60^th WYOMING LEGISLATURE

INTERIM COMMITTEE STUDIES

2010 INTERIM

 

 

JOINT JUDICIARY INTERIM COMMITTEE

 

Standard Budget:     $32,500.00

 

Priority # 1     Wind Energy Rights

 

Issues related to property rights, dominance of estates and severance of estates in the development of wind energy are becoming increasingly important in Wyoming.  The Committee proposes to consider these issues and possibly develop legislation for consideration for the 2011 General Session.

 

Priority # 2     Court Ordered Placements of Juveniles

 

The Department of Family Services is required to conduct a study of child caring facilities and the process for determining placement of juveniles in the custody of the Department pursuant to 2010 House Bill 0001.  Although the resulting report is not required to be submitted to the Joint Judiciary Interim Committee and the Joint Appropriations Committee until July 1, 2011,  the Joint Judiciary Interim Committee proposes to consider the role of courts in the placement of juveniles during the 2010 interim and will request interim updates on the progress of the DFS study, including consideration of any legislation that may be developed for the 2011 General Session.

 

Priority # 3     Parole Options

 

The new medium security prison in Torrington has opened and is being rapidly filled, due in part to the fact that Wyoming has a higher rate of incarceration than many other states.  To address the increasing pressures created by a growing prison population, the Committee is proposing to review alternatives to current parole procedures to alleviate some of those pressures.  Such alternatives may include proposing legislation to authorize short-term return to prison for treatment, authorizing street time credit for time spent on the sentence while on probation or parole and authorizing home incarceration for certain types of offenders.

 

Priority # 4     Stream-lined Court Procedures for Claims Below a Specified Amount

 

Current trends in pretrial discovery have made the cost of pursuing claims prohibitive for many claimants to the point that the cost of pretrial discovery may equal or exceed the damages sought.  To address this issue,  the Committee would like to study what other states have done to limit pretrial discovery and depositions to enable people to have quicker and lower cost access to the courts when damages sought do not exceed a specified amount to be determined.

 

Priority # 5     Sex Offender Restrictions

 

If 2010 House Bill 0083, Crimes and offenses-restrictions for adult sex offenders, is not enacted into law, the Committee would propose studying what other states are doing with respect to restrictions on sex offenders who live in the community and the consequences of those restrictions to determine what may best work for the citizens of Wyoming.

 

Priority # 6     Miscellaneous Reports

 

The Committee will be receiving a number of reports in the 2010 interim, including reports from: The Department of Corrections, relating to sex offender management techniques; the Victim Services Division, relating to provider reporting requirements; the Attorney General, relating to compliance with SORNA (the Adam Walsh Act); the Department of Transportation, relating to the issue of drivers canceling vehicle insurance policies after registering a vehicle; and, from sheriffs, relating to progress on meeting new requirements for juvenile detention facilities.  These reports may propose or require legislative action.