Campbell County commissioners appointed Chris Knapp to fill a vacant House seat after Gillette Republican Rep. Roy Edwards died from COVID-19 on November 2.

The commissioners voted unanimously 5-0 to appoint Knapp to the House District 53 seat at a special meeting.

Knapp was one of three finalists interviewed during the meeting.

The Legislature’s first special session since 2004 ended Saturday night with three bills headed to the desk of Gov. Mark Gordon for his consideration.

The main task of the special session was to set up programs and time frames for the spending of $1.25 billion Wyoming received through the federal CARES act.

Though Gov. Gordon has the ultimate authority to spend the money, the approved legislation provides a broad outline of where that money will go.

Gov. Mark Gordon called a special session of the Wyoming Legislature to help respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The two day special session will start at 8:00 a.m. on May 15.

Lawmakers will gather both online and in the state Capitol, which will be open to those legislators who wish to go there, to distribute federal stimulus money to Wyoming businesses, healthcare facilities and workers.

Through four draft bills, lawmakers will determine how to distribute $500 million of the $1.25 billion the state received through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act passed in March.

In addition, lawmakers are eyeing new programs to provide loans to businesses, recompense landlords for lost rent to halt evictions, and help fund healthcare facilities and other needs.

The Democratic Party has canceled all county conventions and the in-person portion of its upcoming caucus over increasing concerns around the coronavirus outbreak.

All Wyoming Democrats registered by March 20 were automatically sent a ballot in the mail, to the address on their voter registration.

The deadline to request a replacement ballot was March 31.

Ballots must be mailed back to the Wyoming Democratic Party (postage paid envelope is included) and received by April 17.

Ballots received after April 17 will not be tabulated.

Caucus results will be released as soon as possible.

Counties will hold delegate elections and conventions electronically, no later than May 24.

The 2020 budget session of the Wyoming Legislature adjourned sine die on March 13 after 24 days in session.

The session lasted an extra four days this year because of a decision made by lawmakers last year.

During the session, legislators passed a bill expanding limitations on campaign contributions.

Senate File 20 expands limitations on campaign contributions from organizations to include a candidate’s campaign committee or any political party or political action committee that directly coordinates with a candidate or a candidate’s campaign committee.

The bill becomes effective July 1, 2020, and does not affect lobbyist reporting.

The Wyoming Democratic Party has canceled all county conventions and the in-person portion of its upcoming caucus.

The party has taken the precautions over increasing concerns around the coronavirus outbreak.

The events to assign Wyoming’s 13 pledged delegates, scheduled for April 4, will now be handled exclusively through the mail.

Voters can still drop their ballots off in person at one of the party’s dozens of collection spots around the state.

Voters can drop off their ballots on March 28 and April 4, and have them postmarked by March 20.

The change is not anticipated to interfere with any of the traditional functions of the caucus itself.

However, county delegates to the state convention, normally selected in person, could be elected by other means, pending approval by the Democratic National Committee.

As of now, the June 6 state convention in Powell is on schedule.

Gov. Mark Gordon signed a bill modifying provisions related to procurement and contracting by governmental entities.

House Bill 50 increases the amount to $15,000 for bids or contracts for supplies or services required to be made by competitive sealed bidding.

Additionally, the bill allows an elected state official to contract for supplies or services by competitive negotiation without department approval.

This can be done when:

• • The contract is for $25,000 or less
  • The elected state official determines the use of competitive sealed bidding is not feasible or practical

House Bill 50 becomes effective October 1, 2020.

State lawmakers and the Office of the Secretary of State are working on legislation to limit the influence of corporate money on state elections.

The Office of the Secretary of State proposed a slate of election code changes to the Joint Committee on Corporations, Elections, and Political Subdivisions.

Changes include a prohibition on corporations donating to political parties or political action committees in coordination to back a specific candidate in an election.

A motion was unanimously approved by members of the committee and a bill could be introduced during the 2020 budget session.

The Wyoming Legislature adjourned sine die in the early hours of February 28.

The House spent the final day of its 2019 legislative session overriding four of Gov. Mark Gordon’s 14 vetoes, but the Senate decided to only override two of those four.

Earlier this month, Gov. Gordon signed Senate File 18 into law, which requires any candidate, political action committee, and candidate’s campaign committee to file an itemized statement of contributions and expenditures at least seven days but not more than 14 days before an election.

The Wyoming Secretary of State’s Office has announced the launch of a new online Lobbyist Center.

The Lobbyist Center allows lobbyists to register online and gives the public real-time access to a list of Wyoming lobbyists and associated filings.

The Lobbyist Center can be accessed at the Secretary of State’s website.

Republican Mark Gordon was elected governor of Wyoming over Democrat Mary Thorne.

Also running were Rex Rammell of the Constitution Party and Lawrence Struempf of the Libertarian Party.

With 99% of precincts reporting, Gordon won with 67 percent of the vote to Thorne’s 27 percent, Rammell’s 3 and Struempf’s 1.

Gordon was raised on his family’s ranch in Kaycee and attended college in Vermont.

After working in the energy industry, Gordon was appointed state treasurer in 2012 and elected to a full term in the 2014 primary.

The 64th Wyoming Legislature adjourned its budget session on March 15 after a nearly week-long extension.

Lawmakers passed several bills, including agreeing to over $20 million in cuts to education while increasing spending on capital construction projects.

Gov. Matt Mead can choose to sign, veto, or allow the education and capital construction bills to become law without his signature.

The Wyoming House Agriculture, State and Public Lands and Water Source Committee Chairman has resigned from the state Legislature due to health reasons.

Speaker Steve Harshman announced Rep. Robert McKim will be replaced by Hans Hunt on the committee.

Lincoln County commissioners are now tasked with appointing a replacement to represent House District 21.

On March 3, the Wyoming Legislature adjourned its 2017 general session.

Lawmakers passed a supplemental budget bill making cuts to education and substance abuse prevention funding.

The budget adjustment was needed due to lower state revenues than previously anticipated.

The 2018 legislative session is scheduled to convene February 12, 2018.