Leo Wolfson
Leo Wolfson is the State Government and Politics Reporter for Cowboy State Daily and is based in Cheyenne. He is responsible for covering Wyoming politics on a federal and statewide level.
Leo led Cowboy State Daily's coverage of the 2022 Wyoming primary election, including the highly contentious race between former congresswoman Liz Cheney and her successor U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman. He also managed CSD's coverage of the 2023 State Legislature, which was by far the most extensive and timely media coverage of a legislative session in the state's history.
Before joining Cowboy State Daily, Leo was a general assignment reporter for the Cody Enterprise Newspaper in Cody from 2018-2022. Prior to that, he reported for a suburban newspaper outside Denver.
Latest from Leo Wolfson
Wyoming Legislators OK First Per Diem Rate Increase Since 2005
A joint conference committee of the Wyoming Legislature voted Friday to support increasing the per diem rate paid to state lawmakers and other officials citing concerns that people may be dissuaded from public service because they may fear it would be a financial drain.
Leo WolfsonFebruary 24, 2023
Bouchard Calls For House Speaker To Be Censured For Inaction On Child Sex Change Bill
State Sen. Anthony Bouchard is outraged that his bill to forbid doctors from performing gender-change treatments on children has been subjugated to the bottom of the Speaker of the Houses drawer with a do not pass recommendation from the House Appropriations Committee.
Leo WolfsonFebruary 24, 2023
988 Suicide Trust Fund Established; Now All It Needs Is Money
Gov. Mark Gordon signed a raft of 2023 bills into law Thursday, including House Bill 65, which establishes two 988 suicide call centers that, at the time of the bill signing, has no funding.
Leo WolfsonFebruary 24, 2023
Crossover Voting Continues To Cause Contention With Wyoming Lawmakers
Resurrected after failing in a committee, an effort to get rid of crossover voting for Wyoming primary elections is close to landing on Gov. Mark Gordons desk. But that hasnt stopped heated debate with supporters saying it protects the integrity of political parties and opponents claiming its outright corruption.
Leo WolfsonFebruary 23, 2023
Workers Lobby Against Bill, Say Wyoming Has Legacy Of Being Anti-Union
Despite passionate testimony from nearly two dozen construction workers and plumbers, Wyoming state lawmakers advanced a bill Wednesday that would prohibit government entities from bidding union-specific projects.
Leo WolfsonFebruary 23, 2023
Jackson Democrat Says If You Vote Against Per Diem Hike, You Shouldn’t Get It
Rep. Mike Yin, D-Jackson, pushed through an amendment to a bill that would raise the per diem for state legislators. His amendment would make it so those who voted against it, would not get the per diem increase.
Leo WolfsonFebruary 22, 2023
Wyoming High Schoolers Lobby Legislature for Medicaid Extension
Passionate testimony provided by a pair of Cheyenne high school speech and debate students was the highlight of committee testimony Wednesday as lawmakers considered expanding Medicaid postpartum coverage.
Leo WolfsonFebruary 22, 2023
Wyoming Legislature Divides Along Conservative Battle Lines
As it grows in numbers, influence and organization, the Wyoming Freedom Caucus is advising its members daily how to vote on dozens of bills considered by the Wyoming Legislature. Some say thats politics as usual, others that its created a lockstep faction that favors its platform over individual lawmakers.
Leo WolfsonFebruary 22, 2023
House Passes Bill Giving State Agencies Blank Check To Pay Moving Expenses For New Employees
Showing nobodys immune to a nationwide hiring squeeze, the Wyoming Legislature on Tuesday advanced a bill allowing state agency heads carte blanche in paying moving expenses for new hires.
Leo WolfsonFebruary 21, 2023
Bagpipers Perform On Behalf Of First Responders, Get Standing Ovation From Wyoming Legislature
Before members of the 67th Wyoming Legislature could fill the state Capitol chambers with the hustle and bustle of political babble, the sound of Scottish bagpipes resonated through the halls.Â
Leo WolfsonFebruary 18, 2023
Wyoming Legislator Says He Was Threatened To Be Removed From Committee Over ‘No’ Vote
A question of how loyal Wyoming legislators should be to their assigned committees vs. voting their conscience came to a head this past week when Joint Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Art Washut called out Rep. Mark Jennings for voting against a bill the committee sponsored. Jennings said he was threatened to be removed over his no vote.
Leo WolfsonFebruary 18, 2023
Legislature Signs Off On $1.8 Billion Budget Package, Including $1.4 Billion In Savings
Having experienced plenty of rainy days in recent years, Wyoming legislators are saving for when the states economy storms again, socking away $1.4 billion into savings in the 2023 supplemental budget, which passed the Legislature on Thursday.
Leo WolfsonFebruary 17, 2023
Resurrected Bill To End Crossover Voting Still Alive, Advances To Senate Floor
Voters changing parties on primary election day closer to being history as Wyoming lawmakers on Thursday advanced a bill to end the practice. House Bill 103 had been dead until it was resurrected through a rarely used rule.
Leo WolfsonFebruary 17, 2023
Bill Would Honor Former Gov. Who Fought McCarthyism, Wanted To Kick Japanese Americans Out Of Wyoming
Despite a less-than-ideal track record in the eyes of history, state Sen. Cale Case says Lester Hunt deserves official recognition for a career of public service as a former Wyoming secretary of state, governor and U.S. senator.
Leo WolfsonFebruary 16, 2023
Drug Court Oversight, Money For Coal Lawsuits Among First Bills To Get Gordon’s Signature
The first bills to work through the Wyoming Legislature this session were signed by Gov. Mark Gordon on Wednesday in a ceremony at the Capitol in Cheyenne.
Leo WolfsonFebruary 16, 2023
After Stripped Of Funding, Expiration Date Put On Wyoming Suicide Call Centers Bill
A bill originally intended to support Wyomings suicide call centers in perpetuity with a dedicated trust fund has been amended to do almost the opposite.
Leo WolfsonFebruary 15, 2023
Harriet Hageman Endorses Trump For President In 2024
Congresswoman Harriet Hageman on Wednesday announced she is endorsing former President Donald Trump in his 2024 presidential campaign.
Leo WolfsonFebruary 15, 2023
Gordon To Sign First Bills Of 2023 Legislative Session Into Law On Wednesday
Now in the second month of the Wyoming Legislature's 2023 session, Gov. Mark Gordon is expected Wednesday to sign the first three bills that have so far made it to his desk.
Leo WolfsonFebruary 15, 2023
Back From The Dead: Wyoming Senate Resurrects Effort To Stop Crossover Voting
A bill that would make it illegal for voters to change party affiliation after candidates announce theyre running for office had been killed by the Wyoming Legislature. But the state Senate revived it Tuesday.
Leo WolfsonFebruary 15, 2023
Gay Straight Alliance Students Lobby Against Trans Bills At Wyoming Capitol
High school students from around Wyoming were at the Wyoming Capitol in Cheyenne trying to sway opinions on legislation dealing with LGBTQ issues, saying theres not much equality in The Equality State these days.
Leo WolfsonFebruary 14, 2023
Bill To Pay Wyoming Lawmakers More For Travel, Food Advances
Senate File 61, which would give state lawmakers their first per diem raise since 2005, moves forward with a 6-3 vote from the House Revenue Committee on Tuesday.
Leo WolfsonFebruary 14, 2023