Wyoming anti-abortion bill advances
Rachel Maddow updates the story of anti-abortion legislation in the Wyoming state legislation and the efforts of its Democratic and small-government Republican opponents.
Click here to watchPosted byACLU of Wyoming Chapterat10:06 AM
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Monday, 20 June 2011
Linda Burt on the culture wars in Wyoming
“If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein.” Justice Robert Jackson
Last week began with a group of “family values” lobbyists praying every hour on the hour in the Capitol hallway. In addition to the prayer the group presented huge flat screen videos of the human fetus along with questionable “scientific” information. There was testimony that abortion caused cervical and uterine cancer, infertility, miscarriages, depression and suicide. Of course, none of these statements are true although testimony from experts to this fact never seem to deter individuals from continuing to insist on their misinformation.
I respect the fact that people do not believe in abortion because of personal or religious values. That is defensible and understandable. What I will never understand is insisting on false and misleading information as a rationale for beliefs.
Testimony by the bill’s sponsor Representative Brechtel was, at one point, stopped by Speaker Buchannan as inflammatory and outside the scope of the bill... While supporters claimed the bill was about providing information and protection for women, it was clear the bill was about burdening the Wyoming Statutes with a set of particular religious beliefs. The bill directed physicians to do and say certain things and required a 24 hour waiting period for women wanting an abortion. In the history of the Wyoming Legislature there has never been a medical procedure the legislature has given physicians direction in dealing with. There is no indication that physicians in Wyoming are so lacking in skill that they must be instructed by the legislature in carrying out their duties. The bill also made it clear that women were not able to make intelligent informed choices without the assistance of the State of Wyoming. For a group of individuals that claim to hate government intrusion, this bill exemplifies intrusion.
Three of our outstanding women legislators made compelling arguments against this bill and ended up being singled out by MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show two nights in a row. The segment on Wyoming was excellent but pointed out the inconsistency in small government conservatives continuing interest in interfering in women’s reproductive privacy.
Early on in the session Representative Brechtel’s original abortion bill was voted down by the House. The Representative quickly wrote and filed a similar bill; this bill has now passed the House and has been assigned to the Senate Agriculture Committee for debate. Representative Brechtel has brought legislation that interferes with women’s privacy year after year, session after session.
While this session has been filled with useless bills and resolutions regarding federal health care, constitutional instruction for elected officials, property rights, federal balanced budgets and repeal of the 17th Amendment, few have taken the countless time and energy the so called same-sex marriage bills have taken. These bills are bills that the culture war lobby supports using the same tactics of misinformation and hysteria regarding the destruction of traditional marriage and family life. One bill would ban same-sex marriage or civil unions and deny recognition of same-sex marriages performed in other states; the other bill is almost identical in nature but would enshrine the discrimination in our constitution. Again, while I understand why religious groups would not perform same-sex marriages based on their religious beliefs, I do not understand why any lawmaker would support the State enshrining discrimination into our laws or our Constitution.
I have watched individuals this session, who claim to be patriots, claim to love America, and I believe that these individuals are sincere in their beliefs; I have no reason to doubt that. I believe they love America – I don’t believe that they like other Americans. They don’t like Americans of different races or colors. They don’t like gay and lesbian Americans. They don’t like poor or unemployed Americans. They don’t like or respect religions other than their own, or politics other than their own. They believe in the Bill of Rights only as it protects and supports their own beliefs.
Linda Burt
Executive Director, Wyoming Chapter
American Civil Liberties UnionPosted byACLU of Wyoming Chapterat9:52 AM
View the Original article
Last week began with a group of “family values” lobbyists praying every hour on the hour in the Capitol hallway. In addition to the prayer the group presented huge flat screen videos of the human fetus along with questionable “scientific” information. There was testimony that abortion caused cervical and uterine cancer, infertility, miscarriages, depression and suicide. Of course, none of these statements are true although testimony from experts to this fact never seem to deter individuals from continuing to insist on their misinformation.
I respect the fact that people do not believe in abortion because of personal or religious values. That is defensible and understandable. What I will never understand is insisting on false and misleading information as a rationale for beliefs.
Testimony by the bill’s sponsor Representative Brechtel was, at one point, stopped by Speaker Buchannan as inflammatory and outside the scope of the bill... While supporters claimed the bill was about providing information and protection for women, it was clear the bill was about burdening the Wyoming Statutes with a set of particular religious beliefs. The bill directed physicians to do and say certain things and required a 24 hour waiting period for women wanting an abortion. In the history of the Wyoming Legislature there has never been a medical procedure the legislature has given physicians direction in dealing with. There is no indication that physicians in Wyoming are so lacking in skill that they must be instructed by the legislature in carrying out their duties. The bill also made it clear that women were not able to make intelligent informed choices without the assistance of the State of Wyoming. For a group of individuals that claim to hate government intrusion, this bill exemplifies intrusion.
Three of our outstanding women legislators made compelling arguments against this bill and ended up being singled out by MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show two nights in a row. The segment on Wyoming was excellent but pointed out the inconsistency in small government conservatives continuing interest in interfering in women’s reproductive privacy.
Early on in the session Representative Brechtel’s original abortion bill was voted down by the House. The Representative quickly wrote and filed a similar bill; this bill has now passed the House and has been assigned to the Senate Agriculture Committee for debate. Representative Brechtel has brought legislation that interferes with women’s privacy year after year, session after session.
While this session has been filled with useless bills and resolutions regarding federal health care, constitutional instruction for elected officials, property rights, federal balanced budgets and repeal of the 17th Amendment, few have taken the countless time and energy the so called same-sex marriage bills have taken. These bills are bills that the culture war lobby supports using the same tactics of misinformation and hysteria regarding the destruction of traditional marriage and family life. One bill would ban same-sex marriage or civil unions and deny recognition of same-sex marriages performed in other states; the other bill is almost identical in nature but would enshrine the discrimination in our constitution. Again, while I understand why religious groups would not perform same-sex marriages based on their religious beliefs, I do not understand why any lawmaker would support the State enshrining discrimination into our laws or our Constitution.
