Domestic violence measure fails

CHEYENNE -- Lawmakers on Friday scrapped a bill that would have increased penalties for domestic violence.

A joint House and Senate conference committee had agreed Thursday to a House amendment that would have required that suspects arrested for domestic violence be held in jail for a week.

However, Senate committee members backed out of signing the conference committee report on Friday morning, the last day of the legislative session.

House Bill 43 would have increased fines, jail time, and probation periods for people convicted of domestic violence.

Sen. Bob Fecht, R-Cheyenne, sponsored the bill and was on the conference committee. He said senators discovered that the Wyoming Supreme Court previously had ruled that a suspect held in jail needed to have a hearing within 72 hours of arrest.

Fecht said the seven-day hold would have violated the Supreme Court ruling.

Rep. Mary Throne, D-Cheyenne, said there was no way to salvage any part of the bill since the House was adamant about the seven-day hold. Throne said she expects the bill will be resurrected next year.

Legislators pass tax breaks

CHEYENNE -- Wyoming legislators passed two bills to give tax breaks to more low-income families, disabled people, and people over the age of 65.

House Bill 92 would allow more low-income people to qualify for property tax refunds under an existing tax refund program. The bill gives tax refunds to people who have lived in the state for five years or more who have household incomes less than two-thirds of their county's average annual household income.

House Bill 151 would qualify more disabled people and low-income senior citizens for tax relief on fuel, purchases, and property.

Legislators say it's unclear how much effect the bills would have on state tax revenue since it is unknown how many people will end up qualifying and applying for the relief.

The governor has 15 days to act on the bills.

Post-conviction DNA bill passes

CHEYENNE -- The Legislature passed a bill Friday to allow inmates to apply for DNA tests to try to prove their innocence.

If approved by Gov. Dave Freudenthal, Senate File 65 would give some inmates the opportunity to be exonerated by taking a post-conviction DNA test.

A joint House and Senate conference committee agreed to bill amendments that would refer inmate applications for DNA tests to the state attorney general.

The bill bars new tests for inmates whose cases were decided after January 2000 who declined to provide DNA evidence at trial.

Measure adds sign language

CHEYENNE -- A bill that would allow for American Sign Language to be considered as a foreign language under the curriculum outlined in the Hathaway Scholarship Program passed the Legislature Thursday.

The House and Senate agreed to an amendment that would require an additional physical science class to qualify for the scholarship program, but postponed the change to July 1, 2009.

Under Senate File 71, an education committee will review the increase in required classes for a year before it would go into effect.

The bill will go to the governor for his signature next.