2015 RATINGS of WYOMING

Transcription

1 RATINGS of WYOMING Conservative.org TABLE OF CONTENTS Letter from the Chairman 2 WY Senate Vote Descriptions 5 ACU & ACUF Board Members 3 WY Senate Scores 6 Selecting the 3 WY House Vote Descriptions 8 Winners & Losers 4 WY House Scores 9

2 AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE UNION S Ratings of Wyoming LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN Dear Fellow Conservatives, I am pleased to present the American Conservative Union Foundation s ratings for the meeting of the Wyoming Legislature. Like our Congressional Ratings, our State Ratings reflect how elected officials view the role of government in an individual's life. The Wyoming legislators with the strongest scores voted most consistently with the ideals articulated in the US Constitution: limited and transparent government, individual rights, personal responsibility, and a healthy culture. The 2014 election completed a political transformation that began in 2010 and resulted in voters of almost half the states, 23 in all, entrusting Republicans with the governorships as well as control of both chambers in the respective state, the biggest sweep since the first half of the 20th Century. By examining all our State Ratings (which cover a wide variety of issues) we can see which states have best used their Republican majorities to apply conservative principles, how others have struggled, and in yet other states, how conservatives have stood up against liberal majorities. I know that this guide will provide you with the most comprehensive evaluative tool to learn how your legislators measure up. Sincerely, Matt Schlapp Chairman American Conservative Union 2

3 AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE UNION S Ratings of Wyoming ACU BOARD MEMBERS Matt Schlapp Chairman Thomas Winter First Vice Chairman Carolyn Meadows Second Vice Chairman Jameson Campaigne, Jr. Secretary Larry Beasley Bob Beauprez Kimberly Bellissimo Morton Blackwell Ambassador John Bolton Al Cardenas Jose Cardenas Ron Christie Muriel Coleman ACU FOUNDATION BOARD MEMBERS Matt Schlapp Chairman Millie Hallow Vice Chairman Van Hipp, Jr. Treasurer Tim Goeglein Secretary Kimberly Bellissimo Jose Cardenas Amy Frederick Jonathan Garthwaite Charlie Gerow Colin Hanna Willes Lee Kellyanne Conway Tom DeLay John Eddy Luis Fortuno Amy Frederick Charlie Gerow Alan Gottlieb Van Hipp, Jr. James Lacy Carolyn Meadows Thomas Winter Michael Long Grover Norquist Becky Norton Dunlop Ron Robinson Ned Ryun Fred Smith, Jr. Matt Smith Lewis Uhler Ed Yevoli SELECTING THE VOTES ACU researched and selected a range of bills before the Wyoming Legislature that determine a member s adherence to conservative principles. We selected bills that focus on Ronald Reagan s philosophy of the three-legged stool : 1) fiscal and economic: taxes, budgets, regulation, spending, healthcare, and property; 2) social and cultural: 2nd amendment, religion, life, welfare, and education; and 3) government integrity: voting, individual liberty, privacy, and transparency. This wide range of issues are designed to give citizens an accurate assessment that conveys which of Wyoming s elected leaders best defend the principles of a free society: Life, Liberty and Property. To contact ACU, please call H Street NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC (202)

4 AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE UNION S Ratings of Wyoming WINNERS & LOSERS % AWARD FOR CONSERVATIVE EXCELLENCE < 10% COALITION OF THE RADICAL LEFT SENATE HOUSE SENATE HOUSE MEIER EDWARDS n/a n/a JAGGI PIIPARINEN 80-89% AWARD FOR CONSERVATIVE ACHIEVEMENT SENATE HOUSE BURNS BALDWIN HICKS BLACKBURN EDMONDS HALVERSON LOUCKS STEINMETZ 4

