Proclamation
On October 19, 2021, Senate President Dockstader and House Speaker Barlow signed a
proclamation announcing that the 66th Wyoming Legislature had voted to convene themselves into a Special Session to address issues related to COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
Proposed Legislation
All bill drafts were due to the Legislative Service Office (LSO) by noon on Thursday, October 21. For purposes of expediting the process, bill drafts will be introduced in each chamber as identical or "mirror" bills. A total of 40 bills have been posted to the LSO website for introduction, consideration, and debate this week. Those 40 bills truly only represent 20 bills because each is a mirror of its counter in the other chamber. All 40 bills can be viewed
HERE.
Much of the legislation being proposed is aimed at eroding medical practice by limiting the powers of the Boards of Medicine and Pharmacy, adding personal reasons to the list of accepted exemptions for vaccination, and outlawing all current vaccine mandates and mask requirements for school-age children. There are many others that would outlaw businesses from requiring vaccines, and contemplate heavy fines and jail time for businesses not in compliance.
Process
The first order of business will be for the Legislature to vote to amend the Joint Rules of the House and Senate by creating new Special Session Rules. The proposed Special Session Rules can be viewed
HERE.
Get Engaged and Participate
We strongly encourage WMS members to get engaged and participate. We anticipate tomorrow, Tuesday, October 26th, being the scheduled day for committee debate, which will be the only time for public comment and input. WMS advocates and physician members will be at the Capitol to monitor debate and represent WMS member interests. Please consider joining us at the Capitol tomorrow, as we very much need a strong voice in Cheyenne now more than ever. If you cannot attend in person, please contact the WMS via email or phone to identify other ways in which your voice can be heard.
WMS will be posting Special Session updates to our Twitter account. You can find us by following
@WyoMedSociety. We will also ensure that members have information about participating virtually as that becomes available. Please let the WMS staff know if you plan to be in Cheyenne for Tuesday's committee hearings.
