HB 294 requires Wyoming's Office of State Lands to study specific school trust land parcels near major highways (I-25, I-80, I-90) and the Grand Teton National Park Kelly parcel. The study must evaluate development options - including commercial, residential (including affordable housing), sustainable resource use, and limited gaming - to maximize land value, while preserving the state's royalty interests. The office must solicit proposals from development firms, estimate costs/revenue, and submit a final plan to state committees by November 2019. This is a preparatory study; it does not authorize development but sets the framework for future decisions.
This non-binding resolution expresses Wyoming's support for private companies developing coal-to-carbon products, such as graphene, construction materials, and advanced fibers. It encourages continued investment in this industry to create manufacturing and research jobs across various skill levels. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to share it with federal officials and local governments but does not create new laws or funding. It formally recognizes private sector investment in coal-to-carbon R&D as a key economic opportunity for Wyoming.
SF 87 allows any person to temporarily acquire the use of an existing water right (not new rights) for instream flow purposes - such as maintaining river flow for ecological health - without permanently changing ownership. It requires the state engineer to administer these temporary uses, ensuring they don’t interfere with existing water rights or reduce their value. The temporary right is limited to a specific stream segment, preserves the original water right’s priority date, and lasts no longer than two years. This bill directly affects landowners, environmental groups, or entities seeking short-term water access for river conservation.
SF 123 requires school districts to ensure that entities they fund - such as organizations receiving over 60% of their funding from state sources - comply with public records and meeting laws. School districts cannot use state funds to support entities that fail to meet these requirements, unless funds are only used to achieve compliance. The bill excludes labor unions, teacher professional organizations, and private businesses providing goods/services from these rules. This policy extends existing public transparency laws to entities controlled by school districts, aiming to increase accountability for publicly funded activities.
This bill (SF 166) adjusts Wyoming's school funding formula for the 2019-2020 school year by applying specific inflation-based increases to four categories: professional labor, non-professional labor, educational materials, and energy costs. These adjustments - calculated using Bureau of Labor Statistics indexes - would affect public schools receiving funds through the School Foundation Program (S5 account). It also allocates $15 million from the air service improvement account for commercial air service contracts, pending governor approval. The bill was referred to the Appropriations Committee but died in committee in 2019 without becoming law.
SF 152, the "Transparency in legislative budgeting act," restructures Wyoming's state budget accounts by repealing three specific reserve funds (budget reserve, mineral trust fund reserve, and strategic investments account) and redirecting their funds to the general fund. It requires a 5% reserve from general fund receipts to be maintained in the budget reserve account, mandates that excess general fund funds at the end of each biennium be transferred to this reserve, and changes how withheld funds from community mental health programs are handled. Local governments that fail to submit required financial reports face withheld state distributions, which remain in the budget reserve until compliance is achieved. The bill aims to increase budget transparency by clarifying fund transfers, reserves, and performance-based funding mechanisms for state-supported programs.
SF 130 allocates $1 million from the general fund specifically for school district facility repairs and replacements under Wyoming law, directly affecting public schools in the 2019-2020 school year. The bill also authorizes additional funding for various state capital projects, including health science buildings, performing arts centers, prison repairs, and campus facilities at institutions like Laramie County Community College. All funds are restricted to designated projects with strict usage rules: school funds cannot be redirected and must revert if unspent by June 30, 2020, while other project funds must be used solely for specified construction. The bill outlines detailed budget allocations across multiple state agencies and projects without creating new policy. This is a funding measure, not a policy change, focused on directing existing appropriations for capital construction.
SF 84 redirects mineral extraction tax revenues for fiscal years 2019 and 2020, changing where these funds go. Normally, two-thirds of severance tax collections would fund Wyoming's permanent mineral trust, but this bill requires that amount to instead go to the general state fund during those years. It repeals prior budget rules about redirecting these revenues and takes effect July 1, 2019. The bill directly affects state budget allocations, shifting funds from the mineral trust account to general fund spending.
SF 135 would have removed legal limits on the number of nursing care facility beds that health care providers could add in Wyoming. It repealed specific sections of state law (W.S. 35-2-906(b), (c), (f), and (g)) that previously restricted bed capacity increases. This change would have directly affected nursing care facilities seeking to expand their capacity. The bill died in committee in February 2019 and did not become law.
SF 133 creates a medical assistance buy-in program allowing eligible individuals to purchase coverage similar to Medicaid, with premiums set to cover costs and potentially adjusted by age. It also establishes a prescription drug program for insurers to access pharmacy services at set fees, and requires the Department of Health to conduct outreach about contraceptive services to teens and parents covered under medical assistance or child health insurance programs. The bill mandates seeking federal waivers to operate the buy-in program through the health exchange and requires studies on expanding coverage. It affects low-income residents who don’t qualify for existing Medicaid but can afford a premium, as well as insurers and health providers.
This bill proposes a constitutional amendment to shift responsibility for building school facilities from the state to local school districts, while establishing mandatory state funding to equalize local tax burdens. It requires districts to fund construction primarily through voter-approved bonds, with state aid ensuring that districts with lower property values pay no more in local taxes than the statewide average. The amendment also allows the state to provide optional hardship funds and maintains voter approval as the final decision for bond authorizations. This change responds to a 2001 court ruling that previously placed construction responsibility on the state, which the legislature says became unsustainable due to lost revenue sources.
Wyoming's SF 145 requires hunters and anglers to purchase a $6 annual recreation permit to access state trust lands (lands held for public schools and institutions). The permit fee distributes $4 to land beneficiaries (schools/institutions) and $2 to the game and fish commission for access programs. Exceptions include children under 12 with permit holders, public road travel, and state employees on duty. Violating the permit requirement is a misdemeanor punishable by fines up to $200 or up to one week in jail. The law mandates an agreement between the game commission and land board by November 2019 to implement the fee system.