5 AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE UNION S Ratings of Wyoming WYOMING SENATE VOTE DESCRIPTIONS 1. SF 59 Government Television Subsidies. This bill makes permanent the state endowment for Wyoming Public Broadcasting. ACU opposes using taxpayer funds for TV and radio broadcasting and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on January 22, by a vote of HB 9 Fuel Taxes. This bill removes the exemption of alternative fuels, including compressed natural gas, ethanol and biodiesel, from the motor fuels taxes imposed on gasoline. ACU believes that all forms of energy should compete within the free market and government should refrain from helping favored energy sources and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on February 17, by a vote of HB 74 Auto License Requirements. This bill eliminates front plate license requirements for vehicles that do not already have a bracket or other means of displaying it. ACU supports common sense regulatory reform and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on February 18, by a vote of HB 42 Unclaimed Property Regulations. This bill eliminates the government s claim on gift cards that go unused for five years. ACU opposes this back door tax that interferes with the transactions of gift cards between a business and a customer and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on February 20, by a vote of HB 53 Government Subsidies. This bill creates a new government program to allow the government to invest up to $50 million in companies that create products from Wyoming minerals. ACU opposes this interference in the free market and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on February 20, by a vote of HB 56 Food Regulations. This bill, known as the Food Freedom Act, exempts Wyoming food sales that are single transactions between a producer and an informed customer from government inspections, licensing and certification. Under the act, producers are still liable if they sell a bad product to a customer. ACU supports common sense regulatory reform and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on February 25, by a vote of HB 138 Worker s Compensation. This bill adds special education teachers to the list of those engaged in extrahazardous employment under Wyoming s Worker s Compensation laws. ACU opposes this reclassification as needlessly driving up the cost of education and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on February 26, by a vote of SF 12 Trespassing. This bill makes it a crime to trespass on private land to collect data without permission of the landowners, with an exemption for the police. ACU supports strengthening private property rights and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on March 2, by a vote of SF 142 Building Codes. This bill prohibits regulators from imposing commercial hotel building code requirements on homes used to house short-term visitors. ACU supports common-sense regulatory reform that keeps costs to consumers down and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on March 2, by a vote of HB 39 Campaign Contributions. This bill repeals the total amount any individual can contribute to multiple campaigns as long as the limits to any one campaign are followed, which are $2,500 to statewide candidates and $1,500 to non-statewide candidates. This conforms to a 2014 ruling of the U.S. Supreme court on federal contributions. ACU opposes campaign contribution limits as limits on free political speech and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on February 24, by a vote of

6 AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE UNION S Ratings of Wyoming WYOMING SENATE SCORES WYOMING SENATE STATISTICS OVERALL AVERAGE 61% REPUBLICAN AVERAGE 62% LOWEST REPUBLICAN WASSERBURGER 30% DEMOCRAT AVERAGE 53% HIGHEST DEMOCRATS CRAFT, HASTERT 60% WYOMING SENATE VOTE DETAIL Party District SF 59 HB 9 HB 74 HB 42 HB 53 HB 39 HB 56 HB 138 SF 12 SF 142 ANDERSON, J. D. R % ANDERSON, J. L. R % BARNARD R % BEBOUT R % BURNS R % CASE R % CHRISTENSEN R % COE R % COOPER R % Craft D % DOCKSTADER R % DRISKILL R E % EMERICH R % Esquibel D % GEIS R % Hastert D % HICKS R % ACU Cast % 6

7 AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE UNION S Ratings of Wyoming WYOMING SENATE VOTE DETAIL Party District SF 59 HB 9 HB 74 HB 42 HB 53 HB 39 HB 56 HB 138 SF 12 SF 142 JOHNSON R E % KINSKEY R % LANDEN R % MEIER R 3 E + + E E % NICHOLAS R X % PAPPAS R % PERKINS R % PETERSON R % ROSS R X % Rothfuss D % SCOTT R 30 - E % VON FLATERN R % WASSERBURGER R % ACU Cast % 7

