Northern Wyoming News - Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years

WORLAND —After 14 years in the Wyoming State Legislature, Rep. Elaine Harvey (R-Lovell) will be retiring at the end of this year.

“It’s not intended to be a life sentence,” she joked when interviewed Tuesday afternoon. “Counting the years I lobbied, it’s been 17 years, 14 in the Legislature.”

Harvey said she felt it was time to take a step back and “be a wife for a bit.”

She added, “It’s been a good run, I’ve really appreciated it. I’ve made friends that you really couldn’t make any other way. The people, I think was one of the attractions for running in the first place. I have so much respect for my colleagues and the things they’ve taught me and things I’ve been able to share with them. It’s good work.”

Harvey has served her entire Legislature career on the Labor, Health and Social Services, including chairing last two terms.

“I’ve got a wonderful committee and feel very confident that the work that I held dear, that those issues are going to be attended to,” Harvey said.

Harvey said when she was first elected, “I knew I didn’t know everything. Any time you are running that’s something you have to realize. I’ve learned so many topics from different people and people who have had different experiences in their lives and who have studied different issues.

“Really the Labor, Health and Social Services Committee has been the most gratifying for me. I just appreciate the people who take those issues on, they’re not easy. especially right now.”

Harvey is not retired yet, however. When contacted Tuesday Harvey was traveling to Cheyenne to meet with department heads in the Department of Health to talk about priorities with the state in “budget-cutting mode” after the governor requested an additional 8 percent cuts for the 2017 supplemental budget.

She said, “Some programs are really great, and some are absolutely necessary. Sometimes great programs need to take a break for the programs that are necessary.”