Outside agitators craft some bills for Wyoming Legislature

This article by Ruffin Prevost about outside agitators crafting bills for the Republican-controlled Wyoming Legislature originally appeared in WyoFile but was reprinted yesterday in the Billings Gazette:

Though members of Wyoming's citizen Legislature pride themselves on being closely connected to their constituents, voters might be surprised to learn that some laws proposed and passed in Cheyenne are first shaped by state lawmakers and major corporations during privately funded junkets in Washington, D.C., and elsewhere.

As the 2011 legislative session convenes this week, some watchdog groups -- and at least one legislator -- are calling for better disclosure from lobbyists and greater transparency from groups that seek to influence or propose specific laws.

One of those groups, the national, nonprofit American Legislative Exchange Council, drafts ready-made bills that lawmakers can propose in their home states, with a focus on reducing state regulations and limiting the influence of the federal government.

Read the entire article here.