I have watched individuals this session, who claim to be patriots, claim to love America, and I believe that these individuals are sincere in their beliefs; I have no reason to doubt that. I believe they love America – I don’t believe that they like other Americans. They don’t like Americans of different races or colors. They don’t like gay and lesbian Americans. They don’t like poor or unemployed Americans. They don’t like or respect religions other than their own, or politics other than their own. They believe in the Bill of Rights only as it protects and supports their own beliefs.
Linda Burt
Executive Director, Wyoming Chapter
American Civil Liberties UnionPosted byACLU of Wyoming Chapterat9:52 AM
View the Original article
ACTION ALTERT: Ask Senators to vote NO on HB74 TODAY
A discriminatory proposal to void marriages and civil contracts performed in other states unless they are between “one man and one woman” will come before the Senate TODAY. Please take the time to email your Senator and ask them to vote NO on HB74 Validity of Marriages.
Extensive testimony in the federal court in Northern California found that the only reasons to oppose same-sex marriage were religious and moral. This bill violates the equal protection clause of both the Wyoming and U.S. Constitutions. HB74 would send a clear message of intolerance within Wyoming, and would limit Wyoming same-sex couple’s access to courts. This bill would also invalidate legally binding civil unions and marriages performed in other states. Take action NOW!!! Email your Senator TODAY.
Contact information for the Senate:
Sen. Ogden Driskill: senatedriskill
View the Original article
Extensive testimony in the federal court in Northern California found that the only reasons to oppose same-sex marriage were religious and moral. This bill violates the equal protection clause of both the Wyoming and U.S. Constitutions. HB74 would send a clear message of intolerance within Wyoming, and would limit Wyoming same-sex couple’s access to courts. This bill would also invalidate legally binding civil unions and marriages performed in other states. Take action NOW!!! Email your Senator TODAY.
Contact information for the Senate:
Sen. Ogden Driskill: senatedriskill
View the Original article
Rally for Marriage Equality at the Capitol TODAY
Come support marriage equality...
When: Wednesday, February 16 at 1 pm
Where: steps of the Capitol building in Cheyenne
ALL ARE INVITED to show support for basic decency & equalityPosted byACLU of Wyoming Chapterat11:01 AM
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When: Wednesday, February 16 at 1 pm
Where: steps of the Capitol building in Cheyenne
ALL ARE INVITED to show support for basic decency & equalityPosted byACLU of Wyoming Chapterat11:01 AM
View the Original article
HB74 Crosses Another Legislative Hurdle...
HB74 – Validity of Marriages bill passed the 2nd reading in the Senate today. This discriminatory bill would void lawful same-sex marriages and civil unions performed in other states. We STRONLY oppose this biased bill. IT IS VITALLY IMPORTANT THAT SENATORS HEAR THAT INTOLERANCE AND DISCRIMINATION IS UNACCEPTABLE IN WYOMING. EMAIL YOUR SENATOR AND ASK THEM TO VOTE NO ON HB74.
Contact information for the Senate:
Sen. Ogden Driskill: senatedriskill
View the Original article
Contact information for the Senate:
Sen. Ogden Driskill: senatedriskill
View the Original article
Reproductive Freedom at Risk...
HB251 – Abortion – Ultrasound Information will be heard tomorrow by the Senate Agriculture committee. This bill violates women’s right to privacy and inserts the government into the doctor/patient relationship. Email the members of this committee and urge them to vote NO on HB251.
Senate Agriculture Committee Members:
Sen. Gerald Geis: ggeis
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Senate Agriculture Committee Members:
Sen. Gerald Geis: ggeis
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Local News Reports on HB74
CBS News Channel 5 reported on the developments of HB74 yesterday. Please click here to read article and watch brief video where Wyoming ACLU Executive Director Linda Burt makes a comment.Posted byACLU of Wyoming Chapterat12:01 PM
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HB74 moves to Conference Committee
Last week the Senate narrowly approved HB 74 – Validity of marriage. The bill included an amendment intended to allow access to Wyoming courts by those in domestic partnerships or civil unions. Yesterday the House defeated the amended bill 50 – 7 and now the bill will go to a conference committee composed of 3 members of each house in an attempt to work out a compromise.
Despite the protestations of the bill’s supporters that they are not “targeting” gay and lesbian citizens, a howl went up from these groups in opposition to the amendment made in the Senate. It is clear from Richard Wall’s most recent op-ed in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle that the purpose of this bill and others like it is to stop all attempts at equal or fair treatment lesbian and gay citizens.
Richard Wall states that “homosexual activist” use civil unions as a stepping stone to gay marriage, and apparently that alone is a good enough reason to deny a minority group access to the legal system.
Mr. Wall’s legal arguments regarding courts declining jurisdiction on procedural or jurisdictional rules provide no rationale to deny access to courts. Jurisdictional and procedural provisions apply to all individuals equally; this statue singles out a particular group of individuals and denies them legal rights.
Supporters of this bill have insisted that the bill is necessary in order to close a “loophole” in the Wyoming law that could allow recognition of same sex unions or marriages in other states. The loophole is an accepted legal principal that provides that we recognize other states legal process as they recognize ours. This tradition allows for the smooth working of our legal system across the nation. Imagine the chaos that would ensue if we did not accept automobile registration, driver’s licenses, various certificates such as birth and death certificates, marriage and divorce decrees from other states. Yet the current bill would make it clear that the laws of other states are unacceptable in Wyoming, and the people protected by those laws are outside the protection of the law in our state. Lesbian and gay couples are being targeted with this bill and our legislature is being asked to put this discrimination into statute. This bill is clearly unconstitutional, and it is also clearly wrong.Posted byACLU of Wyoming Chapterat4:15 PM
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Despite the protestations of the bill’s supporters that they are not “targeting” gay and lesbian citizens, a howl went up from these groups in opposition to the amendment made in the Senate. It is clear from Richard Wall’s most recent op-ed in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle that the purpose of this bill and others like it is to stop all attempts at equal or fair treatment lesbian and gay citizens.
Richard Wall states that “homosexual activist” use civil unions as a stepping stone to gay marriage, and apparently that alone is a good enough reason to deny a minority group access to the legal system.
