February 12-16, 2024 ~ Session Update

A Busy First Week

Wyoming's 67th Legislature convened the 2024 Budget Session on Monday, February 12. The 2024 Legislative Session is a short, 20-day session intended to prioritize the fiscal operations of the state.

WMS leadership met virtually on Saturday, February 10, to make important decisions on a variety of policy proposals slated for debate this year. The Board consults the WMS Policy Platforms when deciding how to guide WMS advocacy efforts each year. Members can see the legislation being tracked by WMS, the advocacy positions set by our leadership and the status of each bill on our Legislative Bill Tracker.

The timeline during budget sessions is far tighter than in general sessions. All draft legislation was due in final form to the Legislative Service Office (LSO) by Wednesday, 2/14, and all bills were required to pass the initial 2/3 introductory vote threshold by 6 pm Friday, 2/16. 18 of the 38 bills being monitored by WMS had failed to advance in the process by Friday evening leaving 20 remaining in the mix to advocate for or against. The next important deadline comes next Wednesday, 2/21, when all bills and senate files must be reported out of committee in their house of origin.

WMS Doc and PA of the Day

Week One Highlights

Prior Authorization Reform

House Bill 14 - Prior authorization regulations was heard in the House Labor, Health and Social Services Committee on Wednesday, 2/14. In what felt like a truly unprecedented moment, stakeholders and advocates from Cigna, CVS Caremark/Aetna, Mountain Health Co-Op, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wyoming along with the Wyoming Medical Society and the Wyoming Hospital Association all testified together in support of the legislation. While all nine of us tightly squeezed in seats across the front of the room made for a funny picture, it conveyed a serious and important statement of unity. The group, together, presented the package of compromise amendments representing painstaking negotiations and good-faith compromise by our industry partners and representatives of physicians and hospitals. The Committee voted unanimously to favor the bill and send it to the House for further approval. HB14 passed second reading Friday evening. A recording of the hearing can be found HERE.

Below is the information that was shared with legislators encouraging their "aye" vote supporting the passage of this important, priority legislation for WMS this year.

Parental rights in minor child's health care

House Bill 44 - Parental rights in minor child's health care was heard in the House Labor, Health and Social Services Committee on Friday, 2/16, and will continue to be heard Monday morning, 2/19.

The bill proposes to repeal two independent sections of existing statute (W.S. 14-1-101 (b) (vi) and W.S. 35-4-113 (b) (i)) that both ensure access to care for Wyoming patients. WMS policy platforms list access to care as a priority tenet of our work and opposed House Bill 44 out of concern for the barriers it would create for patients to access care and the negative unintended consequences it would have in emergencies.

W.S. 14-1-101 (b) A minor may consent to health care treatment to the same extent as if he were an adult when any one (1) or more of the following circumstances apply: (vi) The minor is twelve (12) years of age or older, is a smoker or user of tobacco products and the health care to which the minor consents is a tobacco cessation program approved by the department of health pursuant to W.S. 9-4-1204.

The second section proposed for repeal is:

W.S. 35-4-113 (b) During a public health emergency, the state health officer may subject a person to vaccination or medical treatment without consent in the following circumstances: (i) If the parent, legal guardian or other adult person authorized to consent to medical treatment of a minor child cannot be located and consulted and the vaccination of or medical treatment for the minor child is reasonably needed to protect the public health or protect the minor child from disease, death, disability or suffering.

The second of these sections was adopted into Wyoming law during the 2003 session after the Joint Transportation Committee at the time dedicated the 2002 interim to amending the state's public health statutes in response to the terrorist attacks on 9/11 and better positioning Wyoming to respond to any future attacks or public health events.

WMS testified in opposition to this bill and is urging legislators to defeat the proposal in committee Monday. Members can view the video by clicking HERE.

How To Connect and Stay Engaged



Use wyoleg.gov to learn more about this year's legislative process. Below are quick links to important information.

Daily Calendars including floor calendars, audio streams, and committee schedules

Bill Listing that includes all legislative proposals posted for the 2024 Session

As always, Executive Director Sheila Bush welcomes and invites any and all communication. If you have questions about the status of a bill, want to provide feedback or input on legislation, have questions about using THE WIRE, or want to share your thoughts on any other aspect of the WMS advocacy work, please email her at sheila@wyomed.org or call her cell phone at 307-630-8602.