Are Wyoming’s New Legislators Making the Right Choices?

Race Day Live  The 2025 legislative session in Wyoming has only just begun, but it’s already clear that the new group of lawmakers has a lot to learn about the consequences of their actions.

In the state House, many of the 68th Wyoming Legislature members are focused on socially conservative issues rather than the everyday tasks of governance.

While these legislators may believe they are taking Wyoming in the right direction, their actions can have unintended consequences, and they must recognize this.

Quality legislators understand that our government and society are complex. Even small changes in law can lead to unexpected results, which may not be immediately obvious.

Good lawmakers listen to feedback, assess whether the bill achieves its intended purpose, and consider any negative impacts.

On the other hand, bad legislators rush bills through for political gain, without thinking about whether these bills are truly beneficial for the state.

Sadly, with many new legislators this year, some are still learning the difference between making good decisions and bad ones.

Legislators need to be careful that their actions don’t cause more problems than they solve. A recent example is a bill that would prevent state dollars from being invested in “environmental, social, and governance” (ESG) funds.

On the surface, this might seem like a reasonable move, but in practice, it shifts the focus from using state funds to make the most money to using them for social causes.

This bill, if passed, wouldn’t have solved any real problem. Wyoming already avoids investing in ESG funds. The bill was mostly for show: creating a problem and then claiming it was solved.

The real issue is that the bill could have caused significant harm to Wyoming’s finances, potentially costing the state over $1 billion in the next few years, particularly within the Wyoming Retirement System. This bill could have hurt the state’s investments just for the sake of political points.

Luckily, the bill was amended, removing the worst parts. It will now be reviewed by the Senate, where there’s hope that lawmakers will improve it or reject it if the costs outweigh the benefits.

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This situation is just one example of how some bills this session show a lack of understanding of the long-term effects.

Another area where lawmakers need to be careful is property tax cuts. While everyone wants lower taxes, especially on property, across-the-board tax cuts come with serious consequences.

Cutting property taxes without considering the long-term impact could result in government services being reduced. City and county governments would be hit the hardest, possibly leading to fewer police officers, firefighters, and government employees.

Local governments may struggle to fix outdated infrastructure like water and sewer systems if they don’t have enough funds.

One of the biggest risks of these cuts is that they could create a future need for higher taxes in other areas. Wyoming’s constitution requires the government to fund certain services, like education.

If lawmakers don’t plan carefully, they could end up facing higher property taxes, increased sales tax, or even a state income tax in the future.

While property tax relief is important, lawmakers must make sure they understand the consequences of their decisions before making cuts.

It’s better to take a careful approach, even though it’s harder than to make quick, sweeping changes that may hurt the state in the long run.

Wyoming needs good legislators who understand the complexities of governing. Decisions can have unintended consequences, and our lawmakers must learn how to make thoughtful choices that benefit the state.

Let’s hope the new senators and representatives can become better lawmakers before their decisions cause too much harm.

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