Leg committee assignments announced

Weston County is well represented in terms of agriculture in the  67th Wyoming Legislature this year as both Sen. Cheri Steinmetz, R-Lingle, and Rep. Allen Slagle, R-Newcastle, will serve on agriculture committees on their respective sides of the State Capitol, according to a Dec. 2 release from the Legislative Service Office. 

As previously reported in the Dec. 1 story “Weston wields legislative power,” Weston County legislators will occupy leadership spots in both the Wyoming House of Representatives and Wyoming Senate after Sen. Ogden Driskill, R-Devils Tower, was elected Senate president and Rep. Chip Neiman, R-Hulett, was elected majority floor leader for the Legislature’s 67th session by the Republican caucus on Nov. 19. 

Both will assume their new positions on Jan. 10, the start of the legislative session. They will be sworn in beginning at noon, according to the press release. 

While Neiman’s role was made official by the caucus vote, Driskill will be referred to as president-elect until the entire Wyoming Senate holds a formal vote before the swearing-in.

Appointed by Driskill, Steinmetz will serve as chairwoman of the Senate’s agriculture committee. Serving on the committee with her are Sens. Tim French, R-Powell; Larry Hicks, R-Baggs; Bob Ide, R-Casper; and John Kolb, R-Rock Springs. 

Steinmetz will also serve alongside Chairman Charles Scott, R-Casper, and Sens. Bo Biteman, R-Ranchester; Evie Brennan, R-Cheyenne, and Chris Rothfuss, D-Laramie, on the Senate’s education committee. 

On the House side of the Legislature, Slagle will serve on the Agriculture, State and Public Lands and Water Resources committee with Chairman John Eklund, R-Cheyenne; and Reps. Bill Allemand, R-Midwest; Lane Allred, R-Afton; Dalton Banks, R-Cowley; Jon Conrad, R-Mountain View; Barry Crago, R-Buffalo; Bob Davis, R-Baggs; and John Winter, R-Thermopolis.