By Bob Beck

By Peter O'Dowd

By AP

Cheyenne, WY – A bill that would make it easier to strip driving privileges from parents who fail to make child support payments has received preliminary approval in the House.

Rep. Mary Throne of Cheyenne is the main sponsor of the bill. It would apply to parents who fall more than 5-thousand dollars behind in their required child support payments and who haven't made a payment in 90 days.

By AP

Washington, DC – U.S. Rep. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming voted against the $819 billion stimulus bill backed by President Barack Obama, calling it a "bridge to bankruptcy."

The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives passed the measure 244-188 Wednesday, with Republicans unanimous in opposition.

By Bob Beck

Cheyenne, Wyo. – Wyoming has taken the first step to join several other states that have banned discretionary clauses in a health insurance contract.

The state Senate passed a bill that imposes a ban by a 26-4 vote. Discretionary clauses give an insurance company the power to determine whether someone is eligible for insurance benefits when a claim is filed.

By Renny MacKay

Laramie, WYo. – Almost all figures point to a ten- to 15-percent drop off from last year for Teton County. That goes for air travelers and occupancy rates in area hotels and condos. The executive director of the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce, Tim O'Donoghue, says it is the slowest he's seen during the decade he's lived in the community.

By AP

Cheyenne, Wyo – Wyoming drivers would be prohibited from sending text messages while behind the wheel under a bill that received preliminary approval in the Senate.

However, the Senate voted not to approve a parallel bill that would have prohibited beginning drivers from talking on cell phones.

Sen. Floyd Esquibel, D-Cheyenne, sponsored both bills. He says recent studies have shown that drivers who are talking on a cell phone show the same types of bad driving behavior as people who are impaired by alcohol.

By AP

Cheyenne, WYo. – Weather conditions have improved in southeast Wyoming although gusty winds continue to hamper travelers with blowing snow.

The National Weather Service says winds have slowly died down and conditions will continue to improve. For much of the day Wednesday, long stretches of Interstates 80
and 25 as well as other highways in the area were closed because of blowing snow and poor visibility from winds gusting up to 60 mph.

Both interstate routes were opened Wednesday afternoon.

By Bob Beck

Cheyenne, Wyo. – A bill that allows for an independent review when an insurance company denies a claim for a medical procedure is being discussed in the Wyoming Senate.

Senator Tony Ross says the bill will not allow insurance companies to just simply deny procedures that they decide are too costly, but at the same time he hopes it will also prevent unnecessary care from being required.

Senator Charlie Scott of Casper cited studies that contend that 60 percent of medical costs are not necessary.

Cheyenne, Wyo. – A bill that would have allowed the state to regulate the amount of water discharged from coal-bed methane wells has died in committee.

The House Agricultural, State and Public Lands and Water Resources Committee voted unanimously to defeat House Bill 14. The bill would have limited CBM water discharge to the natural capacity of streambeds and other drainages.

Committee members say they voted against the bill after hearing that flooding from CBM wells has decreased in recent years.