Albany County voters will see a variety of proposed new laws in this year’s election.
The ballot currently lists three new amendments and two propositions.
The first is the right of Health Care Access amendment, also known as Amendment A. The ballot states that the “right to make health care decisions is reserved to the citizens of Wyoming. It permits any person to pay and any health care provider to receive direct payment for services. The amendment permits the legislature to place reasonable and necessary restrictions on health care consistent with the purposes of the Wyoming Constitution and provides that this state shall act to preserve these rights from undue government infringement.”
According to the 2012 Laramie General Election Voter Guide from the League of Women voters, this amendment is an attempt to keep Wyoming separate from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The amendment also is an attempt to keep Wyoming residents from contributing to the nationally funded health insurance that would be put in place by the Affordable Care Act.
Amendment A also could allow insurance providers to drop a person’s insurance if he or she has a pre-existing condition. Wyoming residents also may not be included in reduced insurance costs that are set in place by the Affordable Care Act.
Amendment B on the ballot raises an issue that particularly hits home for Wyoming residents. The ballot states that this amendment would “preserve the heritage of Wyoming citizens’ opportunity to fish, hunt, and trap wildlife.”
Amendment B could potentially limit the influence of groups that often protest the hunting and trapping of certain wildlife in Wyoming, according to the League of Women voters.
Also on the ballot is Amendment C, which could potentially allow “a district court commissioner to perform additional duties assigned by a district judge, subject to any restrictions the legislature may impose by law.”
If this amendment is passed, it could help expedite legal processes in Wyoming by lightening case loads for district judges as there has been an increase in cases recently.
In addition to these three amendments, there are two other propositions on the Albany County ballot for this year.
The first proposition is regarding a transportation tax that would be used by the Albany County Transportation Authority. The tax would begin in 2013 and would be put in place for four years. It would go to planning and developing regional transportation within the Albany County.
The second proposition is for a tax that would go to the Laramie Economic Development Corporation. The tax would be placed on “retail sales of tangible personal property,” according to the ballot.
