Legislative Correspondence Bills Move Forward

Cheyenne, WY – An effort to keep e-mails and certain legislative communications secret will move forward. A Senate committee gave unanimous support to a bill permitting lawmakers to delete all e-mail correspondence. The panel also signed off on a bill to keep secret all communications with staff. The second measure could also keep away from public view discussion about proposed bills, drafts of legislation, and consultant reports. The Wyoming Press Association objects to both measures, and wants lawmakers to keep as much information before the public as possible. Press Association attorney Bruce Moats says consultant reports provide important information to the public. But Senator Grant Larson argues that lawmakers really aren't changing the way they do business, just putting it into statute. Other lawmakers say they would like to see draft bills kept from public view until they can be fine tuned.