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Senate rejects concurrence on Second Amendment Protection Act amendments; conference committee appointed
Summary
The Wyoming Senate on March 3 voted not to concur with House amendments to Senate File 196, rejecting concurrence 5–26 and appointing a three‑member conference committee to negotiate differences.
The Wyoming Senate on March 3 refused to concur with House amendments to Senate File 196, the Second Amendment Protection Act amendments, following floor debate over technical changes the House had made.
Senator John Salazar moved concurrence and urged senators to vote aye, describing the House amendments as technical and strengthening the bill. "They made it stronger," Salazar said on the floor.
Several senators opposed concurrence. Senator Chris Rothfuss urged resistance to the reinstatement of a severability clause, saying the Legislature already has a general severability provision in Title 8 and that reintroducing severability in each bill is unnecessary. Senator Larry Scott similarly criticized the trend of inserting severability clauses into new bills. After debate, the Senate voted; the motion to concur failed with 5 senators voting aye and 26 voting no. The President announced that a joint conference committee would be formed; the Senate recorded that joint conference committee No. 1 will consist of Salazar, Nethercott and President Weidman.
Why it matters: Failing to concur sends the bill to a conference committee where appointed members from each chamber negotiate a compromise. The contentions on the floor focused on legislative drafting practice (inserting severability clauses) rather than the bill27s substantive Second Amendment language.
What was said: "They made it stronger," Senator John Salazar said of the House amendments when urging concurrence. Senator Chris Rothfuss said reinstating severability was "bad form" and asked colleagues to resist concurrence until the severability provision was removed.
What happens next: The Senate named conferees to Joint Conference Committee No. 1 to meet with House appointees and seek a compromise. Any change agreed by the conference committee must return to both chambers for approval.
