A draft bill would have expanded the Public Records Act to cover “local government associations” whose membership is composed exclusively of political subdivisions, drawing sharp testimony on both sides.

Bob Bonner, publisher and Wyoming Press Association member, told the committee the legislature’s first job is to protect citizens from government abuse and that public money spent on private associations warrants transparency. “We need to motivate local governments to fully comply with this law and quit playing games with transparency,” Bonner said.

Association leaders and many municipal officials countered that member‑funded associations are private nonprofit entities with First Amendment protections. Matt Murdoch, mayor of Pinedale and president of the Wyoming Association of Municipalities, said WAM is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit, takes no state appropriation and does not exercise sovereign power. “Extending the act to member‑funded associations would invite serious legal challenges and is likely to fail under existing precedent,” Murdoch said.

Residents and journalists pushed for better disclosure of how association dues and public funds are spent. Mark Kapp, a Crook County resident, said association guidance on operations—such as county clerk drop‑box policy interpretations—can affect local elections and should be subject to public review. “If taxpayer funds are going to it, I think the public has a right to know,” Kapp said.

Several witnesses urged intermediate solutions: voluntary transparency steps by associations (publish budgets and audited financials online), better auditing or memoranda of understanding that spell out what county dues pay for, and improved disclosure about association lobbying positions and how member elected officials voted.

Why it matters: State and local government associations often coordinate training, legislative advocacy and shared services for cities, counties and districts. The committee heard that associations sometimes lobby in ways that residents believe should be transparent; association leaders said they already publish audited financials and policy positions. The committee did not advance the draft bill and several members signaled they prefer stakeholder work to craft narrower approaches or incentives for voluntary disclosures.

Ending: Committee members asked association staff and municipal representatives to propose practical, implementable steps — such as a vendor‑style contract/statement of services for dues‑funded work — that could increase transparency without triggering constitutional or operational conflicts.