House Tries, Fails To Override Gordon Veto: Governments Can Still Deduct Union Dues

Despite a gentle insistence by the bill’s sponsor that real, local people see its value, the Wyoming House of Representatives on Wednesday declined to override Gov. Mark Gordon’s veto of a bill that sought to ban government entities from collecting union dues.

Sponsored by Rep. JD Williams, R-Lusk, House Bill 178 sought to block Wyoming public entities, excluding public safety agencies, from collecting dues for labor groups, political action committees and organizations; and political candidates and committees.

It still would have allowed people to pay dues to those groups on their own.

The state House convened Wednesday in an attempt to override Gordon’s vetoes on this and other bills.

It failed to reach the two-thirds majority vote required for a veto, ending with a 36-21 vote and five excused.

“Over the weekend there have been many loud voices. During this discussion, there’s been many loud voices this whole session,” began Williams, in urging the House to vote for the override. “If you get enough directors and executive directors, and directors of governmental affairs involved, it kind of turns into a serenade. Not so much different that one sometimes we hear on a full moon when we step out on a porch.”

The reference to coyotes howling beyond a Wyoming porch – and to governmental directors – follows Gordon’s sharp criticisms of the bill and what the governor called over-involvement by out-of-state entities primed to feed “fat cats.”

Williams said he wasn’t discounting the voices from any political groups, adding, “we need to hear from them.”

“But I’d like to speak real briefly about some voices that I’ve been hearing,” he said. “And those are the quiet voices. And they’re the voices that have persuaded me that I’m on the right track here.”

He said he’s received personal emails, notes, and conversations from people in his district who have thanked him and told him their stories.

“Some speak up in the meeting, and some wait until after the meeting – and look both ways before they tell their story,” said Williams.

Williams declined in a follow-up text to Cowboy State Daily, to elaborate on the personal stories to which he alluded on the floor.

Instead he parried with the Ralph Waldo Emerson quote, “Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.”

He also confirmed the reference to coyotes’ songs wasn’t meant “in a bad way.”

What A Fireworks Show

Williams’ bill became the topic of statewide controversy as an anti-union group, the Freedom Foundation, and a libertarian-leaning group, Americans for Prosperity, advocated in its favor – and the Wyoming Education Association and other union-like groups advocated against it.

Williams told Cowboy State Daily on Tuesday when Gordon vetoed HB 178 that he, Williams, didn’t sponsor the bill at the behest of any groups – “but, they definitely got involved.” 

The bill would have banned governmental entities from deducting union and political group dues on public employees’ behalf.

Public sector workers could still have paid union dues on their own.

Public safety agencies were excluded from the ban. Violators would have faced a misdemeanor penalty.

The bill’s proponents said it’s clearly inappropriate to have governmental agencies performing those deductions and dues gatherings. Some also voiced theories that public employees are likelier to be coerced into joining unions if their employer is collecting the dues.

Opponents of the bill said it’s cumbersome to disallow dues deductions for some groups and not for others, and the bill would compound rather than minimize government waste.

While Williams was reticent about some of the accounts buoying the bill, Rep. Ocean Andrew, R-Laramie, was less so.

He told Cowboy State Daily in a Feb. 20 text message – shortly after the bill’s first in-session committee hearing – that after serving on the House Education Committee for six years, he’s heard from teachers asking to speak with him in confidence about their concerns “because they feel uncomfortable going public and worry about potential repercussions if their views differ from district leadership or the associations that represent them.”

Andrew said that when dues are deducted from one’s paycheck at work, some employees perceive that their lack of participation is visible.

“In an environment where people don’t feel comfortable attaching their name to concerns, I don’t feel that’s appropriate,” said Andrew at the time.

Roll Call

After Williams’ speech to the House on Wednesday, no other representatives debated the bill.

Those voting in favor of the override were all Republicans, Reps. Bill Allemand (Midwest), Ocean Andrew (Laramie), Abby Angelos (Gillette), Dalton Banks (Cowley), John Bear (Gillette), Marlene Brady (Green River), Gary Brown (Cheyenne), Laurie Bratten (Sheridan), Kevin Campbell (Glenrock), Justin Fornstrom (Pine Bluffs), Rob Geringer (Cheyenne), Joel Guggenmos (Riverton), Jeremy Haroldson (Wheatland), Scott Heiner (Green River), Paul Hoeft (Powell), Steve Johnson (Cheyenne), Chris Knapp (Gillette), Jayme Lien (Casper), Ann Lucas (Cheyenne), Tony Locke (Casper), Darin McCann (Rock Springs), Pepper Ottman (Riverton), JR Riggins (Casper), Rachel Rodriguez-Williams (Cody), Scott Smith (Lingle), Tomi Strock (Douglas), Reuben Tarver (Gillette), Art Washut (Casper), Jacob Wasserburger (Cheyenne), Nina Webber (Cody), Williams, Joe Webb (Lyman), Robert Wharff (Evanston), John Winter (Thermopolis) and House Speaker Chip Neiman (Hulett).

Those voting against the override were Republican Reps. Landon Brown (Cheyenne), Andrew Byron (Jackson), Elissa Campbell (Casper), Ken Clouston (Gillette), Marilyn Connolly (Buffalo), McKay Erickson (Afton), Lee Filer (Cheyenne), Julie Jarvis (Casper), Lloyd Larsen (Lander), JT Larson (Rock Springs), Martha Lawley (Worland), Bob Nicholas (Cheyenne), Daniel Singh (Cheyenne), Clarence Styvar (Cheyenne) and Cody Wylie (Rock Springs).

All six house Democrats also voted against the bill: Reps. Ken Chestek (Laramie), Ivan Posey (Fort Washakie), Karlee Provenza (Laramie), Trey Sherwood (Laramie), Liz Storer (Jackson) and Mike Yin (Jackson).

Those marked excused were Republican Reps. Bob Davis (Baggs), Steve Harshman (Casper), Tom Kelly (Sheridan), Mike Schmid (LaBarge) and Pam Thayer (Rawlins).

Without a two-thirds override from the House, the Senate will not hear the override motion on the bill.

Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.