Wyoming’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill a close copy of a law passed in Florida last year. In Florida, failed in the Wyoming House this session, having missed a key deadline Friday evening.

Wyoming Public Media: Senate File 117 would have prohibited elementary school teachers from discussing sexual orientation or gender identity in the classroom. It also would have required school districts to tell parents about any change in their child’s emotional or mental health — a provision that could force schools to out gay and trans students who have come out at school but not at home. The bill made it all the way through the Senate and was sent to the House of Representatives. But House Speaker Albert Sommers (R-Pinedale) never assigned it to a committee. So the bill died last week when it missed the deadline to be heard by a committee.

Sommers said in a statement he believes the bill was unconstitutional and that it would have stripped schools and communities of local control.

“Fundamentally, I believe in local control, I’ve always fought — regardless of what really the issue is — against taking authority away from local school boards, town councils, county commissions. And in my view, that’s what this bill does.”

 Only one bill banning trans women from participating in high school sports is still being considered.