Feb. 23, 2026

Marguerite Herman, LWVWY Lobbyist

marguerite.herman@gmail.com, 307-630-8095

 

Week #3 of the 2026 Wyoming Legislature begins with the House and Senate versions of their (very different) two-year budget bills being considered in the other chamber, on their predictable way to a conference committee.  Meanwhile, a problematic ballot-hand-counting election bill is sailing through the House.

Legislative leaders started work early in the session on the bill that will fund state government in fiscal years 27-28, hoping to get it to the governor early enough to consider his line-item vetoes.  However, House members spent six days debating and reworking the bill produced by its Freedom Caucus-dominated appropriations committee, including a rare 12-hour Saturday session.

The Legislative Service Office (LSO) posted a notice for the first meeting of the Special Investigative Committee, 3 P.M. Thursday, Feb. 26, in the historic Supreme Courtroom of the Capitol. It is listed as a “public hearing.  The House created the committee to look into the delivery of campaign donation checks to some representatives by a political activist, on the floor at the end of the first day of the session.

The House begins the week behind schedule, still working on Committee of the Whole (COW) bills that were supposed to be done by Friday. The Senate, meanwhile, completed COW on Friday, as scheduled. Bills are now working their way through the opposite chambers (House bills in the Senate, Senate Bills in the House). Be sure to use the “engrossed” versions of bills listed on the Legislative Service Office website, to include amendments made in the house of origin.

Debate on hundreds of 2nd– and 3rd-reading budget amendments in the House implied or directly accused the Appropriations Committee and Chairman John Bear of bullying, “back-room” dealing, and irrational cuts, disregarding needs and intending to punish. Yet, a core of 30-35 representatives aligned with the Freedom Caucus held together to deny most amendments.

The Senate’s budget looks more like the one recommended by Gov. Gordon, and the inevitable conference committee to reach a common version will require significant compromise on the University of Wyoming, the Business Council, and the Department of Health, among others.  Watch the LSO website for the appointment of conference committee members and this week’s meetings. Note that in the first meeting, conferees must operate within the versions they passed. If they have to meet a second time, they can change anything.

The other must-pass legislation for 2026 is public school cost recalibration, which is SF81 K-12 public school finance-2, on 3rd reading Monday in the Senate.

The House has some determined voices for ballot hand-counting, and some are still trying to prohibit all machines from marking or counting ballots. You can find those efforts in the 3rd reading amendments to HB52 Elections-hand counting for recounts, on the final House debate Monday. A Campbell County study on ballot hand-counting provides strong evidence of the costs and unreliability of recounts, audits, and other methods. LWV will continue fighting HB52 in the Senate. Two other election bills have our attention: HB85-Post-election audit procedures (require witnesses for audits) and SF28-Elections-Voting machine and voting systems checks. With amendments, they can be workable but probably are unnecessary.

LWVWY opposes a convention of the states, based on a position by LWVUS (Page 70 of the Impact on Issues Guide 2024-2026) that warns of the lack of controls Wyoming or any state can exercise over how the Constitution could be changed. It appears in the 2026 Legislature as  Senate Joint Resolution 5, calling on Congress to hold a convention to address federal overreach, deficit spending, and term limits for federal officials. It’s on 2nd reading in the Senate on Monday.

LWVWY is asking legislative leaders to post the schedule and deadlines as they change, so people outside the Capitol can follow the process and participate effectively.

Please check the LWVWY bill tracker for updates on bills that relate to our priorities of government accountability, constitutional issues, and elections.

 IMPORTANT RESOURCES FOR YOUR USE

 

ACT NOW!  Here are ways to let your opinion be known!

  1. Call your Representative and Senator and leave a short, concise message
  2. Email your Representative and Senator
  3. For public testimony, whether online or in person, pre-registration is required.  Go to www.wyoleg.gov. Choose a meeting schedule.  Select the committee meeting at which you want to provide testimony.  Choose details.  Select “testify” and complete the required form.

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