Wyoming State Legislature
| Wyoming State Legislature | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Type: | State legislature |
| Term limits: | None |
| Session start: | February 12, 2024 |
| Website: | Official Legislature Page |
| Leadership | |
| Senate President: | Ogden Driskill (R) |
| House Speaker: | Albert Sommers (R) |
| Majority Leader: | Senate: Larry S. Hicks (Wyoming) (R) House: Chip Neiman (R) |
| Minority Leader: | Senate: Chris Rothfuss (D) House: Mike Yin (D) |
| Structure | |
| Members: | 31 (Senate), 62 (House) |
| Length of term: | 4 years (Senate), 2 years (House) |
| Authority: | Art 3, Wyoming Constitution |
| Salary: | $150/day + per diem |
| Elections | |
| Last election: | November 8, 2022 |
| Next election: | November 5, 2024 |
| Redistricting: | Wyoming Legislature has control |
The Wyoming State Legislature is the legislative branch of Wyoming. It is a bicameral legislature, consisting of the 62-member Wyoming House of Representatives and the 31-member Wyoming State Senate. The legislature meets at the Wyoming State Capitol in Cheyenne.
Wyoming has a Republican trifecta. The Republican Party controls the office of governor and both chambers of the state legislature.
Elections
2024
Elections for the Wyoming State Senate will take place in 2024. The general election is on November 5, 2024. A primary is August 20, 2024. The filing deadline is May 31, 2024.
Elections for the Wyoming House of Representatives will take place in 2024. The general election is on November 5, 2024. A primary is August 20, 2024. The filing deadline is May 31, 2024.
2022
Elections for the Wyoming State Senate took place in 2022. The general election was on November 8, 2022. A primary was scheduled for August 16, 2022. The filing deadline was May 27, 2022.
Elections for the Wyoming House of Representatives took place in 2022. The general election was on November 8, 2022. A primary was scheduled for August 16, 2022. The filing deadline was May 27, 2022.
2020
Elections for the office of Wyoming State Senate took place in 2020. The general election was held on November 3, 2020. A primary was scheduled for August 18, 2020. The filing deadline was May 29, 2020.
Elections for the office of Wyoming House of Representatives took place in 2020. The general election was held on November 3, 2020. A primary was scheduled for August 18, 2020. The filing deadline was May 29, 2020.
2018
Elections for the Wyoming State Senate took place in 2018. The closed primary election took place on August 21, 2018, and the general election was held on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline for major party candidates was June 1, 2018.[1]
Elections for the Wyoming House of Representatives took place in 2018. The closed primary election took place on August 21, 2018, and the general election was held on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline for major party candidates was June 1, 2018.[2]
2016
Elections for the Wyoming State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election took place on August 16, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was May 27, 2016.
Elections for the Wyoming House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election took place on August 16, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was May 27, 2016.
2014
Elections for the Wyoming State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on August 19, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was May 30, 2014.
Elections for the Wyoming House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on August 19, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was May 30, 2014.
2012
Elections for the office of Wyoming State Senate took place in 2012. The primary election was held on August 21, 2012, and the general election was held on November 6, 2012. The candidate filing deadline was June 1, 2012.
Elections for the office of Wyoming House of Representatives took place in 2012. The primary election was held on August 21, 2012, and the general election was held on November 6, 2012. The candidate filing deadline was June 1, 2012.
2010
Elections for the office of Wyoming State Senate took place in 2010. The primary election was held on August 17, 2010, and the general election was held on November 2, 2010. The candidate filing deadline was May 28, 2010.
Elections for the office of Wyoming House of Representatives took place in 2010. The primary election was held on August 17, 2010, and the general election was held on November 2, 2010. The candidate filing deadline was May 28, 2010.
Sessions
Article III of the Wyoming Constitution establishes when the Legislature is to be in session. Sections 6 and 7 of Article III contain the relevant provisions. The Legislature is to convene in regular session for no more than sixty legislative working days every two years, and no more than forty legislative days in any year. In odd-numbered years, the Legislature meets for a general and budget session, beginning on the second Tuesday of January. In even-numbered years, the Legislature meets for a session devoted to budgetary matters.
Section 7 of Article III contains the provisions for convening special sessions of the Legislature. Special sessions can be convened by the proclamation of the Governor of Wyoming, or the Legislature can convene a special session of up to twenty legislative days if the session is requested by a majority of the members of each legislative house.
