional issue. There should just be no reason why same-sex couples shouldn’t have the same rights as everyone else.” In hearing this, I sent an email to all legislators of Wyoming. I received a reply from Sen. Chris Rothsfuss, saying "Thanks for your note. We’ll do what we can!" So what are the odds of this passing in an incredibly red state, the "Equality State" nonetheless?
Thats Wyoming. it is considered a red state, but it his a history of being on the right side of civil rights. it was a state instrumental in the granting of women the right to vote, its republicans are pre-reagonite, when the party basically threw its lot in with the immoral Ayn Rand, and her dream of turning America into a endentured servitude state with an economic aristorcracy running the show, and tends to buck current republican trends in favor of functioning governance instead of cry baby shittfuckery that we get on the national stage. it doesnt surprise me that it has bipartisan support in wyoming, which frankly is one of the most beautiful states in the country, in my opinion.
The alleged social liberalism (or libertarianism) of the Mountain West states is way overstated. You're talking about ancient history. Wyoming, Idaho, Montana in the 19th and early 20th centuries used to be home to miners and had strong progressive and even socialist streaks to their politics, but today they are most certainly Reagan country. Reagan got over 70% of the vote in Wyoming, and Romney came pretty close to that in this past election. Wyoming was the site of the brutal Matthew Shepard murder and yet today it is still one of the states which has no hate crimes law covering sexual orientation. It has no anti-discrimination legislation protecting LGBTQ people in terms of employment or housing. While it's good that Wyoming is the only state in the region which doesn't have a constitutional amendment on the books banning marriage equality, I still wouldn't get my hopes up about a gay marriage bill passing, introduced by the state's only gay state legislator from the most liberal part of the state. The Wyoming state legislature is like 87% Republican, and the state's Republican governor also opposes marriage equality.
I spoke to Represenative Conolly she told me that the Marriage Equality bill was a long shot and she told me that she knew that. She just wanted the bill to come in a hearing and that it will be doing tomorrow. She believes that her twin bill which is HB168 Domestic Partnerships can pass. The bill needs 5 votes to get out of committee it currently has 4. Jerry Paxton and Greg Blikre are considering the swing votes.
The hearing is on Monday, and Wyoming Equality is holding a Rally at the state capitol at 9:00AM, and encouraging people to be at the hearing in the Herschler Building (behind the capitol) for the hearing at noon. I am very hopeful that Wyoming will at least recognize my Iowa Marriage as a Civil Union, if not an actual Marriage by the end of this session.
I suggest that you go to the capital and talk about why the bills should pass. Ask to speak to your house member so you talk to them about the bill and see where are... you have direct contact with the legislators in the state of Wyoming they like reality have no staff. You can really make a different!
The Wyoming house corporations committee voted to advance HB 168, allowing civil unions in Wyoming by a vote of 7-2. The bill will now be heard before the Whole Wyoming House of Representatives. The majority of the 7 voting for the bill were republicans. HB 169 marriage equality was not advanced.
HB 168 Domestic Partnerships, is going to be argued before the whole Wyoming House of Representatives tomorrow, Wednesday 30 Jan 2013. If you, like me, are in the state of Wyoming, please contact your representative tonight or tomorrow. Let's get this passed!
List of Representatives that should be definitely emailed. Rosie Berger David Blevins Kermit Brown Rita Campbell Kathy Coleman Lee Filer Marti Halverson Norine Kasperik Lloyd Larsen Glenn Moniz Bob Nicholas John Patton Jerry Paxton Albert Sommers David Zwonitzer All of the members that are listed above were never endorsed by WY Watch which is an extremely conservative group who is opposed any kind of LGBT Legislation. Some of the members supported the discrimination legislation that failed the house in 2011 by 6 votes. A majority of the list that I created are members who have a mixed voting record and/or new this year in the house. Here is the list of Representatives in the House State of Wyoming Legislature