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 The budget was signed this morning by the Governor.  Some highpoints of the budget that Rep. Gingery worked on and made sure that they passed
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$2.5 million into the Wildlife Trust Fund
$2 million into the Cultural Trust Fund
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$685,000 for telepsychiatry — Rep. Gingery serves as the Co Chair of the Select Committee on Mental Health and Substance Abuse and worked to get this provision in the budget.  Many communities do not have psychiatrists and by allowing patients to access psychiatrists through teleconference will expand patient care and reduce costs considerably.
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$5.5 million …

Very good day down here in Cheyenne!!  Representative Elaine Harvey, Rep. Mike Madden, and I were successful in arguing on the Wyoming House of Representatives Floor this afternoon to get the developmental disability funding reinstated.  This has been a hard fight and we are not out of the woods yet.Â
As some of you probably recall from previous legislative sessions, I fight every year to get money into the developmental disability program.  Some years I have been successful and others I have not.  The vote today was 35 to 23.Â
Last year …

LEGISLATIVE SERVICE OFFICE NEWS RELEASE
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FOR RELEASE: Immediately
CONTACT: Wendy Madsen, Legislative Information Officer or Anthony Sara, Associate Legislative Information Officer TO REACH: (307) 777-7881
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2010 BUDGET SESSION REACHES BILL CROSSOVER PERIOD
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CHEYENNE - After convening just a few short weeks ago, the Wyoming Legislature has reached *halftime* of the 2010 Budget Session.
Tuesday marked crossover period for the body, meaning it was the last day for third reading in the house of origin.  Any legislation that did not successfully pass third reading in the primary house Tuesday will not go on for further consideration …

Interview regarding DUI and gun laws on Wyoming Public Radio.  Can be heard at the link below.
Interview on Wyoming Public Radio

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Senator Barrasso, Senator Enzi, and Congresswoman Lummis each spoke to the Wyoming Legislature on Friday.  All 3 had a common theme that Congress could learn a lot from the Wyoming Legislature.  Specifically we only have one subject per bill, the amendments are germane, we balance our budget, the Governor has line item veto.

Representative Colin Simpson, the Speaker of the Wyoming House of Representatives has been working for years for improvements to our health care system.  Below is a letter that he sent out earlier today describing some of the bills that he is working on.
As this budget session continues, there are two bills I’d like to highlight that may be acted upon this week by the Wyoming House of Representatives. During these tough economic times we need to reduce costs for hard-working Wyomingites - so they can afford health coverage - and …

The Wyoming Legislature is trying an experiment today in allowing testimony before a standing legislative committee by videoconference.  Usually, in order to testify in support or opposition to a bill before the legislature you have to travel all the way to Cheyenne and appear in person.  The legislature has set up one committee room (Room 302 for those familiar with the Capitol Building) with monitors and cameras.  People who wish to testify will be able to go to a videoconference site in their hometown and testify from their own town.Â
Today …

LEGISLATIVE SERVICE OFFICE NEWS RELEASE
Â
FOR RELEASE: Immediately
CONTACT: Wendy K. Madsen, Legislative Information Officer or Anthony Sara, Associate Legislative Information Officer TO REACH: (307) 777-7881
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VIDEO CONFERENCING AVAILABLE THURSDAY FOR PUBLIC DURING CONSIDERATION OF TWO HOUSE BILLS
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CHEYENNE -  Representative Keith Gingery, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, has announced that the Committee will be holding public hearings on the following legislation: HB38 (Driving under the influence - amendments) and HB61 (Legal services funding). HB 38 will be taken up on Thursday from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.  HB 61 will be taken …

Governor Dave Freudenthal gave his State of the State of Wyoming this morning at 10 a.m..  Because it is a budget session, he spent most of his hour long speech discussing the budget.  The primary message was that the legislature should not touch the reserves.  He believes we are going to need the money in 2012 to keep education funded at the same levels.Â
For non-budget items, he stated that he is in support of my committee’s juvenile justice bills, and likes my DUI bill.  He wants to tax wind.  He …

Chief Justice Voight gave the State of the Judiciary this morning to the full legislature.Â
The housekeeping items were:

Wants to look into District Court Commissioners and make sure that we are using them properly
Video Appearance Rules need to be promulgated
Digital Recording funding
Continue to look into where we are locating judges
Need funding for interpreters
Need to look at cost/benefit analysis for peremptory challenges to judges
Who pays postage on Rule 77(d) when orders are mailed out.

Statistically he stated that circuit court and district court filings are up.  However, within those numbers, criminal numbers are …