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Committee reports Senate File 152 after adding members to task force; some members raise procedure concerns
Summary
Senate File 152, which includes task-force funding and several appropriations tied to supplemental budget requests, was reported do pass 5-0. Committee amendments expanding the number of legislative members on a task force drew a point of order and questions about the amendment and associated travel/compensation funding.
Senate File 152 was reported do pass by the Senate Appropriations Committee on Oct. 28 after testimony about task-force membership and the bill’s appropriation items related to wildfire response and recovery.
The sponsor told the committee that a standing committee amendment expanded the task force to add legislative members and that the amendment increased travel and participation funding; the sponsor said the amendment raised member compensation to "40 and 40" for legislative and non-legislative members (testimony indicated the standing committee increased two line items to $40,000 each, but exact line references were not produced in testimony).
Witnesses including the state forester, county representatives and fire-service organizations testified in support of the bill's wildfire-related provisions and the need for a task force to examine wildfire response and recovery. Kelly Norris, Wyoming state forester, said the recent fire season "highlighted our gaps" and that "bringing all of our stakeholders together in one place" would help identify solutions.
A point of order was raised during committee debate when a senator objected to the standing committee amendment that doubled the number of legislative members on the task force from four to eight and asked whether the Appropriations Committee could alter a standing committee's amendment. The sponsor said he had not been present for the committee discussion and offered to withdraw the amendment if the committee chose. The amendment was withdrawn and the committee moved the bill. The roll-call recorded five ayes and the clerk announced, "5 ayes do pass."