2024
- See also: 2024 Wyoming legislative session and Dates of 2024 state legislative sessions
In 2024, the legislature is scheduled to convene on February 12, 2024, and adjourn on March 8, 2024.
2023
In 2023, the legislature was scheduled to convene on January 10, 2023, and adjourn on March 3, 2023.
| Click [show] for past years' session dates. | |||
|---|---|---|---|
2022In 2022, the legislature was scheduled to convene on February 14, 2022, and adjourn on March 11, 2022. 2021In 2021, the legislature was scheduled to convene on January 12, 2021, and adjourn on April 7, 2021. 2020In 2020, the legislature was scheduled to convene on February 10, 2020, and adjourn on March 12, 2020.
Several state legislatures had their sessions impacted as a result of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. The Wyoming State Legislature convened a special session on May 15, 2020. The legislature adjourned May 16, 2020.[3] 2019In 2019, the legislature was in session from January 8, 2019, through February 28, 2019. 2018In 2018, the legislature was in session from February 12, 2018, through March 15, 2018. To read about notable events and legislation from this session, click here. 2017
In 2017, the legislature was in session from January 10, 2017, through March 3, 2017. 2016
In 2016, the legislature was in session from February 8 through March 4. 2015
In 2015, the legislature was in session from January 13 to March 12. Major issues in 2015Medicaid and the state's budget topped the list of major issues in the 2015 legislative session for Wyoming. The state considered options to expand Medicaid coverage for the thousands of working poor in the state, but Governor Matt Mead (R) and Senator Charles Scott (R) proposed competing plans, and House Republicans looked to block any expansion of the program.[4] 2014
In 2014, the legislature was in session from February 10 through March 7. Major issues in 2014Major issues in the 2014 legislative session included addressing the state's budget, requiring for-profit hospitals to accept a percentage of charity care, increased school accountability, and reforming retirement systems of state agencies.[5] 2013
In 2013, the legislature was in session from January 8 to February 27. Major issues in 2013Major issues in the 2013 legislative session included opting out of the Affordable Healthcare Act and Medicaid, a 10-cent fuel tax increase, infrastructure improvements, and reforms to sex crime laws.[6] 2012
In 2012, the legislature was in session from February 13 through March 9. 2011
In 2011, the legislature was in regular session from January 11 through March 3.[7] 2010
In 2010, the legislature was in regular session from February 8 to March 5.[8] |
Role in state budget
- See also: Wyoming state budget and finances
Wyoming on 
|
The state operates on a biennial budget cycle. The sequence of key events in the budget process is as follows:[9]
- Budget instructions are sent to state agencies in June.
- State agencies submit their budget requests in August.
- Agency hearings are held September through November.
- The governor submits his or her proposed budget to the Wyoming State Legislature by the third Monday in November.
- The Wyoming State Legislature adopts a budget in March. A simple majority is required to pass a budget.
- The biennial budget cycle begins July 1.
Wyoming is one of 43 states in which the governor has line item veto authority.[9]
In Wyoming, the governor is constitutionally required to submit a balanced budget. In addition, the legislature is constitutionally required to pass a balanced budget.[9]
Population
Wyoming was the smallest state by population in the United States as of 2020.[10] However, the Wyoming Legislature was not the smallest. Nebraska's unicameral legislature, with 49 members, was the smallest legislative body out of the 50 states.
Redistricting
- See also: Redistricting in Wyoming
Wyoming is home to one at-large congressional district, making congressional redistricting unnecessary. State legislative district lines are drawn by the state legislature. State legislative district plans are subject to veto by the governor.[11]
In 2011, a joint legislative committee adopted the following guidelines for state legislative redistricting:[11]
- Districts should be contiguous and compact.
- Districts should "reflect a community of interest."
- Districts should "consider significant geographic features."
- "A majority of the population of each county" should reside within a single district.
- "Consideration should be given to nesting two House districts in each state Senate district."