Mr. Wall’s legal arguments regarding courts declining jurisdiction on procedural or jurisdictional rules provide no rationale to deny access to courts. Jurisdictional and procedural provisions apply to all individuals equally; this statue singles out a particular group of individuals and denies them legal rights.
Supporters of this bill have insisted that the bill is necessary in order to close a “loophole” in the Wyoming law that could allow recognition of same sex unions or marriages in other states. The loophole is an accepted legal principal that provides that we recognize other states legal process as they recognize ours. This tradition allows for the smooth working of our legal system across the nation. Imagine the chaos that would ensue if we did not accept automobile registration, driver’s licenses, various certificates such as birth and death certificates, marriage and divorce decrees from other states. Yet the current bill would make it clear that the laws of other states are unacceptable in Wyoming, and the people protected by those laws are outside the protection of the law in our state. Lesbian and gay couples are being targeted with this bill and our legislature is being asked to put this discrimination into statute. This bill is clearly unconstitutional, and it is also clearly wrong.Posted byACLU of Wyoming Chapterat4:15 PM
View the Original article
ACTION ALERT: Help Us Kill HB74
The Conference Committee for HB74 – Validity of Marriages was originally scheduled for 8:45 am, but has been moved to 4:15 pm TODAY. Unfortunately, no testimony will be accepted at the hearing. Of the six members of the Conference Committee, three are original sponsors of the bill (Hicks, Nutting, Kroeker). If the Conference Committee acts fast, HB74 could be back in the House and Senate as early as Friday.
WE NEED YOUR HELP TO KILL THIS BILL!!! We need to immediately get emails to the Representatives and Senators who we must hold in the “VOTE NO” camp on HB74. Below are the legislators who should be contacted right away. (To save everyone time, we won’t email the hard “yes” and hard “no” legislators – they aren’t budging on the issue.)
Legislators are busy individuals and may not have time to read lengthy emails, so please keep your message short and to-the-point. With you help, we can send a clear message that intolerance and discrimination have no place in the Equality State!
Sen. Burns - bburns
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WE NEED YOUR HELP TO KILL THIS BILL!!! We need to immediately get emails to the Representatives and Senators who we must hold in the “VOTE NO” camp on HB74. Below are the legislators who should be contacted right away. (To save everyone time, we won’t email the hard “yes” and hard “no” legislators – they aren’t budging on the issue.)
Legislators are busy individuals and may not have time to read lengthy emails, so please keep your message short and to-the-point. With you help, we can send a clear message that intolerance and discrimination have no place in the Equality State!
Sen. Burns - bburns
View the Original article
Defeating DOMA and Moving Forward
Click hereto read entire blog post by James Esseks of the National ACLU’s LGBT Project.
There's lots to celebrate about the Justice Department's statement that it will no longer defend the so-called "Defense of Marriage Act" (DOMA) in court. That statement makes a few things clear:
1. The Obama administration agrees with what we've been saying for years – that when the government treats gay people differently than straight people, it's got to have a very good reason for the discrimination (this is what courts call applying "heightened scrutiny").
2. The administration agrees that it doesn't have a good reason for respecting the marriages of heterosexual couples while pretending that married same-sex couples aren't actually married (which is what DOMA does, after all).
3. Since the administration doesn't have a good reason for the discrimination, it's going to stop defending DOMA, both in our case and in others. This is a video about our case challenging DOMA that we filed along with Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP.)
Up until now, the federal government has taken the position that discrimination against lesbians and gay men is almost always OK, that it's presumed to be constitutional. With yesterday's announcement, the government has recognized that under the proper constitutional analysis, it needs a good reason to treat gay people differently from everyone else.
The shift is quite simply amazing. Amazing to have a government that decides an important issue of constitutional law based on principle rather than politics. Amazing to see a government switch gears when faced with a case that requires it to address the legal issues head-on...read more...Posted byACLU of Wyoming Chapterat1:05 PM
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There's lots to celebrate about the Justice Department's statement that it will no longer defend the so-called "Defense of Marriage Act" (DOMA) in court. That statement makes a few things clear:
1. The Obama administration agrees with what we've been saying for years – that when the government treats gay people differently than straight people, it's got to have a very good reason for the discrimination (this is what courts call applying "heightened scrutiny").
2. The administration agrees that it doesn't have a good reason for respecting the marriages of heterosexual couples while pretending that married same-sex couples aren't actually married (which is what DOMA does, after all).
3. Since the administration doesn't have a good reason for the discrimination, it's going to stop defending DOMA, both in our case and in others. This is a video about our case challenging DOMA that we filed along with Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP.)
Up until now, the federal government has taken the position that discrimination against lesbians and gay men is almost always OK, that it's presumed to be constitutional. With yesterday's announcement, the government has recognized that under the proper constitutional analysis, it needs a good reason to treat gay people differently from everyone else.
The shift is quite simply amazing. Amazing to have a government that decides an important issue of constitutional law based on principle rather than politics. Amazing to see a government switch gears when faced with a case that requires it to address the legal issues head-on...read more...Posted byACLU of Wyoming Chapterat1:05 PM
View the Original article
BREAKING: Abortion bill fails in the Senate
HB251 - Abortion - Ultrasound Information was voted down 14-15 in the Senate moments ago! Thanks to everyone that contacted your legislators to help preserve medical privacy.Posted byACLU of Wyoming Chapterat4:31 PM
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View the Original article
Maddow interviews Wallis and Shepperson
The Rachel Maddow Show continues to cover small-government conservatives in the Wyoming Legislture. Click here to watch Republican Wyoming State Representatives Sue Wallis and Lisa Shepperson talk with Rachel Maddow about why their small government beliefs mean they want government and abortion laws out of the relationship between a woman and her doctor.Posted byACLU of Wyoming Chapterat12:10 PM
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View the Original article
Blog of Rights: Women's Health Care
To read entire blog post by Suzanne Ito of the National ACLU, click here
Government "Should Not Be Meddling" With Women's Health Care Decisions
Last week, legislation that would place onerous new restrictions on women's access to abortion in Wyoming failed in the state senate. Two Republican representatives, Lisa Shepperson and Sue Wallis, who both opposed the measure in the House, said from the chamber floor:
Shepperson: When I go to the doctor, it is the most private thing you can imagine. I want myself, I want my husband, and I want my doctor there. And I don't want any government.
