[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6306745,"mediaKeyId","2436653-2470d52467c66943bf918ca2964e3401","parentId",2436653,"title","Wyoming Military Department asks committee to study firearm-hold agreements, recruitment bonuses, militia statutes and veterans services","audioSeconds",1070,"startMs",2432000,"endMs",3502000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2436653-2470d52467c66943bf918ca2964e3401&start=2432&end=3502","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2436653-2470d52467c66943bf918ca2964e3401/thumbnail_2432000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6306745/Wyoming/Wyoming-Military-Department-asks-committee-to-study-firearm-hold-agreements-recruitment-bonuses-militia-statutes-and-veterans-services","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6306745-24c2255de75eac0c4b9dc4df3089f3a2/orig.mp4?Expires=1777195068&Signature=ctS7v7okk08oNSBr6x-Saj89h6xNAY5lauQnnLAOuygTRXA9vVTcrRvesaYapa7NLAQbCk6u26IzIUK-4Us0OUYqY~y6-RG2BZCsq0H4aQ-sB7huOSFN-mD5cmiTln2lTpnAqx1qLb3l-FfnR-gIvahxlOBjyxXYDDTJ91gAWIN8rm5Gh7rhBWpw8bVeExYHM~dEGHUHeKN14-XS~ZsUFyQjAhJE4okmyderKDndn9PWIdbaQhMx1QEOftVZlzqknEYAN4QWz3INZwy5uM8mOM~xC0xLU9UbsHLKFz2RFxY8t5vJiO3QMQW4azF6B54DIw3BxUiodwgupT7UekCJpA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Wyoming Legislature","date","2025-02-27T00:00:00Z","article","Major General Greg Porter, the state Adjutant General, presented several proposed interim topics from the Wyoming Military Department, asking the committee to consider follow-up work on firearm-hold agreements, a recruiting referral bonus, Title 19 statutory cleanup related to militia activation and veterans services including indigent burial authority.

Porter told the committee the firearm-hold agreement proposal was intended to reduce veteran and service-member suicide risk by authorizing a mechanism for temporarily transferring weapons to a third party and clarifying liability protections for the holder. \"If somebody was having a really bad day ... they could take their weapons and give it to a friend to hold,\" Porter said, and the proposed change would relieve the temporary holder from liability when the owner later asks for the items back. The Adjutant General said a prior bill on the topic passed committee work in the interim but died on first reading on the Senate floor amid misunderstandings.

On recruitment, Porter described a referral bonus program used in recent years that pays serving Guard members who provide leads that culminate in enlistments; the program was designed to address post-deployment attrition and earlier COVID-related shortfalls. Porter asked the committee to consider extending or reproving the referral bonus so the Guard can regain and maintain strength.

Porter also asked the committee to examine Title 19 language governing state militia and governor authorities. He said some statutory language currently constrains the governor’s ability to call up forces under certain conditions and recommended either a short-term fix or a more fulsome review ahead of the 2026 session.

On indigent veteran burials, Porter said current statute explicitly references \"combat veterans\" and that counties traditionally handle indigent burials; the department asked for clarification in statute to ensure counties have clear authority to provide burials for other veterans. Tim Shepherd, executive director of the Wyoming Veterans Commission, told the committee the issue has national analogues and that states have taken different approaches; he said he did not know of specific unburied cases in Wyoming but supports a study to eliminate ambiguity.

Committee members expressed differing views on proper committee jurisdiction for some items. Representative Banks and Senator Cole suggested firearms-related liability and holder protections might be better examined by the Judiciary Committee because of legal and liability questions. Senator Cole said the firearm-hold bill had been tried and failed in the past and noted the legal complexity. The co-chairs said they would discuss transferring the firearm-hold topic to Judiciary with the Judiciary chair and that other military topics (recruitment/strength, Title 19 statutory cleanup, veterans services) would remain under this committee’s interim work if the committee desires.