2020
On March 25, Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon (R) allowed the state’s legislative maps to become law without signing the redistricting bill approved by the legislature. The legislature approved Wyoming HB100 on March 11. The bill added one Senate seat and two House of Representatives seats to the state legislature. The Senate passed legislative redistricting plans, voting 20-10 to approve an amended version of the Joint Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Interim Committee's proposal.[12] The House rejected maps approved by the Senate in a 46-11 vote on March 8. Legislative leaders formed a committee of three representatives and three senators to resolve disputes over the proposals.[13] On March 11, the House passed the maps in a 44-12 vote, and the Senate passed the maps in a 17-12 vote.[14]
2010
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Wyoming's population increased from just under 494,000 to over 563,000.[15] This increase of 14.5 percent was higher than the national average, but Wyoming still had less people than the average size for one Congressional district.[16]
The Joint Interim Committee on Corporations, Elections, and Political Subdivisions decided to keep single-member districts and the current configuration of 30 members in the Senate and 62 members in the House. Only 34 of the 90 old House and Senate districts were within the accepted five percent margin of error from the ideal population, suggesting that many districts would have to be reshuffled.[17] After having public hearings, the Committee adopted a complete map in December of 2011, and gave it final approval in January of 2012. The Senate and the House both passed the final map by very wide margins (28-2 in the Senate and 51-8 in the House) and Governor Matt Mead signed the map into law on March 6, 2012.[18][19]
Senate
The Wyoming Senate is the upper house of the Wyoming State Legislature. There are 31 Senators in the Senate, representing an equal amount of constituencies across the state.
As of the 2020 Census, Wyoming state senators represented an average of 18,636 residents. After the 2010 Census, each member represented 18,943 residents.
Like other upper houses of state and territorial legislatures and the federal U.S. Senate, the Wyoming Senate can confirm or reject gubernatorial appointments to the state cabinet, commissions, boards, or justices to the Wyoming Supreme Court.
Partisan composition
| Party | As of January 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 2 | |
| Republican Party | 29 | |
| Other | 0 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 31 | |
Republicans won control of the Wyoming State Senate in 1976. In 2022, they won a 29-2 majority.
The table below shows the partisan history of the Wyoming Senate following every general election from 1992 to 2022. As a result of redistricting following the 2020 census, the chamber increased from 30 to 31 members. All data from 2006 or earlier comes from Michael Dubin's Party Affiliations in the State Legislatures (McFarland Press, 2007). Data after 2006 was compiled by Ballotpedia staff.
Wyoming State Senate election results: 1992-2022
| Year | '92 | '94 | '96 | '98 | '00 | '02 | '04 | '06 | '08 | '10 | '12 | '14 | '16 | '18 | '20 | '22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democrats | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Republicans | 20 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
House of Representatives
The Wyoming House of Representatives is the lower house of the Wyoming State Legislature. There are 62 Representatives in the House, representing an equal amount of constituencies across the state.
As of the 2020 Census, Wyoming state representatives represented an average of 9,318 residents. After the 2010 Census, each member represented 9,472 residents.
Partisan composition
| Party | As of January 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 5 | |
| Republican Party | 57 | |
| Independent | 0 | |
| Libertarian Party | 0 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 62 | |
Republicans won control of the Wyoming House of Representatives in 1966. In 2022, they won a 57-5 majority.
The table below shows the partisan history of the Wyoming House following every general election from 1992 to 2022. All data from 2006 or earlier comes from Michael Dubin's Party Affiliations in the State Legislatures (McFarland Press, 2007). Data after 2006 was compiled by Ballotpedia staff.
Wyoming House of Representatives election results: 1992-2022
| Year | '92 | '94 | '96 | '98 | '00 | '02 | '04 | '06 | '08 | '10 | '12 | '14 | '16 | '18 | '20 | '22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democrats | 19 | 13 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 19 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 5 |
| Republicans | 41 | 47 | 43 | 43 | 46 | 45 | 46 | 43 | 41 | 51 | 52 | 51 | 52 | 50 | 51 | 57 |
| Other | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
District maps
State Senate
State House
Veto overrides
- See also: Veto overrides in state legislatures
State legislatures can override governors' vetoes. Depending on the state, this can be done during the regular legislative session, in a special session following the adjournment of the regular session, or during the next legislative session. The rules for legislative overrides of gubernatorial vetoes in Wyoming are listed below.
