Controversial Gun Bills Appear Stalled in Wyoming State Senate

It appears Wyoming lawmakers will not take action on two contentious gun bills this session. One of the bills, the “Firearm Protection Act,” would have made it illegal for federal authorities to enforce any potential firearm ban within the state’s borders. As it was originally written, the bill would have authorized local authorities to arrest federal officers who attempted to seize any weapons tied to proposed federal laws designed to prohibit assault-style weapons or large-capacity ammunition magazines.

A State Senate committee removed that language, amending the bill so that local law enforcement officers could not arrest federal officials, changing it with a proposal that said police and sheriff’s deputies would not “assist” federal officials involved in such an investigation. Supporters of the amendment felt the original bill would not stand up to Constitutional muster.

The bill failed to make it to the Senate floor Friday, which was the deadline for action, essentially killing the proposal for this session. Another bill that the Senate failed to act on would have prohibited cities and towns from enacting any gun ordinances that were more restrictive than current state laws.