Committee advances bill barring state from requiring use of preferred pronouns

Summary

The House Judiciary Committee voted to return Senate File 77 to the floor after debate on whether the measure improperly reaches private permits, contracts and licenses. Supporters said the bill protects government employees' speech; opponents warned it could enable harassment and create enforcement problems.

The House Judiciary Committee advanced Senate File 77 on a 8-1 vote after more than two hours of testimony and debate over how broadly the bill would apply.

Senator Hutchings, the bill sponsor, opened the committee hearing by saying the measure responds to constituent complaints about workplace pronoun requirements. "Compelled speech is not free speech," he said, describing the bill as "really, really simple" and summarizing its intent: to "prohibit the state and its political subdivisions from requiring the use of preferred pronouns, authorizing a civil remedy, and providing an effective date." The draft language prohibits the state from compelling an employee to refer to another employee by preferred pronouns and allows a person alleging a violation to file a civil action.

The bill drew sharply different testimony. Sarah Burlingame, executive director of Wyoming Equality, opposed the bill and said it would allow coworkers to refuse to use others' pronouns and could lead to bullying and harassment. "Wyoming Equality is in opposition to this bill," she said, and warned that the…

Committee advances bill barring state from requiring use of preferred pronouns

Summary

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