Committee Meeting Information

July 12-13, 2007

Wyoming State Fairgrounds

Douglas, Wyoming

 

Committee Members Present

Senator Michael Von Flatern, Co-Chairman

Representative Dave Edwards, Co-Chairman

Senator Gerry Geis (July 12th)

Senator John Hastert

Senator Bill Landen (July 13th)

Representative Stan Blake

Representative Floyd Esquibel

Representative Timothy Hallinan

Representative Debbie Hammons

Representative Mike Madden

Representative Jim Slater

Representative Kevin White

Representative Dave Zwonitzer

 

Committee Members Absent

Senator Wayne Johnson

Senator Gerry Geis (July 13th)

 

Legislative Service Office Staff

Matthew D. Obrecht, Staff Attorney

 

Others Present at Meeting

Please refer to Appendix 1 to review the Committee Sign-in Sheet
for a list of other individuals who attended the meeting.

Executive Summary

 

The Committee met for two days in Douglas, Wyoming.  The Committee heard testimony on the first day (July 12, 2007) regarding Military Department and Veteran's Commission issues, including Wyoming National Guard (Army and Air Guard) updates, Military Department budget requests and Camp Guernsey Airfield budget request.  The Committee spent the afternoon touring Camp Guernsey.  The Committee voted to consider draft legislation on a matching home down payment program for veterans from the first Gulf War to the current conflicts and a bill to allow Wyoming Guard members to elect between 2 different life insurance programs.

 

The Committee heard testimony on the second day (July 13, 2007) concerning transportation issues, including the Union Pacific Railroad and Wyoming Department of Transportation (WyDoT).  The Committee voted to sponsor bills to increase the fuel tax 10 cents a gallon (08LSO-0058.W1).

 

The next meeting will be October 10-11, 2007 in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

 

 

Call To Order (July 12, 2007)

Co-Chairman Edwards called the meeting to order at 8:25 a.m.  The following sections summarize the Committee proceedings by topic.  Please refer to Appendix 2 to review the Committee Meeting Agenda.

 

 

Approval of Minutes

Minutes from the May 30 -31 meeting in Cheyenne were approved by the Committee.

 

 

Military Department

 

Army National Guard Update

 

Major General Ed Wright started his presentation to the Committee by handing out an itinerary for the day prepared by the Military Department and a binder containing a power point presentation and assorted Military Department  information (Appendices 3 & 4).  General Wright then showed the Committee a DVD outlining the current roles the National Guard plays in Homeland Security operations and abroad.  General Wright stated that the National Guard was the only military branch that would usually respond to homeland security and disaster situations on a state level.  These types of missions are the basis for state funding of the National Guard. General Wright further stated that the National Guard is playing a greater role in all military operations given the fact that the active Army has been allowed to shrink to between 400,000 to 500,000 soldiers.

 

Command Sergeant Major Dennis Russell of the Wyoming Army National Guard outlined the current deployments of the Wyoming Army National Guard.  Guard troops are currently deployed in Afghanistan, Iraq, Germany, Panama and along the southern border in New Mexico. Command Sergeant Major Russell showed the Committee a DVD produced by Wyoming National Guard soldiers in Iraq.  Sergeant Major Russell stated that 60% of Wyoming National Guard soldiers are now combat veterans.  In response to questions from Committee members, Command Sergeant Major Russell stated that the Army Reserve is being reorganized and has not been deployed much in the current conflicts, that Wyoming employers have been very understanding concerning employees who are deployed in the Guard, and that the challenge in Iraq presented by Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) is a point/counter-point struggle with insurgents adapting to American military tactics and vice-versa.