How many legislators are required to vote for an override? Two-thirds of members in both chambers.
| Two-thirds of members in both chambers must vote to override a veto, which is 42 of the 62 members in the Wyoming House of Representatives and 21 of the 31 members in the Wyoming State Senate. Wyoming is one of 36 states that requires a two-thirds vote from both of its legislative chambers to override a veto. |
Authority: Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution.
| "Every bill which has passed the legislature shall, before it becomes a law, be presented to the governor. If he approve, he shall sign it; but if not, he shall return it with his objections to the house in which it originated, which shall enter the objections at large upon the journal and proceed to reconsider it. If, after such reconsideration, two-thirds of the members elected agree to pass the bill, it shall be sent, together with the objections, to the other house, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if it be approved by two-thirds of the members elected, it shall become a law; but in all such cases the vote of both houses shall be determined by the yeas and nays, and the names of the members voting for and against the bill shall be entered upon the journal of each house respectively." |
Legislators
Term limits
Members of the Senate and House of Representatives have served without term limits since the Wyoming Supreme Court declared term limits unconstitutional in 2004, overturning a decade-old law that restricted Senators and Representatives to serving no more than twelve years.
Salaries
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
| State legislative salaries, 2023 | |
|---|---|
| Salary | Per diem |
| $150/day | $109/day |
Pension
Wyoming does not provide pensions for legislators.[20]
When sworn in
Wyoming legislators assume office the first Monday in January in odd-numbered years.[21]
Joint Committees
- See also: Public policy in Wyoming
The Wyoming Legislature has 14 standing committees.
- Agriculture, Public Lands and Water Resources
- Appropriations
- Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions
- Education
- Journal
- Judiciary
- Labor, Health and Social Services
- Management Audit
- Management Council
- Minerals, Business and Economic Development
- Revenue
- Rules and Procedure
- Transportation, Highways and Military Affairs
- Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources
History
Partisan balance 1992-2013
Wyoming Senate: Throughout every year from 1992-2013, the Republican Party was the majority in the Wyoming State Senate. The Wyoming State Senate is one of 13 state senates that was Republican for more than 80 percent of the years between 1992-2013. Wyoming was under Republican trifectas for the final three years of the study period.
Across the country, there were 541 Democratic and 517 Republican state senates from 1992 to 2013.
Wyoming House of Representatives: Throughout every year from 1992-2013, the Republican Party was the majority in the Wyoming State House of Representatives. The Wyoming House of Representatives is one of nine state Houses that was Republican for more than 80 percent of the years between 1992-2013. Wyoming was under Republican trifectas for the final three years of the study period.
Across the country, there were 577 Democratic and 483 Republican State Houses of Representatives from 1992 to 2013.
Over the course of the 22-year study, state governments became increasingly more partisan. At the outset of the study period (1992), 18 of the 49 states with partisan legislatures had single-party trifectas and 31 states had divided governments. In 2013, only 13 states had divided governments, while single-party trifectas held sway in 36 states, the most in the 22 years studied.
The chart below shows the partisan composition of the Office of the Governor of Wyoming, the Wyoming State Senate and the Wyoming House of Representatives from 1992 to 2013.
.PNG)
SQLI and partisanship
- To read the full report on the State Quality of Life Index (SQLI) in PDF form, click here.
The chart below depicts the partisanship of the Wyoming state government and the state's SQLI ranking for the years studied. For the SQLI, the states were ranked from 1-50, with 1 being the best and 50 the worst. Though Wyoming had a number of Republican trifectas during the course of the study, both its highest and lowest rankings occurred during divided governments. In 2007 it finished 24th, and in 2010 it finished 4th, marking a large shift in a short amount of time.
Legislative beginnings
The Wyoming State Legislature began like other Western states as a territorial legislature, with nearly (though not all) the parliamentary regulations that guide other fully-fledged state legislatures.
Women's Suffrage
Wyoming was the first territory or state in the United States to grant women the right to vote. The Wyoming Suffrage Act was passed in 1869 when Wyoming was still a territory. When it became a state in 1890, women retained the right to vote.[22]
Constitutional amendments
In every state but Delaware, voter approval is required to enact a constitutional amendment. In each state, the legislature has a process for referring constitutional amendments before voters. In 18 states, initiated constitutional amendments can be put on the ballot through a signature petition drive. There are also many other types of statewide measures.
The methods in which the Wyoming Constitution can be amended:
The Wyoming Constitution provides two mechanisms for amending the state's constitution—a legislative process and a state constitutional convention. Wyoming requires a simple majority vote (50% plus 1) for voters to approve constitutional amendments.
