This bill increases the referral bonus for the Wyoming National Guard's peer recruitment program from $500 to $1,000 per successful referral. It expands eligibility to include current military department employees and recruits who have begun enlistment (though recruits must complete their own enlistment before receiving a bonus). The program's expiration date is extended from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2028, and includes a $163,000 state appropriation to fund bonuses during this period. The policy directly affects current Guard members, veterans, military staff, and new recruits who refer eligible candidates.
Wyoming's HJ 2 is a joint resolution requesting Congress to pass a law increasing the state's share of federal mineral royalties from 50% to 87.5%. This directly affects Wyoming's state budget, as current federal royalty payments fund critical services like roads, schools, and emergency responders. The resolution cites that recent federal rate cuts (e.g., reducing oil/gas royalties from 16.67% to 12.5%) will decrease Wyoming's annual share by up to $50 million for coal leasing by 2034. The bill seeks to offset these revenue losses by aligning Wyoming's share with Alaska's 90% rate. (Note: This is a procedural request to Congress, not a binding law.)
Wyoming's SF 32 establishes a state-funded program to support 911 emergency services. It directs the Department of Transportation to conduct a study on transitioning to next-generation 911 systems by September 2027, and to provide grants covering funding shortfalls for local governments operating current 911 systems. The bill appropriates $3.75 million ($3 million for grants, $750,000 for the study) from the legislative stabilization reserve, with funds available for applications starting July 1, 2026, and expiring June 30, 2028. Local governments operating 911 systems may apply for grants to cover operational shortfalls, while the study will examine system governance, operations, and costs. The bill directly affects local emergency service providers and state budget allocations for public safety infrastructure.
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.
Wyoming's SF 96 clarifies that tobacco wholesalers cannot sell nicotine products to anyone under 21. It extends tobacco taxation to cigars and pipe tobacco, setting a maximum tax rate of 20% or $0.30 per cigar, and requires remote sellers (online retailers) to obtain a license and pay this tax on sales to Wyoming consumers. The bill also defines key terms like "remote retail sale" (online orders with delivery) and "wholesaler" to clarify who must comply. This directly affects tobacco wholesalers, remote online sellers, and consumers purchasing cigars or pipe tobacco in Wyoming.
SF 86 creates the Wyoming Property Tax Relief Authority to provide financial assistance for property taxes to qualifying homeowners. The authority would administer a loan program offering funds to Wyoming residents who own their primary residence and face increased property tax burdens. It authorizes the issuance of bonds to fund the program, with repayment secured by dedicated revenues. The bill also requires that loan application details remain confidential and not subject to public disclosure under the Public Records Act.
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.