 

 

Air National Guard Update

 

Command Chief Master Sergeant Chuck Breedlove, Wyoming Air National Guard, discussed the Air Guard's current missions with the Committee. Deployments include operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, South American drug missions, southern border and Kosovo. Command Chief Master Sergeant Breedlove stated that the Air Guard usually deployed for a shorter duration than Army Guard units, but deployed more often.  Command Chief Master Sergeant Breedlove gave the Committee press releases on Wyoming Air National Guard units and airman in Afghanistan (Appendices 5 & 6) and showed the Committee a DVD of the Air Guard's deployment to Afghanistan.  He further stated that 70% of Wyoming Air National Guard members were now combat veterans.

 

 

Budget Requests/Proposed Legislation

 

General Wright discussed the budget requests he submitted to the Governor. Those requests included an appropriation for the refurbishing of an old National Guard Armory in Cheyenne on Pershing Boulevard, as a museum to display some National Guard holdings.  General Wright asked the Committee to continue funding the "ChalleNGe" program at the current level, even though federal funding is decreasing due to enrollment numbers for the program not reaching federal projections.  Committee members asked General Wright and his staff various questions concerning the "ChalleNGe" program, such as drop-out rate of the program (30%), and mentoring after graduation (12 mandatory months in the student's home community).  General Wright described the "Starbase" program, which is a 5th grade field trip, focusing on math and science by allowing the school children to build their own rockets.  Starbase is only available in Laramie County but currently waiting for federal funding for a Natrona County Starbase program. 

 

General Wright gave the Committee a document titled "Presentation by the Wyoming National Guard Association on behalf of the Wyoming Military Department to the Joint Transportation, Highways and Military Affairs Interim Committee, 12 July 2007" (Appendix 7).  The Presentation contained a proposed change to 2006 House Bill 16 to allow for the option of reimbursement of State Sponsored Life Insurance (SSLI) (pursuant to Public Law 93-289, May 24, 1974, Title 37 U.S.C. § 707) for members of the Wyoming National Guard, as well as continuing reimbursement for the cost of Serviceman's Group Life Insurance (SGLI) at the election of the Guard member.  The Committee voted to consider such legislation at the next meeting.  General Wright also presented the Committee with a "possible bill" idea concerning a physician retention program for the Guard, which the Guard has not yet finalized and was not ready to present to the Committee for consideration. General Wright described the plans for the Guernsey Airfield improvement project (contained within Appendix 4).

 

General Wright discussed the mental outreach cooperative with the Department of Health to identify issues that returning soldiers may have coping with their experiences in a war zone and adjusting to life back home and getting those Wyoming soldiers the help they need.  General Wright told the Committee that the Wyoming National Guard is authorized to have an additional 24 employees.  The positions would be federally funded, but would be paid from the state payrolls (and reimbursed by the federal government).  General Wright said the Governor has not agreed to the extra positions. Senator Geis agreed to speak with the Governor concerning the 24 additional positions.

 

Veterans Commission

 

Chairman Lee Alley and Executive Director Larry Barttelbort presented the Committee with a binder titled "Wyoming Veterans Commission, Update Briefing; July 12, 2007" (Appendix 8).  Chairman Alley and Director Barttelbort told the Committee the Veterans Commission is striving to be a better working partner with other veteran service providers.  To accomplish that goal the Veterans Commission is sponsoring a meeting September 20-22, 2007 at the Veterans’ Home of Wyoming in Buffalo for all Wyoming veteran service providers to attend, receive training and to network.  The Commission is also actively pushing statewide outreach coordination; mainly between federal and state organizations. The relationship between the Department of Workforce Services and the Veterans Commission is being strengthened through: 1) improved data collection, 2) improved training,  and 3) increased funding for the program.  The Commission has made the success of this program a priority. Director Barttelbort shared with the Committee new initiatives for the Commission which include:

 

 

The Veterans Commission asked the Committee to consider a bill to match down payments for returning veterans (those that served from Desert Storm to the present) up to $5000.  Committee voted to consider such legislation at their next meeting.

