By Hannah Shields
Wyoming Tribune Eagle
Via- Wyoming News Exchange

CHEYENNE — The 68th Wyoming Legislature will convene for a 40-day general session starting Tuesday, and more than 600 bills sponsored by committees and individual lawmakers are expected to be filed for consideration.

The topics of greatest concern to Wyoming residents – and therefore most likely covered by the state’s media — include education funding and school policy, property tax relief measures, affordable housing, election policies and gaming legislation and the state’s supplemental budget. 

Gov. Mark Gordon announced his “frugal” $692 million supplemental budget request to the Legislature in November, which he emphasized should be used only to address emergency and unanticipated needs.

His budget request includes $130 million in wildfire funding, $2.3 million to increase Medicaid reimbursements, the full $226.8 million in school capital construction projects and the full $66.3 million in K-12 public school external cost adjustments.

Gordon also recommended appropriating an additional $7.5 million in litigation funds so the state can continue participating in lawsuits against the federal government to protect Wyoming’s core industries. This would include creating two senior experienced attorney positions.

 

Education

The state could be back on track to fully funding its K-12 public schools after the Legislature’s Joint Education and Appropriations committees passed a $66.3 million external cost adjustment. This amount includes an 8.5% increase in state funding for both professional and non-professional staff, as well as a 1.068% increase for educational material costs, for the 2025-26 school year.

Since 2020, the Legislature has funded below the cost-based model by at least $20 million or more each school year.

A Legislative Service Office memo shows it would cost the state $66.4 million to catch up to the evidence-based model for the 2025-26 school year.

Gordon supported the cost adjustment in his supplemental budget request, and it will now go before the governing body.

There are also a number of bills headed to the legislative session that could affect public school and classroom policy.

Sen. Wendy Schuler, R-Evanston, has introduced a bill, Senate File 21, that would ban cellphone use in public classrooms during instructional time.

Sen. Ed Cooper, R-Ten Sleep, is proposing an “enhanced” concealed-carry permit in his bill, SF 37, that would allow permit holders to carry hidden firearms into public schools and on college campuses in Wyoming.

Rep. Martha Lawley, R-Worland, is sponsoring two bills that would impact K-12 and college transgender students. House Bill 60 would expand a current statute to ban transgender students in grades K-12 and college from participating on female sports teams. HB 72 would prohibit transgender access to what it terms “female spaces,” including bathrooms, locker rooms and correctional facilities. 

Sen. Dan Laursen, R-Powell, is introducing a similar bill, SF 62, that specifically addresses the use of public school restrooms by transgenders.

 

Gaming legislation

Several bills sponsored by the Joint Appropriations Committee and related to regulating Wyoming’s gaming industry are headed to the session.

The most significant ones include HB 85, “Local approval for simulcasting,” and HB 139, “Interstate export of Wyoming horse racing.” 

HB 125, if passed, would give town and city governments authority to approve or deny simulcasting permits for HHR machines — a power currently reserved for county commissioners. HB 139, if passed, would allow Wyoming thoroughbred horse races, which are currently only regulated by the Wyoming Gaming Commission, to become compliant with the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act and allow national betting. The bill also creates a 6% tax on net proceeds, which would go into the state’s general fund.

 

Property tax relief

A property tax relief bill vetoed by Gordon earlier this year will make a second appearance in the 2025 general session. SF 69, “Homeowner property tax exemption,” provides homeowners a tax exemption of 25% for the first $2 million worth of fair market value. The bill comes with a $125 million legislative appropriation out of the state’s general fund to backfill losses in tax revenue for local governments.

If these funds are insufficient, it also authorizes an additional transfer up to $100 million out of the state’s Legislative Stabilization Reserve Account (LSRA, also known as the state’s “rainy day fund”).

It currently has a two-year sunset date, ending in the 2027 tax season.

There are also two bills headed to the legislative session that propose repealing a sunset date on a long-term homeowners tax exemption, passed in 2024, that takes 50% off the property’s assessed value for qualified senior residential property owners. Cheyenne and Laramie County officials support this property tax but strongly suggest the state provides a backfill for this tax exemption.

 

Election integrity

Secretary of State Chuck Gray is working closely with Wyoming lawmakers to promote his election integrity proposals in the general session, which include a statewide ban on ballot drop boxes and requiring proof of citizenship.

With a Wyoming Freedom Caucus majority in the House of Representatives following the general election, Gray said he’s confident he will have “probably 35 votes at least” out of the 62 members in the lower chamber in support of his proposed legislation.

These proposals include the following:

. Requiring proof of both U.S. citizenship and Wyoming residency at voter registration

. A statewide ban on ballot drop boxes and ballot harvesting

. Requiring “true” photo ID as voter ID

. A ban on “Zuckerbucks” and other third-party funding administration

. Improving voter list maintenance statutes 

. Requiring hand verification of voting machines 

“I know firsthand the work it takes to bring these bills to the finish line,” Gray said during a press conference earlier this month. “And we’re ready to help in carrying out this work, not just talking the talk, but walking the walk, and helping the Legislature and working with them on these pieces of legislation.”

The general session starts at noon Tuesday, and the governor’s annual State of the State speech is slated for 10 a.m. Wednesday.