Once upon a time this would have been a joke.

From Yahoo! News:

Wyoming legislator David Miller introduces 'doomsday' bill

Wyoming Republican state legislator David Miller has introduced a bill to prepare his state for a doomsday scenario in which the nation's economy and social structure completely collapse.

"Things happen quickly sometimes — look at Libya, look at Egypt, look at those situations," Miller told the Star-Tribune. "We wouldn't have time to meet as a legislature or even in a special session to do anything to respond."

Miller's bill seeks to create a state-run continuity force that would study and prepare Wyoming for potential national or worldwide catastrophes. One specific component of the bill calls for the state to look into the possibility of issuing its own currency in the event the U.S. dollar collapses.

"If we continue down this course, this is the way any society ends up — with a valueless currency," Miller told the Star-Tribune.

Miller's original bill would have appropriated $32,000 for the task force, but the state's Joint Appropriations Committee has already cut the number in half. Six other states have attempted a similar currency creation effort in recent years — and all have failed. While Miller's bill may sound a bit extreme, there have been genuine concerns about the devaluation of U.S. currency in recent years. Last year, the International Monetary Fund predicted that China's economy would overtake that of the U.S. in five years.

But there have been accusations that certain businesses are preying on fears of economic insecurity by plugging cash for gold programs, resulting in individuals selling their precious metals for less than market value.

The Star-Tribune notes that Wyoming's Department of Homeland Security already has a statewide crisis management plan, but it does not include the so-called doomsday scenario. Miller's bill calls for coordination between Wyoming's Homeland Security along with the state attorney general and National Guard adjutant general.

The doomsday bill is sure to inspire criticism and even ridicule from some corners, but Miller says his priority is Wyoming. "I don't represent people in Illinois or New Jersey," he said. "I represent people in Wyoming. And I want them to be protected from any catastrophic events that may beset the rest of the country."