By Karla Pomeroy
Boomerang Staff Writer
Surprised and disappointed is how Rep. Jane Warren, D-Laramie, described her reaction to her hazing bill (HB 54) going down in defeat at the hands of the Senate on Feb. 8.
She said the bill went through the House with little resistance, and she did not hear about any concerns as the bill went to the Senate. While she wasn’t on the Senate floor to hear the debate, Warren said she understands a senator made the comment that “we really don’t need to do this†and the idea snowballed. The Senate narrowly defeated it on Committee of the Whole, 13 to 15, with two senators excused.
Warren said she heard on the news a few days later about a hazing event in another state and said it’s disappointing the bill did not pass, adding that sometimes there has to be a local event in order to get something done. She said she was trying to be proactive with the hazing prohibition bill. She said it was also disappointing since university students helped work on the bill.
Warren, on recess from the Legislature on Monday for President’s Day, said in a telephone interview that if she decides to bring the bill back in a future session, she will first talk to the senators who voted against the bill and find out what their concerns were about the legislation.