Wallis: What this bill does is say that, as a woman, that I'm not smart enough to know the decision that I'm making, that somehow the state is required in this particular decision where they are required in no other medical decision.
Read More...Posted byACLU of Wyoming Chapterat5:29 PM
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Government "Should Not Be Meddling" With Women's Health Care Decisions
Last week, legislation that would place onerous new restrictions on women's access to abortion in Wyoming failed in the state senate. Two Republican representatives, Lisa Shepperson and Sue Wallis, who both opposed the measure in the House, said from the chamber floor:
Shepperson: When I go to the doctor, it is the most private thing you can imagine. I want myself, I want my husband, and I want my doctor there. And I don't want any government.
Wallis: What this bill does is say that, as a woman, that I'm not smart enough to know the decision that I'm making, that somehow the state is required in this particular decision where they are required in no other medical decision.
Read More...Posted byACLU of Wyoming Chapterat5:29 PM
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Rachel Maddow Covers HB74
'The Equality State' lives up to its name
Rachel Maddow plays audio from actual small government, pro-freedom conservatives in the Wyoming legislature arguing against an anti-gay marriage bill on the grounds that it's not government's business and not in keeping with Wyoming's principle of equality.
Click here to watchPosted byACLU of Wyoming Chapterat3:21 PM
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Rachel Maddow plays audio from actual small government, pro-freedom conservatives in the Wyoming legislature arguing against an anti-gay marriage bill on the grounds that it's not government's business and not in keeping with Wyoming's principle of equality.
Click here to watchPosted byACLU of Wyoming Chapterat3:21 PM
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Islamophobia: Myths vs. Facts
Now that the 2011 Legislature is over, our blog will shift gears and focus on civil liberties issues happening both locally and nationally. Readers - stay tuned for an online report that we will publish in the next few days that summarizes all the bills we monitored and lobbied this past session.
With so much about Islam in the current news cycle, from the supposed “radicalization” to state laws banning Sharia Law from U.S. Courts, it is important that we educate ourselves with facts, and not buy into myths or shape our opinions based on rhetoric alone. While these measures generally coincide with rising xenophobia and concerns about the influence of foreign and international law in the United States, they also correspond with the growing anti-Muslim sentiment across the country.
Click here to read a Q&A on the myth of radicalization
Earlier this month, Representative Peter King (R-NY), Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, held a hearing about the so-called radicalization of Islam in America. This misguiding hearing, which smacks of a McCarthy-era witch hunt, is only the most recent manifestation of discriminatory attitudes and policies towards Muslims in America. That is why the ACLU, along with over 40 other human rights and civil rights groups, sent a letter to Rep. King and his committee urging them not to conflate 1st Amendment-protected practices with involvement in terrorism.
Download a copy of the ACLU’s written statement to the House Committee on Homeland Security
More and more we are reading about state legislatures attempting to ban Sharia Law from being upheld in U.S. Courts. This notion was seen first in Oklahoma and immediately blocked by a Federal Court as unconstitutional, and is nothing more than a scare-tactic based on the perception of the influence of foreign and religious laws on our courts, rather than facts. To be sure, the 1st Amendment already prohibits U.S. courts from adopting any kind of religious law. That includes: Kosher Law, Canon Law and yes, Sharia Law.
Unfortunately, Wyoming is not immune from these types of Islamophobic measures as we observed during this past session. Representative Gay from Wyoming House District 36 introduced HJ08, which attempted to ban both Sharia and International Laws from Wyoming’s Courts. Bills like this are nothing more than a solution looking for a problem. Moreover, the framers of the Constitution intended respect for international laws and commitments, such as U.S. treaties. In order to be the global leader on human rights, we must uphold our commitment to international laws and standards. This not only includes honoring international laws, but refusing to enshrine discrimination and intolerance in U.S. law.
Last month in Orange County, California, protestors organized outside of a charity event sponsored by a local Muslim group. The charity event was to raise money for women’s shelters, and to relieve homelessness and hunger in the U.S. Please watch this video prepared by the Council on American-Islamic-Relations (CAIR-California) to get a taste of the anti-Islamic rhetoric growing in America.
Want to get involved? Click here to find out how you can support the ACLU.Posted byACLU of Wyoming Chapterat2:22 PM
View the Original article
With so much about Islam in the current news cycle, from the supposed “radicalization” to state laws banning Sharia Law from U.S. Courts, it is important that we educate ourselves with facts, and not buy into myths or shape our opinions based on rhetoric alone. While these measures generally coincide with rising xenophobia and concerns about the influence of foreign and international law in the United States, they also correspond with the growing anti-Muslim sentiment across the country.
Click here to read a Q&A on the myth of radicalization
Earlier this month, Representative Peter King (R-NY), Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, held a hearing about the so-called radicalization of Islam in America. This misguiding hearing, which smacks of a McCarthy-era witch hunt, is only the most recent manifestation of discriminatory attitudes and policies towards Muslims in America. That is why the ACLU, along with over 40 other human rights and civil rights groups, sent a letter to Rep. King and his committee urging them not to conflate 1st Amendment-protected practices with involvement in terrorism.
Download a copy of the ACLU’s written statement to the House Committee on Homeland Security
More and more we are reading about state legislatures attempting to ban Sharia Law from being upheld in U.S. Courts. This notion was seen first in Oklahoma and immediately blocked by a Federal Court as unconstitutional, and is nothing more than a scare-tactic based on the perception of the influence of foreign and religious laws on our courts, rather than facts. To be sure, the 1st Amendment already prohibits U.S. courts from adopting any kind of religious law. That includes: Kosher Law, Canon Law and yes, Sharia Law.
