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March 2, 2005
State Capitol Room 302
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Senator Grant Larson, Chairman
Representative Randall Luthi, Vice Chairman
Senator Jim Anderson
Senator John Hines
Senator Rae Lynn Job
Senator Mike Massie
Senator John Schiffer
Representative Roy Cohee
Representative Tom Lockhart
Representative Ann Robinson
Representative Colin Simpson
Representative Ross Diercks
Representative Wayne Reese
Dan J. Pauli, Director
Mark Quiner, Assistant Director
Dave Gruver, Assistant Director
Wendy K. Madsen, Legislative Information Officer
Please refer to
Appendix 1 to review the Council Sign-in Sheet
for a list of other individuals who attended the meeting.
Chairman Larson called the meeting to order at 4:28pm. The following sections summarize the Council proceedings by topic. Please refer to Appendix 2 to review the Council Meeting Agenda.
Minutes from the January 19, 2005 Council meeting were approved without any changes.
The Council reviewed proposed joint interim committee study requests submitted by each interim committee (See Appendix 3). The changes to submitted topics are noted below. Senator Larson noted that if committees would like to study additional topics during the interim, in addition to those approved by the Council, the committee chairmen need to request approval from Management Council prior to proceeding.
Senator Hanes and Representative Landon explained the committee’s proposed interim topics. Senator Schiffer recommended that the committee also visit private residential treatment providers during site visits to state institutions. Senator Larson suggested that the Management Audit Committee report on court-ordered placements be prescribed reading for all members of the Judiciary Committee before undertaking the topic of court-ordered placements.
Following discussion, Representative Luthi moved to approve the Committee’s interim topic proposals. The motion carried.
Representative Philp explained the committee’s proposed interim topics. Senator Schiffer suggested that the review of retiree insurance could also include the issue of whether to move school district employees under the state employee plan. Representative Simpson also suggested that the committee review the feasibility of bringing active school district employees into the plan. Mr. Dave Nelson explained that Senate File 47 provides for such a study by the Department of Administration and Information.
Senator Schiffer moved to approve the Committee’s interim topic proposals. The motion carried. Senator Job moved that the Council add monitoring the impact of federal budget actions on the State of Wyoming, especially related to healthcare funding, to the Committee’s assignments. The motion passed. Senator Schiffer moved that the Committee review funding alternatives for the Game and Fish Department related to operations and capital construction budgets. The motion carried.
Senator Peck and Representative Anderson explained the committee’s proposed interim topics. The Council discussed the overlap in the multi-lane highway study with a similar request from the Joint Transportation Committee and the overlap in the private/public equity issue with a request from the Joint Minerals Committee. The Council agreed that it was appropriate for the different committees to examine different aspects of these issues. The Council directed the Joint Revenue Committee to coordinate the multi-lane highway study with the Joint Transportation Committee’s related study. The Council directed the Revenue Committee to focus its private/public equity study on the potential for adding to state revenues, while the Mineral Committee focuses its efforts on the economic development potential of a venture capital program.
Representative Luthi moved to approve the Committee’s interim topic proposals. The motion carried.
Senator Coe and Representative Wasserburger explained the committee’s proposed interim topics. Representative Wasserburger added that a review of the duties of the Wyoming State Board of Education and the State Superintendent of Public Instruction has been requested to be included for review. Senator Job noted that the Management Audit Committee is preparing a scoping paper on this issue and Representative Luthi clarified that if any work is completed on this topic by the Management Audit Committee, the product could be referred to the Education Committee.
Representative Luthi moved that the relationship between the superintendent and the board be added to the Joint Education Committee’s studies. The motion carried. Representative Lockhart moved to approve the Committee’s interim topic proposals. Senator Massie moved to specify that the student tuition assistance study include both merit and need-based factors. The motion, as amended, carried.
Senator Geis and Representative Hageman explained the committee’s proposed interim topics. Representative Simpson suggested that the Committee evaluate an appropriate budget for Weed and Pest Control by identifying needs in each county and provide guidance to the Joint Appropriations Committee. Senator Larson questioned whether the topic of abandonment of sheep is the responsibility of state government, rather than a private relationship between an employer and an employee.
Senator Larson moved to eliminate the topic of abandonment of sheep from the committee’s approved topics. The motion failed. Representative Luthi moved to approve the Committee’s interim topic proposals. The motion carried.
Senator Burns and Representative Childers explained the committee’s proposed interim topics. Representative Luthi noted that the Committee should coordinate with the Select Committee on Tribal Relations on the issue of tribal gaming. Representative Anderson suggested that the connection between a lottery and locating it within the Pari-Mutuel Commission be explored carefully and also requested that the Committee project the impact of technology on this issue of gambling. The Council directed the Committee to review costs and potential revenues as part of the study of a state lottery. The Council requested that the Committee monitor electronic licensing meetings between the Game and Fish Department and selling agents.
Senator Schiffer moved to transfer the topic of alterative funding for the Game and Fish Department to the Joint Appropriations Committee and approve the remainder of the Committee’s interim topic proposals. The motion carried.
Senator Meier and Representative Illoway explained the committee’s proposed interim topics. Senator Larson noted that under the review of Title 18, the Committee should look at how to provide better services to both counties and towns. Senator Job recommended that the Committee also review the potential for consolidation of some of these services.
