Wyoming session staged for a battle

Posted by Bobbie Frank on January 23, 2026

Watching the news in Wyoming makes it clear that major legislative battles are ahead for 2026.  The budget session is set for 21-days convening on February 9 with Governor Gordon’s State of State. Expect some very pointed remarks from the Governor. The state of the State can be watched here. One day has been added to a typical 20-day session to allow more time for veto overrides.

Last week the Joint Appropriations Committee (JAC) finished the budget mark-up work. The Committee will meet again virtually on February 5 to review the draft bills Wyoming rural health transformation, State funded capitol construction and the draft General government appropriations (mirror budget bills).

A few highlights include:

• Reduced Wyoming Business Council funding by 98 percent and sponsored legislation to dissolve the Council.
• Cut the University of Wyoming $61 million.
• Department of Health, Rural Health Transformation proposal – also referred to as “Bear Care” was taken out of the budget and a stand-alone bill will be debated during the session.
• The Governor’s state employee raise request was cut except for Wyoming Highway Patrol and Snowplow Drivers.
• Sponsor a bill to create a permanent statutory formula to distribute a fixed share (5.6%) of state sales and use tax revenues each year to cities, towns, and counties, replacing ad hoc or discretionary distributions with a predictable funding structure.
• Reduced and/or eliminated several spending authorizations for federal pass-through dollars for Department of Health affecting mental health, rural health care, and native American clinics. They did increase funding for the Departments developmental disability waiver program.
• Cut Wyoming Public Radio funding and summer meals for kids.

The budget bills will be House Bill 1 and Senate File 1 and will work through the session concurrently followed by a reconciliation process.

Posted in Advocacy on the Move, Wyoming Advocacy.