This bill increases funding for Wyoming's Hathaway scholarship program. It raises per-semester award amounts for three scholarship tiers: opportunity ($840 → $1,180), performance ($1,260 → $1,770), and honor ($1,680 → $2,360) scholarships for students meeting specific GPA and test score criteria. The bill also increases the maximum annual need-based scholarship award from $1,575 to $2,120. These changes apply to eligible Wyoming students pursuing degrees or certificates at approved institutions, effective July 1, 2026.
HB 35 requires Wyoming state wildland firefighters employed by the Office of State Lands and Investments to receive hazard pay and paid time off based on federal standards. It directly affects correctional forestry crew supervisors, correctional crew supervisors, and other state-employed wildland firefighters. The bill appropriates $422,500 from the general fund (2026-2028) specifically for this hazard pay, with unspent funds reverting in 2028. Rules to implement the law will be created by the Department of Administration and Information and the Office of State Lands.
HB 34 expands retirement benefits to specific firefighters in Wyoming by redefining "firefighter member" to include full-time employees of the Wyoming National Guard fire department (crash/rescue units) and full-time wildland firefighters employed by state agencies like the Wyoming State Forestry Division. The bill appropriates $181,000 for retirement contributions from 2026-2028 and requires affected workers to elect by April 30, 2026, whether to join the new retirement plan or stay in the standard system. Coverage begins July 1, 2026, with service credit rules clarified to prevent double-counting across retirement plans. This policy change directly affects approximately 50-100 full-time firefighters across these roles.
This bill amends Wyoming's tax exemption rules for housing projects owned by cities or counties. It requires that such housing property be 100% publicly owned (by a municipality, county, or fully controlled entity) to qualify for tax exemption, excludes profit-making portions from the exemption (while allowing adjustments for public utility costs), and permits cities to instead make payments to maintain low-rent housing. The changes apply to all Wyoming cities, towns, and counties starting January 1, 2026.
Wyoming's SF 64 creates the Wyoming Housing Revolving Loan Program to address affordable housing shortages. It provides loans to local governments, housing authorities, and nonprofits for new construction, rehabilitation, or land acquisition of affordable and workforce housing (80% of funds), plus zero-interest loans for planning and predevelopment (20% of funds). The program is funded by a $30 million transfer from the Strategic Investments Account (if not repealed), with repaid loans replenishing the fund. All loans require state attorney general certification and annual reporting to the legislature on fund usage and project outcomes.
This bill (SF 76) requires separate reporting of sales tax for electricity consumed by "very large electrical loads" (defined as 100+ megawatts for a single customer) and directs the resulting tax revenue into a new "local government distribution account." The funds in this account will be distributed to cities, towns, and counties as determined by the legislature. It applies only to taxes approved by voters on or after July 1, 2026, and requires vendors to report these large-scale electricity sales separately on monthly tax returns. The bill does not change tax rates but alters how revenue from these specific sales is distributed.
This bill establishes a property tax rate of 8.3% for residential real estate in Wyoming, effective for the 2026 tax year. It defines residential real property to include single-family homes, condominiums used as primary residences, and associated land. The rate applies only to qualifying residential properties, while other property types would continue to be taxed at 9.5%. Homeowners with residential properties meeting the new definition would see their property taxes calculated at this rate starting in 2026.
This bill proposes amending Wyoming's constitution to eliminate property taxes on residential homes. It would change Article 15, Section 11(b) to set the tax rate for residential property at 0%, meaning no property tax would be assessed on residential real estate. The amendment requires voter approval at the next general election to take effect. It directly affects all Wyoming homeowners who currently pay property tax on their primary residences.
