CHEYENNE -- Cale Case must be wondering if this is the year his colleagues in the Wyoming Legislature finally see the light. Or the dark, perhaps.

In the past few legislative sessions, Case has sponsored an "outdoor lighting," or "dark skies," bill that would authorize local governments to set standards on lights in an effort to reduce light pollution. His bill has never made it through the Legislature.

This year, such a bill, Senate File 49 , is being sponsored by the Joint Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Interim Committee, which may give it the political clout it needs to find its way to the governor's desk.

The Senate corporations committee took testimony on the bill Tuesday and voted 4-1 to send it to the full Senate with a favorable recommendation.

Also Tuesday, the panel voted 5-0 in favor of SF 48 , a related bill that would require electric companies to offer to customers lighting fixtures that help maintain dark skies at a price that is not subsidized by other parts of the companies' business.

The committee delayed action until Thursday on a third bill, SF 32 , which would require candidates to file campaign finance reports with election officials prior to elections. Wyoming is the only state that does not require filings until after elections.

The bulk of the panel's time Tuesday morning was devoted to testimony and discussion on SF 49 , titled "Outdoor lighting."

Sen. Charles Scott, R-Casper, expressed his concern that light pollution and light trespass were "vague terms" and not defined in the bill, but two amendments he offered to change the wording failed.

Chairman Sen. Curt Meier, R-LaGrange, wanted to remove a part of the bill that authorized counties to craft light pollution control standards, arguing that "when we get out in the country, the folks out there like their freedoms, and they like their lights." His amendment failed.

Wyoming Association Municipalities Director George Parks said his group had no objection to the bill, but he reasserted his group's position that municipalities already have the authority to enact dark skies standards, while counties would require specific authorization from the Legislature.

Despite his concerns, Scott voted in favor of the bill, while Meier was the only committee member who opposed it.