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Bernadine L. Craft, Democrat from Rock Springs, is seeking a
second term as the representative for House District 17 in
the Wyoming House of Representatives. She stated, "I have a
great love for my hometown of Rock Springs. I have been proud
to represent House District 17; I would hope to continue efforts
to help effect positive change in so many areas critical to our
continued positive growth and development in this time of rapid
change. I most certainly do not take that position lightly, and
understand the tremendous responsibility as the voice of my constituency.
I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible during the campaign,
in hopes of hearing additional concerns and identifying additional issues.
I have considered it the ultimate privilege to be afforded the opportunity
to give back to my home town some small measure of everything it has given
me over so many years; I would hope to continue to be allowed to do so."
Craft, a Rock Springs native and the Executive Director of Sweetwater BOCES, served in the legislature for the
2007 General Session and the 2008 Budget Session. She serves on the Joint Education Committee as well as the
Joint Committee on Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources. Additionally, she was appointed as
the only member from the House of Representatives to serve on the newly formed P-16 Education Council, which
includes educators from all levels, as well as representatives from business and industry statewide. The
purpose of the Council is to address articulation/transition issues between educational levels and the
workplace, as well as workforce development issues. She was further appointed to the Bridges/Summer School
Design Team, charged with working with school districts statewide in developing after school, summer and
enrichment programs for all students. An additional appointment was to the Select Committee for
Developmental Programs, which was charged with reviewing policies and procedures for programs for the
developmentally disabled on a statewide basis. She was also appointed to the Education Committee for
the Western Region of the Council of State Governments; she is an alternate to the Education Committee
for the National Council of State Governments. She serves as the lay appointment to the Wyoming
Judicial Code of Conduct Review Committee.
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Support Bernadine Craft in her campaign for a seat in the Wyoming Legislature as she
runs against Clark Stith! |
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Craft’s sponsored or co-sponsored legislation has included providing monies from Abandoned Mine
Lands funds to be used for Phase I of the Bitter Creek clean-up project in Rock Springs, amendments
to the Hathaway Success Curriculum, providing salary increases for community college employees
that would allow them to be competitive with public schools, adding school district professionals
to the Wyoming Employee Assistance Program, restoring state funding for the school lunch program
and online instructional programs, enacting penalties for animal cruelty (Wyoming was the last
state to enact such legislation), implementing a “Reverse 911” Emergency Calling System, making
changes to the composition of the Miner’s Hospital Board, and providing grant opportunities for
program development in distance learning programs. Through her work on the Education Committee,
she presented on the House floor committee bills that provided for the construction of three
new school facilities projects in School District #1, summer school programs, and additional
support for school Instructional Facilitators.
Craft cites her counseling and communications background as preparing her well for working under
the principles of cooperative decision making and consensus building. She further feels it has taught
her the listening skills necessary to achieve the delicate balance of working in the best interests
of one’s constituency, while keeping in mind the importance of being well versed on all aspects of a
particular subject.
A few of Craft's endorsements are the Wyoming Education Association, the United Transportation
Union and the Association of Realtors. Dr. Craft states that major issues for her continue
to be to maintain the quality of education for all students through adequate funding and support;
adequate funding and support services for the developmentally disabled; mental health and substance
abuse treatment issues; senior citizen issues, including assisted living facility construction in
Sweetwater County; lack of affordable health care; lack of quality child care; economic diversification;
workforce development, housing and infrastructure needs; and wildlife and public lands. Concerns that,
if elected, she would hope to address in the upcoming legislative session would include creatively
addressing the issue of property tax relief. "It's frustrating when legislation concerning this
issue is introduced, only to die in the Revenue Committee without the chance to be debated and
discussed on the House floor." An additional frustration is the revenue invested in the Permanent
Mineral Trust Fund, which is rapidly approaching $10 billion and is considered the "rainy day fund."
While acknowledging the importance of saving a portion of our state resources during this time
of prosperity, she further stated that the rainy day has arrived in Sweetwater County.
Suffering from the very real issues of an impacted area, issues such as the funding formula
for cities, towns and counties, transportation, and reimbursing the cities for revenues lost
through the elimination of the food tax must be addressed. Some of the legislation she is
currently addressing, in addition to committee work, involves DUI penalties, school attendance
and assessment policies, and winter highway safety.
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