This bill reclassifies fossils and non-fossilized animal remains as non-minerals under Wyoming property law. It clarifies that landowners (not mineral rights holders) own fossils found on their property and exempts these items from mining and mineral estate regulations. The bill defines "fossilized" to include natural preservation processes like permineralization, while excluding human remains. It applies to both current and past property agreements involving fossils.
Wyoming's SF 15 increases fees for commercial vehicle permits related to oversize and overweight loads. The bill raises fees for single-trip permits (from $15 to $26.50) and extended permits (from $50 to $88), affecting trucking companies hauling goods like forest products, agricultural materials, or oversized equipment. It also updates fee structures for annual decals under the International Fuel Tax Agreement and modifies permit requirements for specific vehicle types. These changes apply directly to commercial vehicle operators needing permits to transport non-standard loads within Wyoming.
SF 42 requires most Wyoming business entities (excluding nonprofits, statutory trusts, and statutory foundations) that file annual reports and pay annual license fees to submit specific financial data to the Secretary of State starting July 1, 2023. Businesses must report four details from the prior tax year: total gross receipts, Wyoming-specific receipts, their federal tax home state, and Wyoming payroll. All reported information is confidential, though aggregated data may be shared with the Department of Revenue and Joint Revenue Committee for legislative planning. The bill mandates the Secretary of State to establish reporting rules by June 30, 2023, with full implementation effective July 1, 2023.
This bill (SF 72) repeals two specific accounting requirements for Wyoming state funds. It removes the need for separate tracking of revenue from institutional lands (under 2013 laws) and revenue from fuel taxes increased in 2013 (authorized by Chapter 49 of 2013 Session Laws). As a result, these funds will now be commingled with general highway fund accounts instead of requiring separate accounting and annual reporting to legislative committees. The bill takes effect immediately upon becoming law.
Wyoming's HB 35 allows counties to optionally impose an excise tax on real estate sales, but only after voter approval through a specific proposition. The tax would be 0% on sales up to $1.5 million and 1% on amounts exceeding that, with revenue required to fund specific purposes outlined in the voter-approved proposition. Counties must first submit a proposition to voters (requiring 5% of electors' signatures or municipal approval) and can only re-submit defeated propositions after 11 months. This bill creates a framework for local tax decisions but does not mandate any tax or revenue use.
SF 44 would have redirected 70% of certain severance tax revenues (from oil/gas drilling) to Wyoming's highway fund and 30% to a dedicated account for community colleges, replacing the prior distribution. The bill aimed to shift funds from the mineral trust fund and common school account toward transportation infrastructure and community college funding for fiscal years 2023-2028. However, the bill failed its introduction in the Wyoming Senate on February 16, 2022 (vote: 14-16), meaning it did not become law. This change would have directly affected state funding for highways and community colleges, not individual citizens. The proposed distribution was never implemented due to the failed vote.
Wyoming's HJ 2 is a joint resolution requesting Congress to call a constitutional convention under Article V of the U.S. Constitution. It specifically asks for a convention limited to proposing amendments that impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, limit federal power and jurisdiction, and set term limits for federal officials and Congress members. The resolution includes strict conditions, such as prohibiting any consideration of changes to the Bill of Rights and requiring Congress to call the convention only if two-thirds of states request it for the same purpose. The bill failed to advance in the Wyoming legislature (21-37 vote) and remains a procedural request to Congress, not a binding law.
HB 111 requires the Wyoming Retirement Board to study and report on public employee retirement plans, including those for state employees, highway patrol officers, game wardens, and firefighters. The report must examine inflation's impact on retirees since 2012 (when cost-of-living adjustments were restricted), analyze plan funding levels, and recommend adjustments to benefit payments while keeping plans financially sustainable. It directly affects retirees who have not received cost-of-living increases since 2012 and will inform potential future legislation. The bill, introduced in 2022 but failed committee passage, mandates the report be submitted by September 2022.
This bill creates a permanent Wyoming Community College Investment Fund to generate revenue for community colleges. It establishes two key accounts: funds invested in the permanent fund earn interest, which is distributed quarterly to a separate "state aid expenditure account" for community college funding. The bill requires annual reports to education committees on fund balances and mandates an initial $1,000 transfer from the general fund to start the investment fund. The policy directly affects Wyoming's community colleges by creating a dedicated revenue stream from investment earnings, which must be used for state aid through legislative appropriation.
HB 36 revises Wyoming's severance tax distribution formula by increasing the annual cap from $155 million to $200 million for certain distributions. It adjusts the percentage allocations to all recipient accounts (including the school foundation program, counties, cities, water development, and highway funds) so that each fund receives the same dollar amount as before the cap increase. The bill applies to mineral production occurring on or after July 1, 2022, and maintains existing funding levels for all specified state programs. The school foundation program, for example, continues to receive 22.5% of the distribution.
HB 40 would have allowed Wyoming judges and justices to receive housing assistance if they reside in counties where housing costs significantly exceed the statewide average. The bill directed the Wyoming Supreme Court to create rules for awarding this assistance, subject to constitutional and legal limits on salary changes. It was intended to take effect July 1, 2022. However, the bill failed to pass during the 2022 legislative session, with a 37-23 vote against introduction on February 15, 2022.
This bill amends Wyoming's tax law to increase the annual revenue requirement for land to qualify as agricultural for property tax purposes. It raises the threshold from $500 to $5,000 per year for non-leased land owners (from agricultural product sales), while keeping the $1,000 requirement for leased land. Farmstead structures on qualifying land count toward meeting the revenue standard if the overall operation meets the criteria. The change would affect Wyoming landowners seeking agricultural tax classification, potentially excluding smaller farms that previously qualified under the lower threshold. The bill was introduced in 2022 but failed to pass.