 

Director Barttelbort and Chairman Alley than explained the future legislative goals of the Commission:

 

 

Director Barttelbort described the workings of the Wyoming Veterans Mental Health Working Group.  The Group is currently attempting to get screening tools to Wyoming doctors to recognize Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).  Director Barttelbort believes there are sufficient resources in the State to deal with veterans who are suffering from PTSD, but the challenge is getting veteran's to use those resources.  The Wyoming Veteran's Long Term Health Care Study has determined that there is a need for beds in nursing homes in communities across the state for veterans, but not a great need for one centralized veteran's nursing home. The Commission is working with the Veteran's Administration to fund these "pilot beds".

 

The Veterans Commission is requesting 2 general fund positions (executive assistant and veterans outreach supervisor reclassified as a state service officer) and 1 general fund position for the Oregon Trail State Veterans Cemetery (trades specialist) and possibly reclassifying the Cemetery's Director position.

 

 

 

Camp Guernsey

 

The Committee received a tour of Camp Guernsey. The tour consisted of a tour of the "ChalleNGe" program facilities, the mess hall , the Firearms Training System 4 firearms simulator, and a helicopter tour of some of the Camp's outlying installations. Colonel Mount and Lt. Colonel Herder showed the Committee a power point presentation Titled "Camp Guernsey: Premier Joint Training Center" (Appendix 9).  The presentation outlined:

 

 

The Committee also received Camp Guernsey statistics and information on the Integrated Training Area Management Program, Guernsey Army Airfield, and the North and South Training Area Ranges at the Camp (Appendix 10).  Co-Chairman Edwards and other Committee members expressed support for Guernsey Airfield improvement project and asked the Guard to help educate the 75 Legislators not in attendance.

 

 

Meeting Recess

The Committee recessed for the day at 5:15 pm.

 

 

Call To Order (July 12, 2007)

Co-Chairman Von Flatern called the meeting to order at 8:25 a.m.  The following sections summarize the Committee proceedings by topic.  Please refer to Appendix 2 to review the Committee Meeting Agenda.

 

 

Transportation

 

 

Union Pacific Railroad

 

Dick Hartman, from Union Pacific Railroad, discussed the growth of Union Pacific's Intermodal Services. UP is moving 175 trains a week along the I-80 corridor in Wyoming.  Union Pacific will invest $3.2 billion in 2007 in its infrastructure, with a large portion of those funds being spent on intermodal services. Co-Chairman Edwards commented on the frequency of trains crossing Wyoming, causing traffic delays at intersections without overpasses.  Mr. Hartman said UP is working on improving those crossing and funding for overpasses could come from federal, state and railroad funds (Wamsutter is an example).  In response to a question from the Committee, Mr. Hartman stated that UP believes it was running near capacity with the current infrastructure in Wyoming now, but could add a few more trains, and is looking to do so.

 

 

Wyoming Department of Transportation

 

Director John Cox started the WyDoT portion of the Committee meeting by discussing the Western Region State Highway Transportation Conference.  Director Cox stated that all Western States are faced with generally stagnant, or regressing federal funding for highways.  Director Cox reiterated to the Committee the pressing need to send a strong message to the federal government (especially Wyoming's congressional delegation) to keep the federal highway funding mechanism in place and to make the interstate system a national priority.  Without federal funding, Wyoming could not keep the interstate system operational.  Director Cox predicted that this federal highway reauthorization act would be the most contentious in history.  Director Cox told the Committee that there is a need, on both the state and federal level to start planning for highway and transportation infrastructure needs on a longer term basis than the current 6 year cycle.  Director Cox did not want the Committee to lose sight of the fact that, ultimately, the highway system is a public asset for the public good of transporting people and commerce.

 

Kevin Hibbard,  Budget Officer, WyDoT, gave the Committee a projection of the 13 cent tax on highway motor fuels available for distribution for fiscal years 2008 through 2025 (Appendix 11).  He explained that growth in gas usage is roughly 0.3% annually because people are choosing not to drive or are buying more fuel efficient cars, while growth in diesel usage is roughly 3.65% a year because trucks run when the economy is robust.  Mr. Hibbard also answered a question from the Committee regarding the Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) fund, stating he believed (through testimony from the Department of Environmental Quality) that there was still a need to continue the additional penny tax for the foreseeable future.