No final vote on legislation was taken. The committee asked staff to package the military department topics for Management Council and indicated possible next steps: study and stakeholder outreach on firearm-hold language (potentially in Judiciary), evaluation of the referral bonus for enlistment impact, and a statutory review of Title 19 militia provisions prior to the 2026 session.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Joint Transportation, Highways & Military Affairs Interim Topics Meeting, February 27, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Major General Greg Porter, Adjutant General, asked the Joint Transportation Committee to study a set of military-related interim topics including firearm-hold agreements to reduce suicide risk, a recruiting referral bonus, militia statute cleanup and veterans services clarifications.","taxTitle","Transportation, Highways & Military Affairs, Joint & Standing, Committees, Legislative, Wyoming","taxId",21021,"location","Wyoming","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6306750,"Municipal officials ask committee to study statewide infrastructure inventory; lawmakers debate jurisdiction",312,1828000,2140000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2436653-2470d52467c66943bf918ca2964e3401&start=1828&end=2140","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2436653-2470d52467c66943bf918ca2964e3401/thumbnail_1828000.jpg","/articles/6306750/Wyoming/Municipal-officials-ask-committee-to-study-statewide-infrastructure-inventory-lawmakers-debate-jurisdiction","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6306750-e3991035b03ba448a2210a8d839f6902/orig.mp4?Expires=1777195068&Signature=h01ggXgAEsd2b0LLs4MULE4RFaCmXBRFuoXuKnutd9qiHgv0yRDs~YEd0WMQCT5s9mJhu9Lz6tYe8kHkdAqh625VD9KkHyv2C6Y3S9zVBvitwQmYQuLSRZkfNzw9eAgYDh~mF~pzoolEMJTk8Lbi2YFamvKjDgRHUCJr5hgMQznXwN9tDARV4kBBCLifdrNy3FFV8OaJrT0ae933kftsbVtlN8uE0b~MyFehiD0SjDU~ucdIhuiXixnHwlfu1-K8dP1mZ8K3P0ow~dDimW4xPOA7cloLxgk6QQuPLtp56dT20LP5jzJv7QSwQxXhXkhd70Wx0A8CWF~bG-c54G2YNA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Ashley Sharp Street of the Wyoming Association of Municipalities told the Joint Transportation Committee the association submitted a topic proposing a statewide inventory of infrastructure that would include roads, water and sewer systems and the costs municipalities face to maintain them.

\"We weren't quite sure where to put all of our infrastructure,\" Sharp Street said, noting the substantial per-mile cost of roads and the need for municipalities to plan reserves and fees to cover major projects.

Committee members questioned where the topic belongs. Senator Colt and others said water projects are commonly handled by the Agriculture and Natural Resources committees and the Select Water committee; Representative Weiling and other members said the subject of utilities and broader municipal infrastructure intersects with transportation and could fit this committee. \"It's a little broader discussion than just the water, but I don't disagree,\" a co-chair said, acknowledging overlap across committees.

Members said the proposal aims to look holistically at municipal inventories and funding mechanisms for large capital projects (Sharp Street cited an approximate cost of $2,000,000 per mile of road in her remarks). The committee did not take a formal vote to adopt the topic; co-chairs said they would discuss jurisdiction with Management Council and that the proposal appeared split between committees.

The committee also noted related submissions from Representative Larson about sewer and municipal water plans. Lawmakers asked staff to consider a consolidated approach, and the co-chairs said they would work with Management Council to determine the best committee assignment for an inventory or broader utilities study.

No formal action or appropriation was made at the meeting; committee co-chairs indicated the topic may be advanced to Management Council for assignment depending on Leadership direction and cross-committee interest.","The Wyoming Association of Municipalities asked the Joint Transportation Committee to examine a statewide inventory of infrastructure costs and reserves, prompting lawmakers to debate whether water and sewer issues belong with agriculture or transportation committees.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6306756,"Joint committee narrows WYDOT interim work to highway funding, safety and department updates",1992,438000,2430000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2436653-2470d52467c66943bf918ca2964e3401&start=438&end=2430","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2436653-2470d52467c66943bf918ca2964e3401/thumbnail_438000.jpg","/articles/6306756/Wyoming/Joint-committee-narrows-WYDOT-interim-work-to-highway-funding-safety-and-department-updates","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6306756-2fbe3829a8b6c178d00ebe6eada1ae48/orig.mp4?Expires=1777195068&Signature=f2UhNccDsC8TFnmzot2rsmQ6lAzN30C3AoaATLrgEY3V~ZLf7ynIhSTrAaNLmLwcLqP4NdBXWdHiSEUMMB4x6pFFLZZuNOmS3w3nw9s0QTZ6uwzHn7Q89Rk16jQrjyW9OperXzLjqT0HHEzFzDVXJZuh7Mbvnlw3rm~60-vYkONN9ul-MeAnVboznxL8gOYhEM7gJw~2-V7UJ2HmDbH9xzyQOn1MqUy4dq7mIWbjywJNWh~1jQO5UuiLopXYyTOrr9AnGH26edYs48OSYFNsVGNMmg6vY6zYIJkHNcDJxy9QjgkxlpZSv-wNcM1NUnNYeKneJ3CuObOrufAVGn~wcQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At a meeting of the Joint Transportation Committee, members narrowed their interim priorities for the Wyoming Department of Transportation to three broad topics: highway funding, highway safety and WYDOT updates, the committee co-chairs said.

