House Education Committee expands, advances anti-drag bill
HB134 takes aim at taxpayer support for “sexually explicit” events, which it defines to include all drag events. It would stop public health funding from reaching the state’s main HIV/AIDS fundraiser.
Laramie’s annual Drag Queen Bingo fundraiser could soon lose its ability to access federal funding through the Wyoming Department of Health.
House Bill 134 aims to prohibit taxpayer funds from going to what it defines as “sexually explicit” events, using a definition that specifically targets drag events.
The House Education Committee unanimously advanced the bill during a hearing this week. While no one appeared in person to oppose the legislation, the organizers of Drag Queen Bingo published a statement shortly before its 9-0 approval.
“Wyoming AIDS Assistance (WAA) stands resolute in its mission to provide critical financial assistance to individuals in Wyoming living with HIV/AIDS,” the statement reads. “Despite recent legislative actions aimed at impeding our efforts, we remain undeterred in our commitment to support the most vulnerable members of our community. Wyoming AIDS Assistance believes everyone deserves access to the resources needed to live a healthy and dignified life.”
The bingo is Wyoming’s main fundraiser for those in Wyoming living with HIV/AIDS. It regularly brings in more than $40,000 a year to help Wyomingites across the state access specialist care — access that often requires residents of far-flung Wyoming towns to travel great distances, racking up food, fuel and lodging tabs on top of the cost of the healthcare itself.
The state health department regularly passes federal funding to the bingo — in amounts that have always totaled less than $3,000 — for HIV prevention messaging and rapid tests made available at the event itself.
Wyoming’s hardline Freedom Caucus took aim at the bingo earlier this year, alleging that these small sums amounted to the state’s endorsement of a “perverted and scandalous event.”
Efforts to craft a committee bill during the interim faltered. But Rep. Joel Guggenmos (HD-55), a freshman lawmaker from Riverton, sponsored House Bill 134 this session with the help of eight co-sponsors, many of them known members or allies of the Freedom Caucus.
“This bill ensures that taxpayer money is not used to support events that some may find inappropriate or offensive, keeping government spending aligned with community standards and values,” Guggenmos told the education committee. “The bill creates accountability and discourages public institutions from financially supporting events that may be considered inappropriate by the majority of the taxpayers.”
HB134 prohibits any government agency, local government body, or educational institution from supporting any “sexually explicit event” with state or federal funding, personnel, facilities or equipment.
As originally written, the bill defined “sexually explicit” as “any show, exhibition or presentation before an audience that lewdly or lasciviously depicts or simulates nudity, sexual conduct, sexual excitement, prosthetic or imitation genitals or breasts.”
The inclusion of “prosthetic or imitation genitals or breasts” marked the bill as one clearly targeting drag events, but this aim was made more explicit with an amendment from the committee adding:
“Sexually explicit event” shall include drag queen events.
The bill would now also prohibit drag queen story hours at public libraries. Whether or not these events receive state or federal funding, they would be making use of government facilities and therefore fall under the dictates of the bill’s amended language.
Guggenmos said this would also prohibit drag queens from “hopping in other venues,” such as sexual education instruction.
Prompted by a member of the education committee, Guggenmos insisted his bill does not infringe on free speech rights.
“I did not want to infringe on freedom of speech or anything of the sort,” he said. “I just wanted to keep taxpayers’ money going towards events that the community as a whole can get behind, and that is not offensive to some.”
In its original attack on the Drag Queen Bingo, the Freedom Caucus said public health funding would be better spent on “evidence-based strategies” for combatting HIV/AIDS.
“The careless use of taxpayer dollars is an insult to those who have suffered and lost their lives to this deadly and serious disease,” states a social media post from an official Wyoming Freedom Caucus account.
But the bingo supports access to evidence-based healthcare and in its more-than-20-year history, it’s demonstrated consistent success as a fundraiser, having raised almost $700,000 since launching in 2002.
“Until the legislature presents a viable solution to address the needs of people in Wyoming living with HIV/AIDS, we will continue to host our events and raise funds in the best way we know how,” the organizers’ statement reads.
It continues:
Our organization has a long history of raising funds through community-driven events. While the Wyoming Legislature, under the influence of the Freedom Caucus, may not agree with our methods or appearance, it is imperative to remember that our primary focus is the well-being of those we serve — their constituents — our friends, and neighbors. The funds we raise directly impact the lives of individuals who rely on us for essential support, including medical care, housing, transportation, and daily necessities.
No lawmaker, Freedom Caucus-aligned or otherwise, has filed any legislation to provide alternative funding for those living with HIV/AIDS.
“We urge those elected to serve Wyoming to consider the real-life consequences of their actions,” reads the Wyoming AIDS Assistance statement. “Rather than attacking citizens engaged in doing good in their community, we demand that you act to find ways to prioritize the health and welfare of your constituents. Until you do this, we remain steadfast in our mission and unwavering in our commitment to those who need us most.”
The bill has been placed on General File and could be considered by the full House chamber today.
Remember, the only 'freedom of speech' that Guggenmos is protecting is his own and the Freeloader Caucus that bought him his seat.