For a long time, the Wyoming Legislature had a reputation for pragmatism. The lawmakers who inhabited it tended to be largely conservative, but they focused more on solving practical issues and less on fighting ideological battles that have little actual impact in Wyoming. Yes, there were always a few who sought to push polarizing bills that weren’t needed — a Casper lawmaker sought a ban on sharia law some years back — but leadership usually batted down such time wasters.

That’s changed over the past few years. The Legislature has pulled farther to the right, to be sure, but the re...