WYDOT Director Darren Westby told the committee the department is focused on preserving the state highway system and that funding remains the central problem. \"After the passage of House Bill 33 ... funding our roads and infrastructure wasn't a very important topic,\" Westby said, arguing the legislature and WYDOT must continue working toward a more sustainable, long-term funding source.

The director described recent volatility in WYDOT’s multi-year program (the STIP): the agency cut about $70,000,000 of projects during an inflation spike and has recently lost roughly $30,000,000 in federal funding, which pushed previously planned projects back on the timeline. \"We are in preservation-only mode,\" he said, and any additional capacity or expansion projects would need one-time or recurring new revenue.

Safety and workforce retention also drew attention. Westby and committee members said WYDOT struggles to compete for workers—snowplow drivers, maintainers, mechanics and highway patrol staff—against higher local pay in some jurisdictions. The department is considering facility (vertical construction) needs for shops and buildings used to maintain roads, and called for work-zone safety reviews after committee members and staff described dangerous conditions at construction sites.

Stakeholders who spoke included Kelly Little of the Associated General Contractors of Wyoming, who supported an overall focus on funding and priorities and urged continued discussion of permanent trailer registration for fleets. Devin Brubaker, airport director for Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport and president of the Wyoming Airports Coalition, asked the committee to consider replenishing a pot of state funds that WYDOT Aeronautics uses to help restart commercial air service at smaller airports. Westby said those airport-support funds have been successful in some communities but now need replenishment.

Committee members said they will consolidate WYDOT-related interim topics so staff can use time efficiently. Co-chairs proposed three umbrella topics the committee will forward to Management Council: highway funding, highway safety and WYDOT updates. The \"WYDOT updates\" topic will include subtopics such as permanent trailer registration, commercial air service, statutory cleanup and Transportation Commission briefings.

The committee did not hold a formal roll-call vote to establish those priorities in the transcript; members discussed and accepted the three-topics approach by consensus and directed staff to organize the interim workplan. The co-chairs said they will present the recommendation to Management Council and schedule WYDOT briefings in the interim, with the first committee meeting planned April 30–May 1 in Sheridan and later sessions in Douglas and Cheyenne.

WYDOT asked the committee for a focused examination of funding mechanisms that could support both preservation and potential expansion projects (for example, passing lanes and corridor improvements noted by Westby). The director said any major reprioritization would be processed through the Transportation Commission and the STIP; he described the commission-agency relationship as technical rather than political and said the agency would provide information to the committee on STIP prioritization and expected funding changes coming from recent legislative activity.

The committee also asked WYDOT to include in its updates examples of internal efficiency and safety improvements that the department has implemented, so legislators can see documented time and cost savings before deciding whether to pursue broader efficiency studies across state agencies.

Next steps: co-chairs will finalize the three interim topics and deliver them to Management Council for formal assignment and staff support. The committee expects WYDOT briefings and Transportation Commission updates during the interim.","The Joint Transportation Committee agreed to focus interim work on highway funding, highway safety and Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) updates, after WYDOT outlined preservation needs, staffing and project-priority challenges and stakeholders raised issues ranging from permanent trailer registration to commercial air service.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Wyoming Military Department asks committee to study firearm-hold agreements, recruitment bonuses, militia statutes and veterans services

Municipal officials ask committee to study statewide infrastructure inventory; lawmakers debate jurisdiction

Joint committee narrows WYDOT interim work to highway funding, safety and department updates