Wyoming Governor Matt Mead says the state legislature was clearly within it's rights under the Wyoming Constitution when it removed State Superintendent Cindy Hill from oversight of the state Department of Education recently.

Mead says the state constitution, while calling for the election of the Superintendent as well as state Auditor and Treasurer, also says the legislature will define their duties and responsibilities.Mead says a seperate section of the constitution dealing only with the Superintendent gives that office general supervision over education, but again reiterates that the duties and responsibilities of the office will be defined by the legislature.

Mead also says this isn't the first time the legislature has re-defined the duties of a state officeholder, saying it was also done in the 1980's in regard to the office of state auditor. Mead signed the bill stripping Hill of oversight of the state Department of Education into law earlier this year, naming Jim Rose as interim Director of the department while the state searches for a permanent leader for that department.

Hill has filed a lawsuit against the legislation and accuses lawmakers and the governor of circumventing the ''will of the people" with the move. She also recently became the first announced candidate for Governor of Wyoming in 2014, citing the legislation as a major reason for her candidacy.

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