Education

This bill amends Wyoming's Hathaway scholarship program to provide recipients with a single lump sum payment instead of semester-by-semester disbursements. It eliminates requirements for satisfactory academic progress, continuous enrollment, and minimum credit hours, simplifying access to funds. Eligibility remains based on high school GPA and standardized test scores, with three scholarship tiers: $6,720 for a 2.50 GPA/43rd percentile, $10,080 for a 3.0 GPA/56th percentile, and $13,440 for a 3.5 GPA/79th percentile. The changes directly affect Wyoming students pursuing degrees or certificates who meet the academic criteria.

This bill proposes a constitutional amendment to Wyoming's Article 7, Section 1 regarding public school funding. It would require the legislature to establish a funding formula for public schools (subject to judicial review for constitutionality) but explicitly state that the *amount* appropriated for that formula cannot be challenged in court. If funding falls short, spending would be reduced uniformly across all schools rather than through court intervention. The amendment directly affects Wyoming's public school funding process, state courts, and the legislature's budget authority. It does not change how funding is calculated but removes judicial oversight of the final appropriation amount.