States rights, doggone it

House introduces 2 states rights resolutions

The Wyoming House decided it will debate two resolutions asserting states rights Wednesday when it approved introduction of both HJ 2 and HJ 5.

A Senate resolution asserting the state's right to ignore any national health insurance reform failed to win introduction.

Sixteen reps and eight senators co-sponsored HJ 2 Assertion of states rights.

HJ2 is sponsored by Representative(s) Illoway, Anderson, R., Brechtel, Childers, Edmonds, Harvey, Lubnau, Madden, McOmie, Miller, Moniz, Quarberg, Shepperson, Simpson, Wallis and Zwonitzer, Dn. and Senator(s) Anderson, J., Bebout, Case, Cooper, Dockstader, Martin, Meier and Ross.

Here's the HJ 2 title: A JOINT RESOLUTION requesting Congress to cease and desist from enacting mandates that are beyond the scope of the enumerated powers granted to Congress by the Constitution of the United States.

2/9/2010 H Introduced and Referred to H01

Ayes: Representative(s) Anderson, R., Bagby, Barbuto, Berger, Blake, Blikre, Bonner, Brechtel, Brown, Buchanan, Cannady, Childers, Cohee, Craft, Davison, Diercks, Edmonds, Esquibel, K., Gingery, Goggles, Harshman, Harvey, Illoway, Jaggi, Kimble, Landon, Lockhart, Lubnau, Madden, McKim, McOmie, Miller, Millin, Moniz, Patton, Peasley, Pedersen, Petersen, Quarberg, Roscoe, Semlek, Shepperson, Simpson, Steward, Stubson, Teeters, Throne, Wallis, Zwonitzer, Dn. and Zwonitzer, Dv..

Nays: Representative(s) Byrd, Carson, Connolly, Gilmore, Hales, Hammons, Jorgensen and Thompson.

Excused: Representative(s) Hallinan and Philp.

Ayes 50 Nays 8 Excused 2 Absent 0 Conflicts 0

The House also voted to introduce HJ 5 Assetion of state sovereignty, though with less enthusiasm than it showed for HJ 2. This is the resolution that claims if the state finds the federal government exercises powers the state does not believe it surrendered, the Act of Admission is breached -- and Wyoming, presumably, could secede.

One wonders what the nation's great Civil War president, Abraham Lincoln, would think of this resolution.

HJ 5 is sponsored by: Representative(s) Childers, Cohee, Davison, Hallinan, Jaggi, McOmie, Shepperson and Wallis and Senator(s) Case, Coe and Townsend

2/9/2010 H Introduced and Referred to H01

Ayes: Representative(s) Anderson, R., Bagby, Barbuto, Berger, Bonner, Brechtel, Brown, Buchanan, Cannady, Childers, Cohee, Davison, Diercks, Edmonds, Esquibel, K., Gingery, Harshman, Harvey, Illoway, Jaggi, Landon, Lockhart, Lubnau, Madden, McKim, McOmie, Miller, Moniz, Peasley, Pedersen, Petersen, Quarberg, Semlek, Shepperson, Simpson, Steward, Stubson, Teeters, Wallis, Zwonitzer, Dn. and Zwonitzer, Dv..

Nays: Representative(s) Blake, Blikre, Byrd, Carson, Connolly, Craft, Gilmore, Goggles, Hales, Hammons, Jorgensen, Kimble, Millin, Patton, Roscoe, Thompson and Throne.

Excused: Representative(s) Hallinan and Philp.

Ayes 41 Nays 17 Excused 2 Absent 0 Conflicts 0


In the Senate, SJ 1 Health Freedom of Choice bill failed to win introduction Wednesday. It proposed an amendment to the state Constitution that asseerted the state's right to ignore any national health care system. It apparently did not stop the elderly from signing up for Medicare.

Here's the bill title: A JOINT RESOLUTION proposing to amend the Wyoming Constitution by creating a new section specifying that the federal government shall not interfere with an individual's health care decisions and prohibiting any penalty, fine or tax imposed because of a decision to participate in or decline health insurance, or to pay directly or receive payment directly for health care services.

2/9/2010 S Failed Introduction

Ayes: Senator(s) Anderson, J., Bebout, Case, Coe, Cooper, Dockstader, Geis, Hines, Hunnicutt, Jennings, Johnson, Meier, Nicholas, Perkins, Peterson, Ross, Townsend and Von Flatern.

Nays: Senator(s) Burns, Elliott, Esquibel, F., Hastert, Landen, Larson, Martin, Massie, Meyer, Schiffer, Scott and Sessions.

Ayes 18 Nays 12 Excused 0 Absent 0 Conflicts 0

Meanwhile, Sen. John Schiffer's bill to limit who can use eminent domain to force sales of rights of way for transmission lines easily won introduction. The bill, SF58 Eminent domain-limitations, restricts the use of the power of eminent domain to public utilities and power cooperatives.