 

Del McOmie, Chief Engineer, WyDoT, showed the Committee a power-point presentation titled "Coping With Construction Inflation" (Appendix 12). This presentation illustrated the point that inflationary forces, coupled with lack of contractor availability and a stagnant and unpredictable revenue stream, were having an extremely negative impact on the number of highway construction projects WyDoT could fund, while an increased traffic load accelerated road deterioration across the State.  Mr. McOmie gave the Committee a handout titled "Future Funding Strategies" (Appendix 13).  This handout showed that the Wyoming road system has $250 million of unmet maintenance and construction needs a year.  However, due to contractor availability and manpower resources,  WyDoT could probably only handle an additional $130 million in projects a year right now.  As an example of the need for a predictable, expanding funding source, Mr. McOmie told the Committee that WyDoT is making future projections of possibly reverting some lesser used state highways back to gravel if funding does not increase.  Mr. McOmie and Director Cox told the Committee the goal for WyDoT is to increase the percentage of roads in the State that are rated in good and excellent condition from 40% to 60% in the next 6 years.

 

Shelly Reams, WyDoT Aeronautics Division Administrator, gave the Committee the "Wyoming Aviation System Legislative Handbook, May 2007" (Appendix 14) which lists specifics on Wyoming's air transportation system.  Ms. Reams informed the Committee that statewide enplanements have increased 37% in the last 5 years. Ms. Reams told the Committee that Wyoming stands to loss quite a lot of federal dollars if the next federal aviation administration bill retains its current form.  States that have a major hub airport (such as DIA) rely on those large airports to generate revenue to take care of the needs of the smaller airports in the state. Since Wyoming lacks a hub airport, the Wyoming airports rely on state and federal funds to a much greater extent than in other locations.  Ms. Reams reiterated the need for a predictable, inflationary adjusted, long term funding mechanism.

 

 

Proposed Legislation

 

The Committee voted whether to sponsor 5 bill drafts. Bills are listed here in the order in which they were considered by the Committee.

 

 

08LSO-0059.W1 (Driver's Licenses Fees) (Appendix 15)

 

Jim O'Connor, WyDoT Support Services Administrator, and Tom Loftin, WyDoT Driver Services, gave the Committee a table of proposed drivers services fees increases (Appendix 16).  The Committee discussed and amended the bill as follows:

 

            Page 1 catch title.         "Driver's Licenses Fees."

             Page 1-line 1               Delete "motor vehicles" insert "driver's licenses"; delete "motor vehicle" insert "driver's licenses".

 

Rep. Zwonitzer made a motion to table the bill in the amended form until the next meeting in order for the Committee to receive updated information from WyDoT.  Co-Chairman Rep. Edwards seconded the motion.

 

The motion to table 08LSO-0059.W1, as amended, until the next Committee meeting carried on a 13-0 vote.

 

 

08LSO-0056.W1 (Alternative Delivery Contracts – Highways) (Appendix 17)

 

Rep. Madden, seconded by Rep. Hallinan, moved that the Committee sponsor the bill.

 

Mr. McOmie told the Committee that WyDoT did not anticipate a great need for this legislation at the present time, though they would like to have such a bill in the future.

 

The Committee voted against sponsoring this bill 13-0.

 

 

08LSO-0058.W1 (Fuel Tax) (Appendix 18)

 

Mr. Hibbard discussed the amount of revenue the additional 10 cents a gallon tax would generate per year and how this additional revenue would be distributed.  Mr. Hibbard also told the Committee it the tax would only apply to "on highway use" only and subject to all the exemptions in place for the existing state fuel tax.

 

Co-Chairman Rep. Edwards, seconded by Rep. Blake, moved that the Committee sponsor the bill.

