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2003 General Session
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Asserting that Wyoming has sole jurisdiction over all wildlife within the state, SF 97 prohibited the federal government from reintroducing any wildlife species, including endangered species, into Wyoming.
This bill, motivated by the controversial reintroduction of gray wolves into Yellowstone National Park in 1995, demanded the removal of any species that have already been introduced, and demanded reimbursement from the federal government for damages caused an introduced species.
The bill also prohibited federal officials or employees from any wildlife management or enforcement activities within Wyoming.
The Senate amended the bill to exclude Yellowstone National Park from its sphere of influence, and deleted the prohibition against federal officials or employees from wildlife management and enforcement activities.
The Senate also inserted a directive to the Wyoming Attorney General to prepare a litigation plan for Wyoming to assert its sole management authority over all wildlife species within its borders (except Yellowstone National Park), and to advise the Joint Travel, Recreation and Wildlife Committee on what other federally-managed areas within Wyoming should be excluded from Wyoming's sole management demand.
Supporters of SF 97 were apparently motivated by a strong desire to rid Wyoming of gray wolves altogether. Some legislators worried that wolves kill too many elk, moose and other ungulates, and that soon those species would be gone. Some supporters were concerned about the impact wolves will have on livestock. Some supporters saw the bill as a good way to confront the federal government about state's rights issues in the area of wildlife management.
Opponents pointed out that SF 97 is in direct conflict with federal law that clearly establishes federal jurisdiction over endangered species, migratory birds and other classes of wildlife. They noted that the bill places the Wyoming Game and Fish Department in the untenable position of opposing the federal government's plans for wolves while simultaneously trying to develop a state management plan for wolves that will satisfy federal requirements for delisting the wolf.
Opponents also maintained that it is a waste of taxpayer's money to pursue this type of legislation and the potential litigation that accompanies it.
After amending the bill as described above, the Senate passed it 23-6 (one excused). The House passed SF 97, 54-6.
The votes listed below are Third Reading (final passage) votes in the Senate and House.
A YES vote means the legislator supported the removal of all gray wolves from Wyoming and a prohibition on any future introduction of wildlife in Wyoming by the federal government.
A NO vote means the legislator did not support the removal of wolves, or the prohibition against future reintroductions.
| Bighorn Basin Legislators | Senate 3rd 2/7/03 | House 3rd 2/27/03 |
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| S 18 | Hank Coe (R) | Yes | |
| H 24 | Colin Simpson (R) | Yes | |
| H 50 | Pat Childers (R) | Yes | |
| S 19 | Laness D. Northrup (R) | Yes | |
| H 25 | Alan Jones (R) | Yes | |
| H 26 | Elaine Harvey (R) | Yes | |
| S 20 | Gerald E. Geis (R) | Yes | |
| H 27 | Jane Wostenberg (R) | Yes | |
| H 28 | Micheal Baker (R) | Yes | |
| Casper-Area Legislators | Senate 3rd 2/7/03 | House 3rd 2/27/03 |
|
| S 27 | John Barrasso (R) | Yes | |
| H 35 | Roy Cohee (R) | Yes | |
| H 36 | Liz Gentile (D) | Yes | |
| S 28 | Keith Goodenough (D) | No | |
