Op-Ed: Wyoming Legislative Leaders Don’t Favor A Special Session

A joint op-ed statement issued on Monday by Wyoming Senate President Ogden Driskill and House Speaker Albert Sommers threw cold water on the idea of calling a special legislative session to override several gubernatorial vetoes of bills passed by the recently concluded legislative session.

Wyoming Freedom Caucus leader Rep. John Bear and Senator Cheri Steinmetz in recent days have called for a special session of the legislature to override Gov. Mark Gordon's vetoes of several bills, including House Bill 125, a repeal of gun-free zones in Wyoming, and Senate File 54, homeowner tax exemption.

In their joint statement, Driskill and Sommers wrote that while they don't like what they say was Gordon's liberal use of the veto and the tone of some of his veto messages, ''a special session is unlikely to effectively address the governor's vetoes." 

The op-ed reads in part:

''We do not recall the legislators who are now clamoring for a special session formally asking us or the chambers to utilize our three extra days. The very legislators who are asking for a special session created delay after delay during the budget session by asking for roll call votes, trying to resurrect zombie bills, bringing procedural motions, and filibustering debate. Simply put, they squandered precious time in a budget session where time is our enemy. We had plenty of time in our established calendar to pass bills and do veto overrides. In fact, we created a calendar where budget debate began on the first week of session, for the very purpose of having enough time to resolve our differences in a conference committee and do veto overrides on the budget.'"

Legislative Leaders Say A Special Session Would Be Expensive

The op-ed also says a special session would take eight to ten days and cost around $350,000.

"Should we spend $350,000 of taxpayer money because we couldn’t get our job done within the calendar that we had agreed upon? This call for a special session appears to be political grandstanding for upcoming campaigns, not responsible governance. Wyoming taxpayers shouldn’t have to pay for that" the op-ed says.