CWPMA's lobbyist in Wyoming, Jonathan Downing, has provided the below update on the Wyoming Interim.
Attached are the proposed interim committee topics which will receive final approval from the Legislature's Management Council at their April 8th Meeting. Some topics will either be amended or deleted. Most of these would be in the monitor category unless they deviate and try pull us in.
I would draw your attention to:
Appropriations Committee: Priority 2 – Local Government Income Streams (10 hours) The Committee will review local government income streams, including sales and use taxes, direct distribution model funding, ad valorem taxes, and federal mineral royalties. It will also evaluate the sustainability of alternatives to current income and of foregone revenue from excise and ad valorem tax streams. This topic may result in the Committee sponsoring legislation in the 2026 Budget Session to implement long-term, sustainable funding for local governments.
Corporations Committee: Priority #2 – Electricity. The Committee will continue its efforts to educate Committee members, policymakers and the public on issues related to electricity and will continue to work to develop electricity policy in Wyoming. The Committee is proposing to partner with the Wyoming Energy Authority and other stakeholders in a working group. This topic will include reviewing factors that are driving up utility costs and impacting reliability. This topic will also include a review of service territories of public utilities. Priority #3 – Opportunity Zones and Regulatory Sandboxes. This topic is to consider the benefits of deregulation at both the state and federal level. Specifically, this topic will review the possibility of expanding regulatory sandboxes in Wyoming. Under this topic, the Committee will also receive an update on proposed "Freedom Cities", an effort at the federal level to drive economic growth through deregulation.
Judiciary Committee: Priority #4 – Retail Theft Issues (3 hours per meeting) The Committee will review issues related to theft and organized retail crime and consider whether changes to Wyoming's theft laws are needed to better deter retail theft and repeat offenders.
Minerals Committee: Priority #3 – Industrial Power Regulation (2-4 hours per meeting) The Committee will explore industrial power regulation to improve industrial power access and examine ways to do so, including considering power-provision requirements, capacity inventory transparency requirements, and direct contracts. Priority #4 – Electricity Generation Tax (3-5 hours per meeting) During the 2024 interim, the Electricity Tax Subcommittee researched the legal authority of Wyoming to tax electricity produced in Wyoming. The Committee will review this study, examine the tax structure on electricity in Wyoming, and consider whether changes are needed. Priority #5 – Wyoming Energy Authority (1-3 hours per meeting) The Committee will receive updates from the Wyoming Energy Authority and review the Energy Matching Funds program.
Revenue Committee: Priority 1 – Property Tax Issues. Committee will continue its work related to property tax issues. This topic will include the following subtopics: 1. Reviewing recent property tax relief bills that were considered by the legislature and considering additional property tax reform options. 2. Reviewing how fair market value is determined, including the collection of property purchase data. This subtopic will also include a review of the property tax appeal process. 3. A review of government property tax exemptions. 4. A discussion on the implementation of Amendment A. Priority #2 Sales Tax Issues. Committee will consider issues related to sales and use taxes. This topic will include the following subtopics: 1. A review of the sales and use tax including how the taxes are distributed and a review of the existing exemptions. This subtopic will include a review of reporting requirements related to exemptions that are provided as economic incentives. 2. A consideration of combining Chapter 15 (sales tax) and Chapter 16 (use tax) into one chapter in the Wyoming Statutes. 3. A review of how sales tax is collected on ATV's and other vehicles.
Travel, Recreation and Wildlife Committee: Priority #5 – Gambling and Lottery Issues (2-4 hours per meeting). The Committee will receive updates from the Wyoming Lottery and study whether updates are needed to modernize the Wyoming Lottery's operations. The Committee will study state problem gaming funds and the ability to access and use those funds.
Transportation Committee: Priority #1 – Transportation and Highways (Est. Time Required: 4-6 hours each meeting). The Committee proposes to study transportation and highway related issues that the Wyoming Department of Transportation identified. The Committee will study how the Wyoming Department of Transportation is currently funded and explore solutions to reduce the department's current budget shortfall. The Committee will review work zone safety issues, including but not limited to, using cameras, increasing fines in work zones, and implementing other safety measures for Wyoming Department of Transportation employees and contractors when working on highway construction projects. The Committee will receive updates from the Wyoming Department of Transportation, which may include discussing permanent trailer registration and commercial air service. The Committee will also determine if statutory updates are necessary to reflect outdated statutes and references.