The Associated Students of The University Of Wyoming (ASUW) have reached full capacity after swearing in five new senators during the Jan. 31 meeting, where they passed numerous bills, all by unanimous vote.
After the confirmation of the new senators, UW students’ governing body jumped straight into the pressing business of representing their constituency as impactful legislation was deliberated on the Wyoming legislative floor.
Tuesday’s meeting housed a full gallery to witness the body discussing senate bills 2848- 2853.
To accomplish the task of debating, recommending, and ultimately voting on the aforementioned legislation, ASUW made the rare decision to dissolve into “committee of the whole.”
This process of suspending established rules of standing committee deliberations, is in favor of recommendation as a unified “whole” committee.
This is motivated by the time-sensitive state legislative issues covered in Tuesday’s senate bills/resolutions 2848-2853, which stand to be voted on in the Wyoming House of Representatives in coming weeks.
Following standard meeting opening procedures, the tone of what would become a five-hour senate meeting was set in open forum testimony by Artemis Langford.
She voiced her opposition to the controversial Senate File 117 “Parental Rights in Education, ” which she attested would threaten not only the well-being, but the lives of queer individuals state wide.
SF117 states “An act relating to education; specifying procedures and requirements for school districts to provide parents notice of information regarding students and the rights of parents to make decisions regarding their children.”
This bill inspired deliberations from nearly all senators. Among them are 5 new faces to the ASUW chambers; Padon Knull, Kryslin Gundling, Peri Hennigar, and Emily Gipson who were all confirmed during the senate session.
Senate resolution 2848 began the meeting’s voting period.
The bill’s author, Senator Ewalt, spoke to the importance of passing this resolution to oppose house bill 216. In a county where 49% of residents are renters, the senator felt it vital that Albany County remain able to make rental ordinances at its own discretion, at a local level.
“It is a clear overreach of state government and an unreasonable expansion of bureaucracy to stop local governments from self-regulating issues pertinent to their people.” Said senator Ewalt.
This resolution, and every subsequent resolution put to vote that evening, was passed unanimously.
The bulk of Tuesday’s meeting centered around resolution 2851, an opposition to the “Don’t Say Gay Bill.”
A statement read by senator McLean described the concerns of an anonymous Visual Arts student who identifies as transgender.
“SF 117 will make it impossible for me to realize those dreams [pursuing the field of education]. It will force me into the closet in my workplace, constantly policing my language so that it never slips that I am transgender,” the student wrote.
“To deny students education on queerness is to deny them the opportunity to understand and care about others different from themselves.”
Similarly, testimony from senator Hennigar described their experiences growing up closeted and the positive impacts of schools, and their teachers, as safe spaces in turbulent times.
The senate as a whole discussed the mental health of queer students, the vague wording of SF117 could extend censorship into discussions of any and all aspects of sexuality and gender including, but not limited to, puberty, women’s suffrage, and heterosexuality.
With many Wyoming house representatives withholding their votes on SF117 and other bills until receiving formal resolutions, the University of Wyoming student representatives stood united in presenting lawmakers resolutions of opposition.
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