CHEYENNE—The first day of the 68th Wyoming Legislature’s general session got off to an emotional start Tuesday, punctuated by moments of religious declaration, as the Wyoming Freedom Caucus officially took control of the state’s House of Representatives. During the legislative session, it’s typical to see lawmakers begin with the Pledge of Allegiance and a formal prayer. But on Tuesday, several lawmakers made their own statements of faith, citing Bible verses and offering prayers during an intimate swearing-in ceremony, as well as in speeches on the House and Senate floors. Before the general session convened at noon, a small group of freshman lawmakers ideologically aligned with the Freedom Caucus met in the Capitol’s Historic Supreme Court Room for an intimate swearing-in ceremony. “We’re here because God led us here,” said Rep. Steve Johnson (R-Cheyenne). “I’m incredibly proud to be included in this freshman class of the 68th Legislature.” The ceremony included a few prayers, a Scripture reading and a promise to uphold conservative values. Wyoming Freedom Caucus Chairwoman Rep. Rachel Rodriguez-Williams (R-Cody) joined in welcoming the new legislators, adding it was an emotional day for her. Rep. Rachel Rodriguez-Williams during the 67th Legislature’s 2023 general session. (Megan Lee Johnson/WyoFile) Although the Freedom Caucus contingent grew significantly following the 2024 general election, a few notable members lost their races, including one outspoken member, former Rep. Jeanette Ward of Casper. “(I’m) a little emotional this morning, because there’s been such a change, a drastic change, in this election,” Rodriguez-Williams said. “But I, too, am excited about the growth of the conservative movement. We know that God had a plan. He brought each and every one of you here.” ‘God sees everything’ Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray called the House of Representatives to order at noon Tuesday. A former state lawmaker himself, Gray has previously announced his close working relationship with lawmakers to push forward legislation that he says will tighten Wyoming’s elections. Gray has said he believes such proposals will garner “35 votes at least” from the 62 members in the lower chamber. “We’re in a golden age if we seize this opportunity,” Gray said. “… Never forget that God sees everything. We ask for God’s blessing, His wisdom, His strength and His discernment.” The Wyoming Freedom Caucus, a group of hard-line Republicans, is now officially in control of the House, with its members filling leadership positions. House Speaker Chip Neiman (R-Hulett), a Freedom Caucus member, appeared to hold back tears as he gave his opening speech Tuesday. “I even put a thing in my foot. I was going to step on it, hurt it so bad that I would not be able to get emotional in this time,” Neiman said. Rep. Chip Neiman (R-Hulett) at his ranch on the edge of the Bear Lodge Mountains in December 2022. (Mike Koshmrl/WyoFile) The Wyoming Freedom Caucus grew from a small band of representatives to controlling the House within a few years, and members promised to stay true to the will of their constituents. Neiman remarked on the change in political landscape, both at the state and national levels, with the incoming second Trump administration. “Across this nation, voters made clear that they wanted changes,” Neiman said. “Wyoming voters also sent a strong message this election. … As I take the gavel as Speaker, I want Wyoming voters to know that we listened, and we heard them loud and clear.” The Freedom Caucus met with the media last week to review their “Five and Dime Plan” and “20-20 Vision.” The group hopes to pass a series of bills in line with its conservative goals, including policies targeting transgender people, election reform, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs in higher education and property tax reform. Speaker Pro-Tempore Rep. Jeremy Haroldson (R-Wheatland) quoted Ronald Reagan, saying that government is not a solution to the problem but a problem itself. “The only thing that will bring us out of the time of crisis that we are in is an understanding that more government will never fix the problem (that is) caused by more government,” Haroldson said. In the Senate on Tuesday, as the old guard handed authority over to new leaders, some made their own declarations of religious fervor. Longtime Senate President Ogden Driskill, R-Devils Tower, thanked his colleagues for their support before Sen. Bo Biteman, R-Ranchester, was elected Senate president. Biteman thanked his family and colleagues for putting their trust in him, and newly appointed Senate Vice President Tim Salazar, R-Riverton, invoked God. “On this day, I think of my wife, my son and my Savior,” Salazar said on the Senate floor. Political theater? This legislative session, Wyoming Republican lawmakers are proposing legislation that brings politics into school boards, hampers reproductive health care and targets transgender community members. That’s according to their Democratic counterparts, who argue these bills are all “political theater” and would create more problems, rather than actually solve them. House Minority Floor Leader Mike Yin (D-Jackson) said “it’s pretty clear” there’s a heightened focus on national hot-button issues this legislative session. “Are they solving the problems that we want to solve in the state of Wyoming? Is it making sure that you can find a good job? Is it making sure that you can have a good education?” Yin said. “I don’t think it’s doing any of those things.” During his opening remarks to the House of Representatives, Yin shared his vision for the future of Wyoming, as the 68th Wyoming Legislature started its first day of the planned 37-day general session. “As we gather here today, let us focus on a shared vision for Wyoming, a vision that rises above politics and reflects the hopes of every Wyomingite,” Yin said after the House of Representatives was called to order. “It’s a vision where hard work is met with opportunity, where raising a family is not only possible, but promising, and where future generations can thrive in the communities that we build today.” Wyoming’s eight Democratic lawmakers – two in the Senate and six in the House – met with the media Tuesday afternoon to offer their perspective on the first day. This will be a different kind of legislative session for the Democrats with the Wyoming Freedom Caucus officially in control of the Legislature’s lower chamber. Yin told the media that half of the bills filed in the House fail to move toward the Democratic vision he laid out earlier that day. “Frankly, I think some of them create new problems, more than actually solve problems,” Yin said. Sen. Jared Olsen (R-Cheyenne) filed a bill that would require candidates for school boards – a traditionally nonpartisan position – to declare their party affiliation. Rep. Ken Chestek (D-Laramie) said this bill “goes exactly in the wrong direction.” “The more we try and divide ourselves into tribes, the worse off we’re all going to be,” Chestek said. “We’re going to dislike each other and fight with each other, and that’s not helping anybody, but especially not helping the students.” Senate Minority Whip Chris Rothfuss (D-Laramie) described this legislative session as a “coffee shop” session. “Most of what we’re talking about is great for the coffee shop. It makes people angry. They get their passion up. They can shake their fist at somebody and feel like something good is going to happen as a result of it,” Rothfuss said. “But when you look at the legislation, nothing good is going to come of most of these bills that we’ve been talking about here with you today. They don’t help the people of Wyoming. They don’t solve problems. Most of them are trying to address imagined problems, and it’s largely political theater.” House Minority Whip Karlee Provenza (D-Laramie) added that many of these bills are campaign fodder for the next election season. This was a complaint traditional Republican lawmakers who aren’t aligned with the Freedom Caucus – many of whom lost their reelection bids last year – had about bills from the 2024 budget session. “The point of the manufactured rage is for postcards in the 2026 election,” Provenza said. “That didn’t used to be the way that this institution ran. This institution used to serve the people. It used to be about passing laws and ensuring that we’re protecting the people of Wyoming, not about the political theater that is going to make or break elections.” Provenza added she hopes there is earnest intent behind this legislation, but she also said she wasn’t sure what problems these bills were trying to solve.  The post ‘God led us here’: Religious, emotional first day of Wyoming legislative session appeared first on WyoFile .