| H 56 | Tom Walsh (R) | Yes | |
| H 57 | Thomas A. Lockhart (R) | Yes | |
| S 29 | Bill Hawks (R) | Yes | |
| H 37 | Steve Harshman (R) | Yes | |
| H 59 | Mary Gilmore (D) | Yes | |
| S 30 | Charles K. Scott (R) | Yes | |
| H 38 | Bob Brechtel (R) | Yes | |
| H 58 | Ann Robinson (D) | No | |
| Cheyenne-Area Legislators | Senate 3rd 2/7/03 | House 3rd 2/27/03 |
|
| S 4 | April Brimmer Kunz (R) | Yes | |
| H 7 | Tony Ross (R) | Yes | |
| H 41 | Becket Hinckley (R) | Yes | |
| S 5 | John Hanes (R) | No | |
| H 8 | Larry Meuli (R) | Yes | |
| H 42 | Pete Illoway (R) | Yes | |
| S 6 | Rich Cathcart (D) | Yes | |
| H 9 | Wayne Johnson (R) | Yes | |
| H 10 | Rodney "Pete" Anderson (R) | Yes | |
| S 7 | Kathryn Sessions (D) | No | |
| H 11 | Wayne Reese (D) | No | |
| H 43 | Ed Prosser (R) | Yes | |
| S 8 | E. Jayne Mockler (D) | No | |
| H 12 | Layton Morgan (D) | Yes | |
| H 44 | Floyd Esquibel (D) | Yes | |
| Gillette-Area Legislators | Senate 3rd 2/7/03 | House 3rd 2/27/03 |
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| S 23 | John Hines (R) | Yes | |
| H 31 | Jene Jansen (R) | Yes | |
| H 52 | George McMurtrey (R) | Yes | |
| S 24 | Richard A. Erb (R) | Yes | |
| H 32 | Jeff Wasserburger (R) | Yes | |
| H 53 | Frank Latta (R) | Yes | |
| Lander/Riverton-Area Legislators | Senate 3rd 2/7/03 | House 3rd 2/27/03 |
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| S 25 | Cale Case (R) | Yes | |
| H 33 | Harry Tipton (R) | Yes | |
| H 54 | Del McOmie (R) | Yes | |
| S 26 | Robert A. Peck (R) | Yes | |
| H 34 | Frank Philp (R) | Yes | |
| H 55 | David Miller (R) | Yes | |
| Northeast/East Central WY Legislators | Senate 3rd 2/7/03 | House 3rd 2/27/03 |
|
| S 1 | Bill Barton (R) | Yes | |
| H 1 | Mark Semlek (R) | Yes | |
| H 2 | Ross Diercks (D) | Yes | |
| S 2 | Jim Anderson (R) | Yes | |
| H 5 | James C. Hageman (R) | Yes | |
| H 6 | Dave Edwards (R) | Yes | |
| S 3 | Curt Meier (R) | Yes | |
| H 3 | Deborah Alden (R) | Yes | |
| H 4 | Edward A. Buchanan (R) | Yes | |
| Sheridan-Area Legislators | Senate 3rd 2/7/03 | House 3rd 2/27/03 |
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| S 21 | Bruce Burns (R) | Yes | |
| H 29 | Jerry Iekel (R) | Yes | |
| H 51 | Rosie Berger (R) | Yes | |
| S 22 | John Schiffer (R) | Yes | |
| H 30 | Jack Landon (R) | Yes | |
| H 40 | Doug Osborn (R) | Yes | |
| South Central WY Legislators | Senate 3rd 2/7/03 | House 3rd 2/27/03 |
|
| S 9 | Mike Massie (D) | No | |
| H 13 | Jane Warren (D) | No | |
| H 45 | Lorna Johnson (D) | No | |
| S 10 | Irene Devin (R) | Yes | |
| H 14 | Phil Nicholas (R) | Yes | |
| H 46 | James Slater (R) | Yes | |
| S 11 | Bill Vasey (D) | Yes | |
| H 15 | George Bagby (D) | Yes | |
| H 47 | Kurt Bucholz (R) | Yes | |
| Southwest WY Legislators | Senate 3rd 2/7/03 | House 3rd 2/27/03 |
|
| S 12 | Rae Lynn Job (D) | Excused | |
| H 48 | Marty Martin (D) | Yes | |
| H 16 | Pete Jorgensen (D) | No | |
| S 13 | Tex Boggs (D) | Yes | |
| H 17 | Fred Parady (R) | Yes | |
| H 60 | Bill Thompson (D) | Yes | |
| S 14 | Larry Caller (D) | Yes | |
| H 18 | Mick Powers (R) | Yes | |
| H 39 | Chris Boswell (D) | No | |
| S 15 | Ken Decaria (D) | No | |
| H 19 | Owen Petersen (R) | Yes | |
| H 49 | Saundra Meyer (D) | Yes | |
| West Central WY Legislators | Senate 3rd 2/7/03 | House 3rd 2/27/03 |
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| S 16 | Delaine Roberts (R) | Yes | |
| H 20 | Stan Cooper (R) | Yes | |
| H 21 | Randall Luthi (R) | Yes | |
| S 17 | Grant Larson (R) | Yes | |
| H 22 | Monte Olsen (R) | Yes | |
| H 23 | Clarene Law (R) | Yes | |
See Southwest Region for H 16 and S 12 | |||