By Bob Beck

Cheyenne, WY – The Wyoming House has defeated a bill that would have exempted some landfills from being built with liners. Local Governments are in the midst of developing long range landfill plans and supporters of the bill say that exempting liners would save money. But Cheyenne Democrat Mary Throne found several problems with the bill. She says the problem with exempting liners is simple: anything that people put into those landfills will migrate toward groundwater.

By Bob Beck

Cheyenne, WY – Governor Dave Freudenthal will take action on the state budget Thursday. The governor says early on in the session he worried about the amount of spending lawmakers were considering, but he says now he is mostly satisfied with the budget they passed.
Freudenthal does continue to be concerned about state revenues that are only a third of where they were forecast. He plans on considering budget cuts July first, if the revenue picture does not turn around.

By Bob Beck

Cheyenne, WY – Education funding could come under the microscope next year. With the state facing a possible downturn in revenue, some wonder if cuts should be made to education. But Senator Hank Coe of Cody predicts that won't happen. Coe says the state will not drop its commitment to improve elementary education.
He says the community colleges and University of Wyoming may have to face budget cuts, due to declining revenues. But he predicts that will just be in the short term.

By Renny MacKay

By AP

By Bob Beck

Cheyenne, WY – Governor Dave Freudenthal says it will take him some time to sum up this year's legislative session, which is set to end Thursday. The Governor admits he is very disappointed that the House defeated an expansion of the Children's Health Insurance program, along with a health care pilot program. Freudenthal says the House has puzzled him many times during the session because there was more ideology.
Freudenthal does think the legislature did a responsible job on the state budget. He hopes to sign that bill Thursday.

By Bob Beck

Cheyenne, WY – Wyoming lawmakers have passed a budget that they say addresses the state's needs. Legislators remain hopeful that budget will not have to be cut. Wyoming's revenue is down, thanks to depressed natural gas prices -- the biggest issue surrounding the budget. The bill now goes to Governor Freudenthal for his approval.

By Bob Beck

Cheyenne, WY – A supercomputing center set to be built near Cheyenne has a design team. Representatives of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, the center's managing organization, and the University of Wyoming made the announcement at a ceremony at the state capitol. The center will advance the understanding of climate and weather. State officials say it will put Wyoming on the scientific map.

This week Governor Freudenthal signed a bill that will help pay for the facility. The center is scheduled to open in 2011.

By Bob Beck

Cheyenne, WY – Some convicted drunk drivers would have to use in-car breathalyzers under a bill approved by the Wyoming House. The bill applies to those with multiple DUI offenses and those who have already been convicted of driving with a high blood alcohol level. The breathalyzers would keep a car from starting if a driver has alcohol in her system.

Worland Representative Debbie Hammons says that if a person attempts to drive while drunk, that information will be passed on to authorities.

Wyoming – Bob Beck talks to University of Wyoming Economist Rob Godby about how the national economic picture affects the state. According to Godby, Wyoming's years of surplus may be over.