Budget & Taxes

HB 33 repeals Wyoming's Strategic Investments and Projects Account (SIPA), ending its use for state investments. The bill requires all remaining SIPA funds (except those for the Wyoming State Penitentiary Capital Construction Account) to be transferred to the state general fund by July 1, 2026. It preserves annual $10 million transfers from SIPA to the penitentiary account until 2038, while ending all other SIPA operations. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, with reporting requirements for the state auditor. This directly affects state treasury operations and the penitentiary's capital funding, but does not alter existing general fund budgeting.

HB 46 expands Wyoming's existing tax on electricity production from wind resources to also include electricity generated from solar and nuclear facilities. It repeals the separate tax on nuclear electricity and updates the tax rules to cover all three energy sources under a single framework. The tax applies to electricity produced from solar or nuclear resources starting January 1, 2027, and requires producers to report megawatt-hour output annually. This bill directly affects electricity producers using solar or nuclear power in Wyoming, changing how they report and pay taxes on their output.

HB 57 creates the "Hathaway private post secondary institution scholarship" to help Wyoming students attend private colleges or universities. It provides up to $500 per semester for tuition and fees at state-accredited private institutions offering certificates or degrees, with eligibility requiring a 3.5 high school GPA, standardized test scores at the 79th percentile, and meeting specific academic requirements. The program limits funding to 200 students total, covering up to eight full-time semesters per student, and requires the state education department to administer applications and verify eligibility through school transcripts. This scholarship directly affects qualifying Wyoming students seeking private post-secondary education, separate from public university funding.

HB 21 directs that 10% of monthly online sports wagering revenue be paid to the state commission. The first $300,000 of this revenue annually funds county health programs addressing gambling addiction, while half of the remaining funds go to Wyoming's outdoor recreation and tourism trust fund and the other half to the state general fund. The bill affects sports wagering operators (who pay the fee) and directly provides funding for public health services and outdoor recreation infrastructure. It takes effect on July 1, 2026.

Wyoming's HB 20 establishes a permit system for nonmotorized recreational trail use (like bicycles) in state parks and historic sites. It allows the Department of State Parks to require permits with annual fees up to $10 for residents and $20 for nonresidents, or daily fees up to $5. Fees collected fund trail maintenance, signage, safety programs, and related infrastructure within state parks. Minors under 18 are exempt from the permit requirement. The bill creates a dedicated account for these funds, ensuring they supplement existing park funding for trail-related purposes.