 

The Committee voted to sponsor 08LSO-0058.W1 13-0.

 

08LSO-0057.W1 (State Gross Tax on Motor Fuel) (Appendix 19)

 

This proposed bill failed for lack of a motion to adopt.

 

 

08LSO-0055.W1 (Highway Tolling) (Appendix 20)

 

Rep. Hallinan motioned to adopt the bill, but the bill failed for lack of a second to the motion to adopt.

 

 

Meeting Adjournment

There being no further business, Co-Chairman Von Flatern adjourned the meeting at 12:40.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

Senator Michael Von Flatern, Co-Chairman

 

 

 

Representative Dave Edwards, Co-Chairman

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Appendix

 

Appendix Topic

 

Appendix Description

 

Appendix Provider

1

 

Committee Sign-In Sheet

 

Lists meeting attendees

 

Legislative Service Office

2

 

Committee Meeting Agenda

 

Provides an outline of the topics the Committee planned to address at meeting

 

Legislative Service Office

3

 

State of Wyoming Military Department Itinerary, 12 July  2007

 

Committee Itinerary for Camp Guernsey Tour July 12, 2007

 

Military Department/Wright

4

 

Wyoming Military Department

 

Military Department presentation to the Joint Transportation and Military Affairs Interim Committee

 

Military Department/Wright

 

 

Wyoming Air National Guard in Afghanistan

 

Press release concerning Wyoming Air National Guard mission in Afghanistan

 

Military Department/Breedlove

6

 

Wyoming Air National Guard in Afghanistan

 

Press release concerning Wyoming Air National Guard medic Thor Rasmussen in Afghanistan

 

Military Department/Breedlove

7

 

Presentation by the Wyoming National Guard Association on behalf of the Wyoming Military Department to the Joint Transportation, Highways and Military Affairs Interim Committee, 12 July 2007

 

Contains proposed legislation to amend 2006 HB 16

 

Military Department/Wright

8

 

Wyoming Veterans Commission, Update Briefing; July 12, 2007

 

Wyoming Veterans Commission update and proposed legislation

 

Veterans Commission/Barttelbort

9

 

Camp Guernsey Binder

 

Describes the training programs offered at Camp Guernsey and the military units using those programs

 

Military Department/Mount

10

 

Camp Guernsey Facilities

 

Handout describes Integrated Training Area Management Program, Guernsey Army Airfield, and the North and South Training Area Ranges at Camp Guernsey

 

Military Department/Mount

11

 

Fuel Tax Distribution

 

Projects the fuel tax distributions for year 2008 through 2025

 

WyDoT/Hibbard

12

 

Coping With Construction Inflation

 

Describes the inflationary pressures on WyDoT construction and maintenance operations

 

WyDoT/McOmie

13

 

Future Funding Strategies

 

Describes effect of delaying road improvement projects

 

WyDoT/McOmie

14

 

Wyoming Aviation System Legislative Handbook

 

Describes Wyoming air transportation system

 

WyDoT/Reams

15

 

Transportation Related Legislation

 

08LSO-0059.W1 – Raises driver's license fees as specified

 

LSO Staff

16

 

Proposed Driver Services Fee Increase.

 

Proposed fees to cover budget shortfall for driver services

 

WyDoT/O'Connor and Loftin.

17

 

Transportation Related Legislation

 

08LSO-0056.W1 – Allows WyDoT to use design build principles while letting contracts

 

LSO Staff

18

 

Transportation Related Legislation

 

08LSO-0058.W1 – Raises fuel tax 10 cents a gallon over a 3 year period, effective January 1, 2009

 

LSO Staff

19

 

Transportation Related Legislation

 

08LSO-0057.W1 – Creates a state sales tax on motor fuel sales

 

LSO Staff

20

 

Transportation Related Legislation

 

08LSO-0055.W1 -  Allows tolling on highways in the state once the highway traffic reaches a certain number of vehicles per day

 

LSO Staff

 

[Top] [Back] [Home]