From the Desk of House Majority Floor Leader Chip Neiman

The Wyoming Legislature marked the halfway point, or "crossover," of the 67th Budget Session this week. On Thursday, February 22, the House completed its third and final reading of the budget bill, House Bill 1.

There's still a long way to go. Negotiations and debate now begin to find compromise between the House and Senate. The numbers are still fluid and nowhere near final.

What's clear at this point is this: the Legislature is digging too deep into the General Fund.

The motto for this budget session seems to be: "Don't tax you, don't tax me. Tax that fellow behind the tree," as the old adage goes. In other words, there is a lot of focus on spending, but not much on where the money will come from.

Taxpayers should be wary of such reckless abandon, which suggest that the Legislature has lost its way.

Please know, I will continue to stand against wasteful spending and fight to restore fiscal accountability for the people of Wyoming.

To that end, I am focused on ensuring we address the unsustainable property tax growth that most folks across Wyoming are facing. One bill that has generated attention is House Bill 203 – Property tax reduction and replacement act. This legislation would eliminate property taxes for 97 percent of Wyoming homeowners. At the same time, it would raise our sales tax from four percent to six percent.

There is no doubt this is a unique approach. However, given the extreme structural change it would mean for our tax system, along with potential unintended consequences, I believe the proposal requires further study during the interim.

One bill I hope to see signed into law is Senate File 9 – Chloe's Law – Children Gender Change Prohibition. This important legislation would prohibit any doctor in Wyoming from performing gender transition procedures on children under the age of 18. If passed, doctors, surgeons, pharmacists and other health care providers could lose their license should they allow or perform gender transition procedures or surgeries on a minor.

No child should be making a decision with irreversible consequences at such a young age. We were fortunate to welcome the bill's namesake, Chloe Cole, a well-known anti-gender transition activist, to the Capitol this week. Chloe brought much needed awareness and insight into this crucial issue, which will hopefully inform further consideration of this legislation. We are thankful for her willingness to share her story.

Finally, I joined my colleagues at a press conference recently in support of Wyoming's legacy industries. As a Legislature, we must stand up against outside forces that are waging a war on our coal, oil, and gas sectors.

It is up to us to push back against the false narratives undermining our energy production, which helps keep our lights on, heat houses warm and fuel our cars. We must stand on the side of truth and make sure there is an honest debate. I will continue to double down on this fight.

It is my privilege to serve you as I continue to fight to ensure Wyoming remains the best place on earth. Please email me at [email protected] with your views, questions or concerns about bills being debated during this session.