Unfortunately, Wyoming is not immune from these types of Islamophobic measures as we observed during this past session. Representative Gay from Wyoming House District 36 introduced HJ08, which attempted to ban both Sharia and International Laws from Wyoming’s Courts. Bills like this are nothing more than a solution looking for a problem. Moreover, the framers of the Constitution intended respect for international laws and commitments, such as U.S. treaties. In order to be the global leader on human rights, we must uphold our commitment to international laws and standards. This not only includes honoring international laws, but refusing to enshrine discrimination and intolerance in U.S. law.
Last month in Orange County, California, protestors organized outside of a charity event sponsored by a local Muslim group. The charity event was to raise money for women’s shelters, and to relieve homelessness and hunger in the U.S. Please watch this video prepared by the Council on American-Islamic-Relations (CAIR-California) to get a taste of the anti-Islamic rhetoric growing in America.
Want to get involved? Click here to find out how you can support the ACLU.Posted byACLU of Wyoming Chapterat2:22 PM
View the Original article
"Inequality" Report Released Today
In a report on Wyoming’s Juvenile Justice System formally released today, the ACLU of Wyoming calls for establishing a unified juvenile court system to handle all court-involved youth throughout the state, enforcing standards for youth detention statewide, and creating a data-collection process to gauge the success of Wyoming’s youth rehabilitation services.
The report, "Inequality in the Equality State: The Damaged Juvenile Justice and Detention System in Wyoming," represents more than five years of research by the ACLU.
Wyoming’s youth are the future of our state and should be given every opportunity to succeed. In Wyoming 85% of all children are adjudicated in adult courts instead of being provided the protection and rehabilitation that would be required by a juvenile court system. Only a minority of Wyoming youth are processed through a juvenile court system. Most youth are seen by judges or other officials with little training in handling youth or knowledge of juvenile law. The majorities of children are not represented by lawyers and waive their right to legal representation without fully understanding the consequences of doing so. Because there are no statewide guidelines outlining which youth should be subjected to secure detention, Wyoming has one of the highest youth incarceration rates in the nation; state officials too often rely on detention as the default solution – a choice that carries a heavy financial and social cost.
Unlike most states, Wyoming has no overarching goals, planning or administration of juvenile justice, and youth are subject to vastly different treatment based on where they live. The disparity in treatment of youth in the system is at the heart of the state’s juvenile justice crisis; a unified juvenile court with exclusive jurisdiction is the key to reform.
Efforts by state legislators to improve the juvenile justice system in recent years are a positive sign, but far more remains to be done. The Joint Judiciary Committee’s announcement of an interim study that will look into juvenile justice issues with an emphasis in jurisdiction is a step that is long overdue.
The report calls on the legislature to transform the current county-by-county approach into a unified statewide system based on the principles of restorative justice, accountability and community safety. The system should build on research-proven programs and best practices across the county and should be available to all Wyoming children.
Please take the time to read,"Inequality in the Equality State." Click here to read our press release, or read the Casper Star Tribune’s article on the report. The Washington Examiner also ran an excellent AP article. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Want to get involved? Your voice can make the difference in how the Joint Judiciary Committee handles this issue. If you’re generally concerned about Wyoming’s children, or if you have personally experiences the inequities and harsh treatment of Wyoming’s broken system, please urge your legislators to solve the juvenile justice crisis in Wyoming.Posted byACLU of Wyoming Chapterat9:54 AM
View the Original article
The report, "Inequality in the Equality State: The Damaged Juvenile Justice and Detention System in Wyoming," represents more than five years of research by the ACLU.
Wyoming’s youth are the future of our state and should be given every opportunity to succeed. In Wyoming 85% of all children are adjudicated in adult courts instead of being provided the protection and rehabilitation that would be required by a juvenile court system. Only a minority of Wyoming youth are processed through a juvenile court system. Most youth are seen by judges or other officials with little training in handling youth or knowledge of juvenile law. The majorities of children are not represented by lawyers and waive their right to legal representation without fully understanding the consequences of doing so. Because there are no statewide guidelines outlining which youth should be subjected to secure detention, Wyoming has one of the highest youth incarceration rates in the nation; state officials too often rely on detention as the default solution – a choice that carries a heavy financial and social cost.
Unlike most states, Wyoming has no overarching goals, planning or administration of juvenile justice, and youth are subject to vastly different treatment based on where they live. The disparity in treatment of youth in the system is at the heart of the state’s juvenile justice crisis; a unified juvenile court with exclusive jurisdiction is the key to reform.
Efforts by state legislators to improve the juvenile justice system in recent years are a positive sign, but far more remains to be done. The Joint Judiciary Committee’s announcement of an interim study that will look into juvenile justice issues with an emphasis in jurisdiction is a step that is long overdue.
The report calls on the legislature to transform the current county-by-county approach into a unified statewide system based on the principles of restorative justice, accountability and community safety. The system should build on research-proven programs and best practices across the county and should be available to all Wyoming children.
Please take the time to read,"Inequality in the Equality State." Click here to read our press release, or read the Casper Star Tribune’s article on the report. The Washington Examiner also ran an excellent AP article. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Want to get involved? Your voice can make the difference in how the Joint Judiciary Committee handles this issue. If you’re generally concerned about Wyoming’s children, or if you have personally experiences the inequities and harsh treatment of Wyoming’s broken system, please urge your legislators to solve the juvenile justice crisis in Wyoming.Posted byACLU of Wyoming Chapterat9:54 AM
View the Original article
Gov. Mead pushes for juvenile court system
Governor Matt Mead’s administration is lobbying Wyoming lawmakers to support creation of a unified juvenile court system in the state. The Casper Star Tribune ran a fantastic article today, and Wyoming Public Radio has also been providing coverage of this important topic. There are no significant differences between the proposals put forth in our report released earlier this month, "Inequality in the Equality State," and Governor Mead’s recommendations on juvenile justice. We applaud the Governor’s proposal! The Joint Judiciary Committee will be discussing juvenile justice at its meeting later this week.
