COVID-19 business relief programs.

Wyoming's HB 1004 creates a temporary business relief program using federal CARES Act funds to support small businesses impacted by pandemic-related closures. It provides $15,000 base payments plus $2,000 per full-time employee (or equivalent) to eligible businesses that were mandated to close by state orders starting March 15, 2020. To qualify, businesses must have been independently owned, headquartered in Wyoming, and employed 50 or fewer full-time workers as of March 31, 2020. The program requires businesses to apply and certify actual losses due to mandated closures, with payments administered by the Wyoming Business Council.