Legislature
A two-thirds vote is required during one legislative session for the Wyoming State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 42 votes in the Wyoming House of Representatives and 21 votes in the Wyoming State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.
Convention
According to Section 3 of Article 20 of the Wyoming Constitution, a two-thirds (66.67%) vote is required during one legislative session for the Wyoming State Legislature to place a constitutional convention question on the ballot. If a simple majority of voters approve the question, then the legislature needs to call for a convention during its next session.
2025 measures:
- See also: 2025 ballot measures
Certified:
- The following measures have been certified for the ballot.
No measures to list
Potential:
- The following measures have made it through one chamber—or one session for two session states—and may appear on the ballot in 2025.
No measures to list
2024 measures:
Below is a list of measures that were referred to the 2024 ballot by the legislature or that have made it approximately halfway through the process in the legislature for referral to the ballot in 2024.
- See also: Wyoming 2024 ballot measures
Certified:
- The following measures have been certified for the ballot.
| Wyoming Property Tax on Residential Property and Owner-Occupied Primary Residences Amendment | Democrats | Republicans | |||
| Senate: | Required: 21 | Yes votes: 22 (70.97%) | No votes: 8 (25.81%) | Yes: 2; No: 0 | Yes: 20; No: 8 |
| House: | Required: 42 | Yes votes: 53 (85.48%) | No votes: 9 (14.52%) | Yes: 5; No: 0 | Yes: 48; No: 9 |
Potential:
- The following measures have made it through one chamber—or one session for two session states—and may appear on the ballot in 2024.
No measures to list
See also
| Elections | Wyoming State Government | State Legislatures | State Politics |
|---|---|---|---|
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Wyoming Secretary of State, "2018 Key Election Dates," accessed June 2, 2017
- ↑ Wyoming Secretary of State, "2018 Key Election Dates," accessed June 2, 2017
- ↑ Oil City News, "RARE WYOMING LEGISLATURE SPECIAL SESSION TO TAKE ON COVID-19," May 15, 2020
- ↑ Ben Neary, The Washington Times, "Medicaid and budget issues face Wyoming Legislature," January 25, 2015
- ↑ wyofile.com, "Legislature 2014: What you need to know about the budget session," December 3, 2013
- ↑ Cody Enterprise, "Wyoming Legislature set for ‘wild ride’," January 2, 2013
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2011 Legislative Sessions Calendar," accessed June 6, 2014(Archived)
- ↑ Wyoming Legislative Service Office, "2010 session dates for Wyoming Legislature," accessed August 1, 2014
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 National Association of State Budget Officers, "Budget Processes in the States, Spring 2021," accessed January 24, 2023
- ↑ United States Census Bureau, "July 1, 2020 Estimates of Population and Housing Units," December 22, 2020
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 All About Redistricting, "Wyoming," accessed April 28, 2015
- ↑ Wyoming Tribune Eagle, "Senate sends 60-30 redistricting plan back to House," March 3, 2022
- ↑ Casper Star-Tribune, "Wyoming House votes down redistricting map, triggers joint committee," March 8, 2022
- ↑ Wyoming Legislature, "HB0100 - Redistricting of the legislature.," accessed March 29, 2022
- ↑ U.S. Census Bureau, "2010 Census: Wyoming Profile," accessed August 1, 2014
- ↑ U.S. Census Bureau, "Congressional Apportionment," November 2011
- ↑ Wyoming Tribune Eagle, "Redistricting process gaining momentum," May 22, 2011
- ↑ Wyoming Tribune Eagle, "Redistricting plan clears both House and Senate," March 10, 2012
- ↑ Pinedale Roundup, "Gov. Mead signs redistricting plan into law," March 8, 2012
- ↑ USA Today, "State-by-state: Benefits available to state legislators," September 23, 2011
- ↑ Justia, "2020 Wyoming Statutes Title 22 - Elections Chapter 2 - General Provisions Section 22-2-107 - When Elected State and County Officers Assume Offices.," accessed November 4, 2021
- ↑ [https://www.nps.gov/articles/wyoming-women-s-history.htm#:
- text=When%20Wyoming%20was%20still%20a,territory%20the%20right%20to%20vote.&text=When%20the%20territory%20became%20a,State%20flag%20of%20Wyoming. National Park Service, "Wyoming and the 19th Amendment," accessed February 23, 2021]
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