This is certainly terrific news, but far more remains to be done. How can you make a difference? Urge the Joint Judiciary Committee to solve the juvenile justice crisis in Wyoming.Posted byACLU of Wyoming Chapterat2:32 PM
View the Original article
This is certainly terrific news, but far more remains to be done. How can you make a difference? Urge the Joint Judiciary Committee to solve the juvenile justice crisis in Wyoming.Posted byACLU of Wyoming Chapterat2:32 PM
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Redistricting: Public Meetings Schedule
Every ten years, the Wyoming Legislature is required to reconfigure the state’s legislative districts in order to reflect the changes in Wyoming’s population. Redistricting is one of the key topics on the interim agenda of the Joint Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee. If you are interesting in learning about redistricting in your area, a series of regional redistricting meetings have been scheduled. The location and times of the regional meetings are as follows:
Morning meetings are tentatively scheduled for 9:30 - Noon. Evening meetings are tentatively scheduled for 5:00-7:30.
1. Rock Springs May 25 morning
2. Pinedale May 25 evening
3. Casper June 14 morning
4. Wright June 14 evening
5. Laramie June 28 morning
6. Cheyenne June 28 evening
7. Powell July 12 morning
8. Worland July 12 evening
9. Lander July 13 morning
10. Rawlins July 13 evening
11. Torrington August 15 evening.
FORMAL MEETING NOTICES WILL BE POSTED ON THE LEGISLATIVE WEBSITE AND ISSUED AT A LATER DATE. Read more here.
To learn more about redistricting, please read the ACLU’s report, Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Redistricting, But Were Afraid to Ask.”
Read more from the Casper Star Tribune.Posted byACLU of Wyoming Chapterat12:11 PM
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Morning meetings are tentatively scheduled for 9:30 - Noon. Evening meetings are tentatively scheduled for 5:00-7:30.
1. Rock Springs May 25 morning
2. Pinedale May 25 evening
3. Casper June 14 morning
4. Wright June 14 evening
5. Laramie June 28 morning
6. Cheyenne June 28 evening
7. Powell July 12 morning
8. Worland July 12 evening
9. Lander July 13 morning
10. Rawlins July 13 evening
11. Torrington August 15 evening.
FORMAL MEETING NOTICES WILL BE POSTED ON THE LEGISLATIVE WEBSITE AND ISSUED AT A LATER DATE. Read more here.
To learn more about redistricting, please read the ACLU’s report, Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Redistricting, But Were Afraid to Ask.”
Read more from the Casper Star Tribune.Posted byACLU of Wyoming Chapterat12:11 PM
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Update: Juvenile Justice Reform
On April 21 the Joint Judiciary Interim Committee met in Worland at the Community Center Complex. One of the interim issues for the committee is juvenile justice. The Honorable Gary Hartman from Governor Mead’s office gave a power point presentation designed to site the long-term problems with the treatment of youth in the criminal justice system in Wyoming. The presentation outlined the history of reports and recommendations starting in the 1960’s and the lack of response to those recommendations. One of the main deficiencies in the system has been the lack of a unified court system in which all youth would be processed. Due to the poorly written statutory foundation, each county in Wyoming has created its own system. Most children in Wyoming are processed in adult courts with none of the protections and due process allowed children in traditional juvenile courts. Some courts allow little or no due process, judges are not trained or knowledgeable in juvenile development or issues; children are jailed at one of the highest rates in the nation and youth that need treatment or counseling are offered none. These criticisms of the Wyoming system have been heard for over 40 years, and Wyoming legislators have done little beyond minor tinkering to fix the problems.
At the conclusion of the presentation Judge Hartman presented the committee with draft statutes that would bring about the much needed changes in the juvenile system. Judge Hartman, Donna Sheen, a local children’s attorney and advocate, as well as Dr. Beth Evans, Chair of the State Advisory Committee, then answered a number of questions from the committee.
Next a group of Wyoming judges including the Honorable Norman Young, John Fenn and Randal Arp made a short presentation, allowing that there probably should be some changes and that judges would do whatever the legislators directed them to do.
County Prosecutors Jeannie Stone, Brian Christensen and Bryon Skoric then testified there was absolutely nothing wrong with the system that programs were all running very well with excellent results. The prosecutors also said the numbers used in our report were wrong.
The Wyoming ACLU provided the joint judiciary committee with copies of the newly released ACLU report, "Inequality in the Equality State: The Damaged Juvenile Justice and Detention System in Wyoming," prior to the meeting. The report is a comprehensive report that includes the following policy recommendations for the Wyoming legislature:
To enact a juvenile code that:
1. Establishes a unified juvenile or family court system with exclusive jurisdiction for all non-traffic juvenile matters and a judiciary professionally trained in juvenile law.
2. Creates a comprehensive juvenile justice system that applies equally and fairly to all Wyoming juveniles. This system should include the procedural framework for a central juvenile case processing and obtain a consistent juvenile detention policy. This policy must be devoid of loopholes and include community based programs.
3. Creates a comprehensive juvenile justice system based on restorative justice principles that promote accountability and increased competency development for youthful offenders, without sacrificing community protection.
4. Provides systematic data collecting and analysis to guide decision making, assess program effectiveness, and provide assurances of equal treatment.
5. Is funded through a dedicated funding source to ensure its statewide accessibility and utilization.
The draft code presented by Judge Hartman would have addressed all these issues. Unfortunately, the only questions I was asked were about the numbers in our report and the veracity of those numbers. Kermit Brown, Co-Chair of the Committee has also questioned the numbers in our report in the press.
It’s very frustrating to have such an overwhelming long-term problem effecting the lives and futures of our children and have the committee focus on the supposed “problems” with the numbers. The numbers used in our report are the only professionally collected verifiable statistics available on juvenile issues in the state. The State of Wyoming has no single agency that collects data on juvenile justice. There is no collection of data on county programs and the effectiveness of the programs, no assessment on programs or systems. The data in our report represents federal monitoring reports and crime statistics reports from the attorney general’s office. Those numbers are collected from the counties themselves. The only issue with the numbers that is possible is the issue of underreporting as several counties refuse to provide information on their treatment of juveniles.
