CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Sen. Patrick Rothfuss introduced a bill to the Wyoming Senate on Wednesday, Feb. 12 that could change the way people in Wyoming purchase firearms.
SF 80 would require a three-day waiting period between the date of purchase of a handgun and the date of delivery. Any firearms dealer who violates this could be charged with a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail and/or a $750 fine. A firearms dealer is considered anyone who holds a federal firearms license.
A handgun would be considered a firearm designed to be operated with one hand, including pistols, derringers or revolvers.
“This bill is about suicide in the state of Wyoming, this is about trying to find and identify solutions for our people,” Rothfuss told his fellow senators on Wednesday morning. “We have the third highest suicide rate in the country. In the 10 years I’ve been serving in the Legislature, Wyoming has been one of the top ranking states in suicide for the whole time. There’s been very little action has been taken to address that. We look to mental health as a key factor, but we haven’t made significant progress.”
Rothfuss added that some special guests from Laramie High School who were a part of the March for Our Lives movement helped with the bill. He described the bill as simple and straightforward and although it wasn’t intended to be a total solution, it was intended to be a step forward with suicide prevention.
Rothfuss and Reps. Cathy Connolly and Dan Furphy co-sponsored the bill.
“This is not about trying to take anyone’s guns away or prevent anyone from having a firearm,” Rothfuss said. “It’s to prevent circumstances where someone wants to end it all. It might save a life, which is the bill’s intent.”
The Senate almost unanimously voted down the bill, with only two senators, including Rothfuss, voting “aye” on it and the other 27 voting “no” on the bill.