Following discussion, Representative Luthi moved to eliminate the Committee’s fourth priority topic. The motion carried. Representative Simpson moved to re-prioritize topics 3(b)(i), (ii) and (v) as the new priority 2 study and to re-designate proposed study topic 2 and the remaining items in the old priority 3 study as the new priority 3 study to be review as time permits. The motion carried. The Council took no action on the committee's request for an additional $20,000 budget. The Chairmen were reminded that the constituent service allowance could possibly be used for the non-legislative telecommunications meetings.
Senator Barrasso and Representative Edwards explained the committee’s proposed interim topics.
The Council noted that the Minerals Committee also requested to study utility corridor rights-of-way and that the Minerals Committee can update the Transportation Committee chairmen on the status of their study. The Council directed the Committee to coordinate the multi-lane highway study with the related study by the Revenue Committee and noted the focus of the Transportation Committee’s study should be on the justification for, and location of, proposed multi-lane highways.
Following discussion, Representative Luthi moved to eliminate topic 3, the right-of-way study. The motion carried. Representative Cohee moved that the topic of driver’s education become the Committee’s third priority for consideration. The motion carried. Representative Hines moved that the military affairs study not duplicate the armory assessment being conducted at the direction of the Joint Appropriations Committee but that the committee could review other legislative recommendations brought by the military department. The motion carried. A motion to approve the committee's remaining interim studies carried.
Senator Hawks explained the committee’s proposed interim topics. The Council directed the Committee to coordinate their economic development study with the Revenue Committee regarding the review of proposed venture capital programs.
Following discussion, Representative Luthi moved to approve the Committee’s interim topic proposals. The motion carried. Senator Larson moved to change the utility location right-of-way study to the fifth priority, for the Committee to review if time permits. The motion passed.
Senator Scott and Representative Osborn explained the committee’s proposed interim topics.
Following discussion, Senator Schiffer moved to approve the Committee’s interim topic proposals and add the responsibility to respond to federal statutory or administrative changes, especially related to the Medicare prescription drug program. The motion carried.
Senator Geis explained the committee’s proposed interim topics. The Council noted that authorization for a water retreat and possible authorization for committee members to attend a one-day meeting on the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program will be considered by the Council at a future meeting.
Following discussion, Senator Schiffer moved to approve the Committee’s interim topic proposals. The motion carried.
Senator Peck and Representative McComie explained the committee’s proposed interim topics. The Council discussed the Committee’s requests to attend various conferences and meetings related to tribal relations issues. The Council directed Committee members to request the authority to travel to these events from their respective presiding officers. Senator Larson noted that approval would be determined based on the availability of funding through the legislative travel budget.
Following discussion, Senator Massie moved to approve the Committee’s interim topic proposals, with the understanding that permission to travel to conferences be requested through the presiding officers. The motion carried. Senator Schiffer moved to delete the study of a constitutional amendment to allow the state to make appropriations to the business councils of the tribes. The motion passed.
Representative Luthi explained that the Management Audit Committee has requested that the Council consider assigning further study of the Management Audit report on the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s wildlife access program to the Joint Travel Committee. He noted that there do not appear to be additional issues to study at this time, since the program is in its formative stages and it is too early to assess the effectiveness of the program.
Senator Job moved that the Council monitor the program to determine if it should be assigned to the Travel Committee for review at a future date. The motion carried.
Mr. Dan Pauli explained the proposed interim committee budget for 2005 (See Appendix 4). He noted that the 2005 standard budget proposal reflects a 10.5 percent increase to include the raise in legislative salary and per diem. The budget reflects an equivalent amount as provided in 2004 for each committee.
Mr. Pauli noted that Senate File 0041, being considered during the 2005 General Session, creates a new 6-member select committee, but does not include an appropriation to cover the expenses of the committee if the legislation passes. Representative Luthi moved to amend the 2005 standard budget to provide $7,500 for the new select committee, subject to passage of SF 0041. The motion carried.
Senator Job moved to increase the standard budget of the Select Committee on Legislative Facilities from $2,000 to $4,500, which would allow the committee to meet three times. The motion carried. Representative Luthi moved to adopt the 2005 revised standard budget, as amended. The motion carried.
Mr. Dave Nelson summarized the steps involved in the development of the contract for the school finance model recalibration efforts. He also reviewed the process for the selection of the consultant, Lawrence O. Picus and Associates. He reviewed the draft contract provided for the Council’s approval. He explained that, pending the approval of the contract by Council, the LSO school finance staff has been working with the consultant to develop a work plan for approval by the Select Committee on School Finance Recalibration authorized by House Bill 228 during the 2005 General Session. Mr. Nelson noted that the legislation also provided the appropriation for consultant services. He explained that the Select Committee will be heavily involved in overseeing, and approving the methodology of, the consultant.
Representative Luthi moved to approve the contract for school finance model recalibration. Representative Simpson offered amendments to the contract to include additions on page 7, after the period on the second line, to include the phrase: “or determines the agency can provide these services” and in Section 4.5 on page 7 to include the word “prior” after the word “express.” The motion, with amended language, carried.
Senator Job asked about the process for recommending and approving potential topics for study by the remaining select committees. Senator Larson noted that Council members can make requests directly to committees, such as the Select Committee on Legislative Technology, for the chairmen’s consideration. He also noted that any member of Council can make a recommendation to refer topics to any committee and the Council can vote to approve such requests.
Senator Larson noted that the Council will meet only on an as-needed basis during the interim. There being no further business, Chairman Larson adjourned the meeting at 8:10pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Senator Rae Lynn Job, Secretary