In June 2010, the Wyoming Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union along with the National Center for Youth Law released a report based on observations of the treatment of juveniles in several court rooms in Wyoming, "A Call to Stop Child Prosecutions in Wyoming Adult Court." That report concluded:
“The state of Wyoming stands at the threshold of opportunity. It can revise its juvenile code to create a model system of youth justice, or it can continue down the time-worn path it has been on for decades, meting out adult convictions and costly sentences to children who really just need a stronger guiding hand. The authors, and many others in the state working with children in trouble, urge the public to demand a better system of justice for Wyoming’s children. We hope public officials will finally exercise the political will to truly reform the way it’s always been.”
Once again, this seems like an impossible dream. We remain hopeful that the Joint Judiciary Committee will provide leadership in juvenile justice reform during the interim session.
Linda Burt,
Executive DirectorPosted byACLU of Wyoming Chapterat10:52 AM
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At the conclusion of the presentation Judge Hartman presented the committee with draft statutes that would bring about the much needed changes in the juvenile system. Judge Hartman, Donna Sheen, a local children’s attorney and advocate, as well as Dr. Beth Evans, Chair of the State Advisory Committee, then answered a number of questions from the committee.
Next a group of Wyoming judges including the Honorable Norman Young, John Fenn and Randal Arp made a short presentation, allowing that there probably should be some changes and that judges would do whatever the legislators directed them to do.
County Prosecutors Jeannie Stone, Brian Christensen and Bryon Skoric then testified there was absolutely nothing wrong with the system that programs were all running very well with excellent results. The prosecutors also said the numbers used in our report were wrong.
The Wyoming ACLU provided the joint judiciary committee with copies of the newly released ACLU report, "Inequality in the Equality State: The Damaged Juvenile Justice and Detention System in Wyoming," prior to the meeting. The report is a comprehensive report that includes the following policy recommendations for the Wyoming legislature:
To enact a juvenile code that:
1. Establishes a unified juvenile or family court system with exclusive jurisdiction for all non-traffic juvenile matters and a judiciary professionally trained in juvenile law.
2. Creates a comprehensive juvenile justice system that applies equally and fairly to all Wyoming juveniles. This system should include the procedural framework for a central juvenile case processing and obtain a consistent juvenile detention policy. This policy must be devoid of loopholes and include community based programs.
3. Creates a comprehensive juvenile justice system based on restorative justice principles that promote accountability and increased competency development for youthful offenders, without sacrificing community protection.
4. Provides systematic data collecting and analysis to guide decision making, assess program effectiveness, and provide assurances of equal treatment.
5. Is funded through a dedicated funding source to ensure its statewide accessibility and utilization.
The draft code presented by Judge Hartman would have addressed all these issues. Unfortunately, the only questions I was asked were about the numbers in our report and the veracity of those numbers. Kermit Brown, Co-Chair of the Committee has also questioned the numbers in our report in the press.
It’s very frustrating to have such an overwhelming long-term problem effecting the lives and futures of our children and have the committee focus on the supposed “problems” with the numbers. The numbers used in our report are the only professionally collected verifiable statistics available on juvenile issues in the state. The State of Wyoming has no single agency that collects data on juvenile justice. There is no collection of data on county programs and the effectiveness of the programs, no assessment on programs or systems. The data in our report represents federal monitoring reports and crime statistics reports from the attorney general’s office. Those numbers are collected from the counties themselves. The only issue with the numbers that is possible is the issue of underreporting as several counties refuse to provide information on their treatment of juveniles.
In June 2010, the Wyoming Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union along with the National Center for Youth Law released a report based on observations of the treatment of juveniles in several court rooms in Wyoming, "A Call to Stop Child Prosecutions in Wyoming Adult Court." That report concluded:
“The state of Wyoming stands at the threshold of opportunity. It can revise its juvenile code to create a model system of youth justice, or it can continue down the time-worn path it has been on for decades, meting out adult convictions and costly sentences to children who really just need a stronger guiding hand. The authors, and many others in the state working with children in trouble, urge the public to demand a better system of justice for Wyoming’s children. We hope public officials will finally exercise the political will to truly reform the way it’s always been.”
Once again, this seems like an impossible dream. We remain hopeful that the Joint Judiciary Committee will provide leadership in juvenile justice reform during the interim session.
Linda Burt,
Executive DirectorPosted byACLU of Wyoming Chapterat10:52 AM
View the Original article
Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative comes to Wyoming
The Casper Star Tribune ran an article today on the Annie E. Casey Foundation's Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative (JDAI). This program is designed to assist jurisdictions in reducing their reliance on secure detention (jail) for juveniles. There are 24 states that use the JDAI program and 100 individual sites. This reform program is one of the most successful and effective programs in reducing incarceration rates for juveniles and for providing alternatives to detention that allow for long lasting positive outcomes for kids.
The program is based on the following concepts:
• reduce reliance on secure confinement
• improve public safety
• reduce racial disparities and bias
• save taxpayers’ dollars
• stimulate overall juvenile justice reform
This program is based on over 15 years of successful experience and is exactly the program that Wyoming needs on a state wide basis to reduce reliance on the over-use of secure confinement for children. Unfortunately, as a result of Wyoming’s lack of uniform state-side planning and a uniform juvenile justice system some children in Wyoming will have the advantage of this evidence based program and other children will continue to be locked up.
Laramie, Sweetwater and Campbell Counties have decided to join this program and provide the best opportunities for their children. The spokesmen for the Wyoming Department of Family Services (DFS) stated that the goal of the program, which is jointly funded by The Casey foundation and DFS, is to create a statewide model for juvenile detention. The spokesmen went on the say that “it will help create a good… juvenile justice system with a lot of alternatives.”
This type of random program implementation has been going on with juvenile programs in the state for over 40 years and has resulted in the dreadful non-system that we currently have. Some counties will chose to join the initiative but most will not. Most counties will do what that have historically done and that is put kids in jail, even though its clear that putting kids in jail is the absolute worse thing you can do to them most counties will continue to use jail as their only “system”. They will do this because that is what they have always done, because they don’t want to spend the money on children that it will take to initiate reform, because they don’t have the money and there is no stable funding source or because they don’t believe in the evidence and believe that the best place for a troubled kid is in jail. They will do this because they can.
