The Wyoming House of Representatives on Monday voted to allow the state School Board to consider the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for Wyoming schools.

If approved by the state Senate, the legislation would eliminate a budget footnote passed by the 2014 legislature preventing the board from considering the standards. The house vote Monday was 39-21.

Among the strongest advocates of allowing consideration of the standards was House Speaker Kermit Brown (R-Laramie). He told lawmakers banning the NGSS has the practical effect of banning all discussion of science standards for Wyoming, because he said elements of the NGSS are pervasive in other sets of standards as well. Brown also reminded lawmakers that they will have the final say on the issue, because "we have the checkbook".

Opponents of the NGSS argued they are scientifically flawed and in some cases driven by a political agenda. Rep. Scott Clem  (R-Campbell Co.) said some aspects of the standards include "junk science". Rep David Miller (R-Fremont Co.) linked the standards to remarks made by President Obama in his State of the Union address last week saying "if you really think climate change is the biggest problem we face, vote for this bill".

The proposal now moves on to the Wyoming State Senate.

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