On a local radio talk show with Glenn Woods Monday morning, a short, impromptu debate between Wyoming Gun Owners Association executive director Anthony Bouchard and House District 31 Rep. Tom Lubnau (R-Campbell) encapsulated the brewing controversy over a bill rejected by the Wyoming House of Representatives that would have banned local gun control laws similar to the one recently passed in Casper.
While Lubnau has said he agrees with the bill in theory, he says it is written in a way that could interfere with law enforcement’s ability to exert their police powers. Specifically, Lubnau says he is concerned that the bill strips away city’s and town’s authority to suppress riots and other disturbances under W.S. 15-1-103 (a) (xviii). He also says he is concerned that the bill bans “other entities” from regulating firearms and ammunition, saying such language lacks a precise definition and could be interpreted to apply to private individuals and businesses.
“[HB 60] is overbroad and takes away too much power,” Lubnau argues.
Bouchard responded by saying HB 60 only prevents Wyoming cities and towns from enacting ordinances banning the carry of firearms. Bouchard contends that the bill doesn’t relate to someone’s behavior while possessing a firearm.
“What I’m talking about here is the Gillette Council that wanted to do a ban on all city property is saying that they don’t like people carrying guns, it has nothing to do with their conduct,” Bouchard says.
On the other hand, Lubnau says he is willing to help work on the bill’s language to get it passed. After the house rejected the bill, Lubnau said in an earlier interview that he approached the bill’s sponsor, House District 35 Rep. Kendell Kroeker (R-Natrona), and said he would be willing to work with Kroeker to craft a piece of legislation that doesn’t have the kind of unintended consequences Lubnau fears currently exist in HB 60.
Meanwhile, Bouchard says the language regarding one of Lubnau’s concerns can be easily fixed.
“There’s two ways you can fix this if you want to look at just ‘any other entity’ as a word,” Bouchard explains. “We can either draft up a definition, which would be the simplest way, or we could just scratch that out in committee.”
During Monday’s debate, however, neither side was able to find agreement on Lunbau’s second concern, language on the bill’s second page which the legislator says removes certain police powers established under W.S. 15-1-103 (a) (xviii).
During a budget session, non-budgetary bills like HB 60 require a two-thirds majority vote to get introduced. The Firearm and Ammunition Regulation bill failed by two votes on Wednesday.
Of the four state representatives from Campbell County, Lubnau was the only one to vote against the Firearm and Ammunition Regulation bill. Gregg Blikre, Norine Kasperik and Sue Wallis all voted in favor of the bill.
Bold Republic with Glenn Woods is Northeast Wyoming’s most popular talk radio show. It airs each weekday from 6:00 am to 10:00 am on News/Talk 1270-AM KIML. Visit Glenn’s website at www.BoldRepublic.com for past archives of his radio program.