Laramie County, a county that already has a good program for kids, wants a better program. In planning for the new juvenile detention center the Chairman of the Joint Powers Board, Jeff Lamm stated: “We didn’t want to just build a center; we wanted to rebuild a system.” In the Casper Star Tribune's article, Mr. Lamm went on to state: “You want to set up a good, integrated system…. So you can treat every kid based on their needs”. Wouldn’t it be great if our legislators and public officials felt that way about every child in Wyoming? Isn’t that the way they should feel?Posted byACLU of Wyoming Chapterat2:29 PM
View the Original article
The program is based on the following concepts:
• reduce reliance on secure confinement
• improve public safety
• reduce racial disparities and bias
• save taxpayers’ dollars
• stimulate overall juvenile justice reform
This program is based on over 15 years of successful experience and is exactly the program that Wyoming needs on a state wide basis to reduce reliance on the over-use of secure confinement for children. Unfortunately, as a result of Wyoming’s lack of uniform state-side planning and a uniform juvenile justice system some children in Wyoming will have the advantage of this evidence based program and other children will continue to be locked up.
Laramie, Sweetwater and Campbell Counties have decided to join this program and provide the best opportunities for their children. The spokesmen for the Wyoming Department of Family Services (DFS) stated that the goal of the program, which is jointly funded by The Casey foundation and DFS, is to create a statewide model for juvenile detention. The spokesmen went on the say that “it will help create a good… juvenile justice system with a lot of alternatives.”
This type of random program implementation has been going on with juvenile programs in the state for over 40 years and has resulted in the dreadful non-system that we currently have. Some counties will chose to join the initiative but most will not. Most counties will do what that have historically done and that is put kids in jail, even though its clear that putting kids in jail is the absolute worse thing you can do to them most counties will continue to use jail as their only “system”. They will do this because that is what they have always done, because they don’t want to spend the money on children that it will take to initiate reform, because they don’t have the money and there is no stable funding source or because they don’t believe in the evidence and believe that the best place for a troubled kid is in jail. They will do this because they can.
Laramie County, a county that already has a good program for kids, wants a better program. In planning for the new juvenile detention center the Chairman of the Joint Powers Board, Jeff Lamm stated: “We didn’t want to just build a center; we wanted to rebuild a system.” In the Casper Star Tribune's article, Mr. Lamm went on to state: “You want to set up a good, integrated system…. So you can treat every kid based on their needs”. Wouldn’t it be great if our legislators and public officials felt that way about every child in Wyoming? Isn’t that the way they should feel?Posted byACLU of Wyoming Chapterat2:29 PM
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Corporations Committee Takes on Redistricting
Under the Wyoming State Constitution, the legislature is required redraw the state legislative districts every ten years. Redistricting coincides with the federal census so that the district lines reflect the current make-up of the population in legislative district. With Wyoming’s growing population, it is important that the new districts accurately reflect the demographic changes around the state.
In the 1963 case of Gray v. Sanders, the U.S. Supreme Court announced the “one person, one vote” principle. This principle is achieved when each legislative district has a substantially equal population. Redistricting is one of the key topics on the interim agenda of the Joint Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee. On April 12, 2011, the Corporations Committee adopted these seven principles in order to honor the one person, one vote principle:
1. Election districts should be contiguous, compact, and reflect a community of interest
2. Population of election districts should be substantially equal, with the range of deviation not to exceed 10%
3. To the greatest extent possible, in establishing election districts:
a. County boundaries should be followed
b. The majority of the population of each county should be in one district
c. Census blocks should be followed
4. Plan should avoid diluting voting power of minorities in violations of
View the Original article
In the 1963 case of Gray v. Sanders, the U.S. Supreme Court announced the “one person, one vote” principle. This principle is achieved when each legislative district has a substantially equal population. Redistricting is one of the key topics on the interim agenda of the Joint Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee. On April 12, 2011, the Corporations Committee adopted these seven principles in order to honor the one person, one vote principle:
1. Election districts should be contiguous, compact, and reflect a community of interest
2. Population of election districts should be substantially equal, with the range of deviation not to exceed 10%
3. To the greatest extent possible, in establishing election districts:
a. County boundaries should be followed
b. The majority of the population of each county should be in one district
c. Census blocks should be followed
4. Plan should avoid diluting voting power of minorities in violations of
View the Original article
First Redistricting Public Meeting Held in Rock Springs
The first in a serious of redistricting meetings was held in Rock Springs on May 25 in City Council Chambers. The crowd of about 40 was a mixed one including legislative staff, county clerks, politicians, elected officials and a sprinkling of citizens. The legislative staff presented a short power- point on redistricting fundamentals and also on the use of the legislative website. Testimony was heard on the lack of community of interest representation in some Rock Springs districts. Chairman Cale Case did an excellent job of moderating the program and assuring that all who wanted to be heard by the committee were given time to do so.
It becomes clear in listening to testimony how difficult redistricting is, as speakers all have specific critiques of their districts and how they are drawn. One person testifies that the boundary is drawn down the middle of the street, with their neighbors across the road being in a different district. County Clerks are concerned that precinct and district changes that will affect voting procedures in their counties.
In addition, politics come into play quickly as voting districts are redrawn. A group from Teton County offered draft changes for areas in their part of the state, and resentment of the affects of those changes were already clear.
The reality remains that as a result of the significant changes in many counties, Wyoming must redistrict in order to meet the criteria of equity of populations in each district. The ideal House district will be 9,394 (
View the Original article
It becomes clear in listening to testimony how difficult redistricting is, as speakers all have specific critiques of their districts and how they are drawn. One person testifies that the boundary is drawn down the middle of the street, with their neighbors across the road being in a different district. County Clerks are concerned that precinct and district changes that will affect voting procedures in their counties.
In addition, politics come into play quickly as voting districts are redrawn. A group from Teton County offered draft changes for areas in their part of the state, and resentment of the affects of those changes were already clear.
The reality remains that as a result of the significant changes in many counties, Wyoming must redistrict in order to meet the criteria of equity of populations in each district. The ideal House district will be 9,394 (
View the Original article
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