Wyoming House passes scholarship, election and funding bills after debates on technical training, animal treatment and abortion rules

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The Wyoming House of Representatives on Jan. 30 debated several policy changes and approved a package of bills after floor amendments and roll-call votes that reflected divisions on education, animal-welfare exemptions, abortion administration and election rules.

House members adopted changes to a Hathaway scholarship bill to broaden technical and career training access but rejected amendments that would have changed other procedural language. Representative Lloyd Larson, who moved the amendment preserving constitutional compliance, said lawmakers must be careful that statute changes "meet that muster" before expanding eligibility. The chamber approved House Bill 36 (Hathaway scholarship amendments) on final passage, 61 aye, 0 no, 1 excused.

Lawmakers debated House Bill 63, a bill addressing protections for working animals and limits on local regulation. Representative John Provenza urged colleagues to reject the bill, citing graphic constituent reports of animal neglect and arguing the measure could block local intervention in abuses of "working animals." Provenza later withdrew his floor amendment; the bill passed final passage, 53 aye, 8 no, 1 excused.

A lengthy floor discussion accompanied House Bill 64, which addresses requirements around chemical abortions and ultrasounds. Representative Elisa Campbell offered an amendment that would change a…