2025 Wyoming Legislative Session begins
The 68th Wyoming Legislature convened for the 2025 General Session on Jan. 14 at the Wyoming State Capital in Cheyenne.
After the opening ceremonies, the first order of business was to swear in the newly elected members of the legislature, along with legislative leadership.
According to records, nearly one-third of the legislative members are new to the Capitol. Additionally, around two-thirds of the members serving in 2025 will have completed less than two terms by January.
Following a brief recess, the bodies began introducing and referring bills, officially kicking off the General Session.
Various resources are available to the public via the state’s website, including bills and amendments and who they were sponsored by, including a text of each bill.
Also, the state legislature’s YouTube channel enables the public to watch both live and archived videos of House and Senate floor proceedings, as well as committee meetings.
Education bills
More than 600 bills are set to be introduced during the 40-day general session, and among the key proposals under consideration are those related to education funding and school policy.
One notable bill, House Bill (HB) 100, Kindergarten-12 Uncertified Personnel, is sponsored by Rep. Ocean Andrews (R-H46), along with 12 cosponsors.
This bill aims to permit school districts and charter school governing boards to hire teachers, administrators and other staff without certification or a permit from the Professional Teaching Standards Board.
However, it mandates any employee lacking certification must undergo a background check.
Several other bills impacting public schools and classroom policies are also on the agenda.
For instance, Sen. Wendy Schuler (R-S15) has introduced Senate File (SF) 21, which seeks to prohibit cellphone use in public classrooms during instructional time.
Additionally, Sen. Ed Cooper (R-S20) proposed an “enhanced” concealed-carry permit in his bill SF37, which would allow permit holders to carry concealed firearms into public schools and college campuses in Wyoming.
Corner crossing bill
One bill up for consideration is HB99, Access to public lands-corner crossing.
According to a Jan. 9 Cowboy State Daily article by Mark Heinz, principal sponsor Wyoming House Minority Whip Rep. Karlee Provenza (D-H45) addressed HB99, stating, “If passed, it would protect the public’s right to access the 2.4 million acres of public land within the state, even if they have to pass through the air above private property to do so.”
“It’s the legislature’s job to protect access to public land,” she states. “The question of whether corner-crossing is legal across Wyoming wasn’t answered in the Carbon County criminal case, and I don’t want to see it dragged into court again. From my perspective, I wasn’t willing to let the courts make a decision when people’s rights are on the line.”
HB99 aims to clarify language which would eliminate criminal trespass charges, stating, “A person does not commit criminal trespass if the person incidentally passes through the airspace or touches the land or premises of another person while the person is traveling from one common corner with or is immediately connected to the first parcel and the person is authorized to access.”
She adds, “The bill would make our laws clear and easy to follow – simple, direct and to the point. It’s hard to cite somebody if you don’t have a law to do so.”
State gambling bills
Several bills sponsored by the Joint Appropriations Committee concerning the regulation of Wyoming’s gaming industry are set to be discussed in the upcoming session.
The most notable proposals include HB85, Local approval for simulcasting, and HB139, Interstate export of Wyoming horse racing.
If passed, HB85 would empower local town and city governments to approve or deny simulcasting permits for historical horse racing machines, a power which is currently reserved for county commissioners.
Meanwhile, HB139 seeks to align Wyoming thoroughbred horse racing with the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act, thus allowing for national betting.
This bill also introduces a six percent tax on net proceeds, which would be allocated to the state’s general fund.
Property tax relief bills
Additional bills under consideration include measures for property tax relief, affordable housing, election policies, gaming legislation and the state’s supplemental budget.
One notable proposal, SF69, Homeowner property tax exemption, offers homeowners a 25 percent tax exemption on the first $2 million of fair market value.
This bill also includes a legislative appropriation of $125 million from the state’s general fund to compensate local governments for lost tax revenue.
If these funds are not sufficient, the bill authorizes an additional transfer of up to $100 million from the state’s Legislative Stabilization Reserve Account.
Furthermore, two bills are being proposed in the legislative session aiming to repeal the sunset date on a long-term homeowner tax exemption.
This exemption, which was passed in 2024, reduces the assessed value of qualified senior residential properties by 50 percent.
Melissa Anderson is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