8 AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE UNION S Ratings of Wyoming WYOMING HOUSE VOTE DESCRIPTIONS 1. HB 39 Campaign Contributions. This bill repeals the total amount any individual can contribute to multiple campaigns as long as the limits to any one campaign are followed, which are $2,500 to statewide candidates and $1,500 to non-statewide candidates. This conforms to a 2014 ruling of the U.S. Supreme court on federal contributions. ACU opposes campaign contribution limits as limits on free political speech and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on January 19, by a vote of HB 74 Auto License Requirements. This bill eliminates front plate license requirements for vehicles that do not already have a bracket or other means of displaying it. ACU supports common sense regulatory reform and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on February 19, by a vote of HB 9 Fuel Taxes. This bill removes the exemption of alternative fuels, including compressed natural gas, ethanol and biodiesel, from the motor fuels taxes imposed on gasoline. ACU believes that all forms of energy should compete within the free market and government should refrain from helping favored energy sources and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on January 22, by a vote of HB 53 Government Subsidies. This bill creates a new government program to allow the government to invest up to $50 million in companies that create products from Wyoming minerals. ACU opposes this interference in the free market and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on January 30, by a vote of HB 138 Worker s Compensation. This bill adds special education teachers to the list of those engaged in extrahazardous employment under Wyoming s Worker s Compensation laws. ACU opposes this reclassification as needlessly driving up the cost of education and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on February 6, by a vote of SF 12 Trespassing. This bill makes it a crime to trespass on private land to collect data without permission of the landowners, with an exemption for the police. ACU supports strengthening private property rights and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on February 23, by a vote of SF 59 Government Television Subsidies. This bill makes permanent the state endowment for Wyoming Public Broadcasting. ACU opposes using taxpayer funds for TV and radio broadcasting and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on February 25, by a vote of HB 56 Food Regulations. This bill, known as the Food Freedom Act, exempts Wyoming food sales that are single transactions between a producer and an informed customer from government inspections, licensing and certification. Under the act, producers are still liable if they sell a bad product to a customer. ACU supports common sense regulatory reform and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on February 26, by a vote of HB 42 Unclaimed Property Regulations. This bill eliminates the government s claim on gift cards that go unused for five years. ACU opposes this back door tax that interferes with the transactions of gift cards between a business and a customer and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on February 27, by a vote of SF 142 Building Codes. This bill prohibits regulators from imposing commercial hotel building code requirements on homes used to house short-term visitors. ACU supports common-sense regulatory reform that that keeps costs to consumers down and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on February 27, by a vote of

9 AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE UNION S Ratings of Wyoming WYOMING HOUSE SCORES WYOMING HOUSE STATISTICS OVERALL AVERAGE 62% REPUBLICAN AVERAGE 64% LOWEST REPUBLICAN WALTERS 30% DEMOCRAT AVERAGE 56% HIGHEST DEMOCRATS FREEMAN, THRONE 70% WYOMING HOUSE VOTE DETAIL Party District HB 39 HB 74 HB 9 HB 53 HB 138 SF 12 SF 59 HB 56 HB 42 SF 142 ALLEN R % BAKER R % BALDWIN R % BARLOW R % BERGER R % BLACKBURN R % Blake D % BROWN R % BURKHART R % Byrd D % CAMPBELL R % CANNADY R % CLEM R % Connolly D % Dayton D % EDMONDS R % EDWARDS R % ACU Cast % 9

10 AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE UNION S Ratings of Wyoming WYOMING HOUSE VOTE DETAIL Party District HB 39 HB 74 HB 9 HB 53 HB 138 SF 12 SF 59 HB 56 HB 42 SF 142 EKLUND R % Esquibel D % Freeman D % GAY R % GREEAR R % HALVERSON R % HARSHMAN R % HARVEY R % HUNT R % JAGGI R % JENNINGS R E % KASPERIK R E % KIRKBRIDE R % KROEKER R % KRONE R % LARSEN R % LAURSEN R % LINDHOLM R % LOCKHART R % LOUCKS R % MADDEN R % McKIM R % MILLER R % MONIZ R % NICHOLAS R % NORTHRUP R % PATTON R 29 + E E E E E E 2 4 n/a PAXTON R % Pelkey D % PETROFF R % PIIPARINEN R % ACU Cast % 10

11 AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE UNION S Ratings of Wyoming WYOMING HOUSE VOTE DETAIL Party District HB 39 HB 74 HB 9 HB 53 HB 138 SF 12 SF 59 HB 56 HB 42 SF 142 POWNALL R % REEDER R % Schwartz D % SOMMERS R % STEINMETZ R % STUBSON R % Throne D % WALTERS R % WILSON R E % WINTERS R E E E % ZWONITZER, DAN R % ZWONITZER, DAVID R % Legislator did not vote on enough of the selected bills and as a result the percentage was not rated. ACU Cast % 11