[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6659982,"mediaKeyId","2439097-96c6742b4ecac9fd535a01e765c3196f","parentId",2439097,"title","House Committee advances CO2 enhanced‑oil‑recovery stimulus; bill seeds projects with $10 million loan and redirects severance tax to repay program","audioSeconds",382,"startMs",10010000,"endMs",10392000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2439097-96c6742b4ecac9fd535a01e765c3196f&start=10010&end=10392","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2439097-96c6742b4ecac9fd535a01e765c3196f/thumbnail_10010000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6659982/Wyoming/House-Committee-advances-CO2-enhancedoilrecovery-stimulus-bill-seeds-projects-with-10-million-loan-and-redirects-severance-tax-to-repay-program","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6659982-a4d8c395214b0e14c9070671a4ea8d78/orig.mp4?Expires=1775009894&Signature=BgTmn4wA2ojh9qj6nRt3FTY7WsWuj03kHB0BgB5TjauaIzIz3IIW5ScOEULgMpw-scnGZ7pPxxv991qPrCPKacsMbVBU0Eiz8Nl2brd2tPa7l6SsYVyWt5E7F51eHneEu-SgX3ELyydbFx~a82edDiS2S99JQCFgulCPTwC9DT0i-cqHQahAOksjd11STVdqal6ek5kApre51ZUI-UyhZxXi6gYVgZbFx4APFTih8Ifo-5ikCq7-vzkqp6qENRoVxVNPs~CBZvTZpGyGtzrpu~EPXqhkdyn1nv8zAnTFTRtgBScdYtY0JLX~gqhHzV4eoxCXakd5Ad3FBvG~Ee2giQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Wyoming Legislature","date","2025-02-28T03:30:06.043Z","article","The Wyoming House Committee of the Whole recommended Senate File 17 do pass after debate focused on how a state stimulus could encourage CO2‑based enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in legacy fields.

Representative Knapp, explaining the bill, said federal tax incentives (the 45Q tax credit) created an uneven market that favored permanent sequestration over EOR because permanent sequestration carries a higher federal tax credit. SF17 aims to level the playing field so CO2 remains available for Wyoming EOR projects: the state stimulus would pay $10 per metric ton of CO2 delivered to an in‑state EOR project and provide $10,000,000 in seed funding as a loan. That seed fund would be repaid from severance taxes when projects begin producing oil: “Under this bill, a CO2 producer would receive a $10 per tonne for every CO2 tonne sold or delivered to a Wyoming EOR project,” Knapp said.

Supporters argued the measure would generate additional oil production and state revenue. Committee testimony cited estimates of large additional recoverable oil in 75 Wyoming fields and projected long‑term revenue potential for the state. Representative Knapp said some legacy fields dramatically increased production after CO2 injection, describing field examples where production rose from tens of barrels a day to thousands.

Opponents questioned whether $10 per ton is sufficient to change behavior and warned the program depends on federal 45Q incentives; the bill explicitly ties eligibility to qualification for the federal 45Q tax credit and would become inapplicable if those federal credits were repealed. Representative Eklund asked whether $10 million is just a pilot or sufficient to spur many projects; Knapp described the $10 million as seed money intended to help smaller producers begin EOR work.

Outcome: The Committee of the Whole reported the bill do pass with an amendment to reporting requirements. The bill remains conditional on the federal 45Q program and includes an “off‑ramp” provision that would end the state program if federal incentives change.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Floor Session-Day 32, February 27, 2025-PM","oneSentenceSummary","The House Committee of the Whole reported Senate File 17 do pass after debate on a proposed state stimulus to encourage carbon dioxide‑based enhanced oil recovery (EOR); the measure seeds projects with $10 million in loan funds and pays $10 per tonne of CO2 delivered to in‑state EOR projects, to be repaid from severance taxes on the new production.","taxTitle","House of Representative, Committees, Legislative, Wyoming","taxId",30484,"location","Wyoming","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6659989,"House concurs with Senate changes to HB199, approves means‑tested prekindergarten ESA with $30 million annual appropriation",814,2509000,3323000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2439097-96c6742b4ecac9fd535a01e765c3196f&start=2509&end=3323","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2439097-96c6742b4ecac9fd535a01e765c3196f/thumbnail_2509000.jpg","/articles/6659989/Wyoming/House-concurs-with-Senate-changes-to-HB199-approves-meanstested-prekindergarten-ESA-with-30-million-annual-appropriation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6659989-12f2902d6fe3df9a9b18bc0f17d0c811/orig.mp4?Expires=1775009894&Signature=lyGZLi3faqgkHzYweph1NTlu2oPWDIT9VqsrXn~lJuPmDytpR5o1kBH4KwgkL9tE6gZSWPnGJ2VYUt-LRvQbnz3xWCYanzGQJ4Pr4Hndt1AIQTmSxKxrsnx8BCzj8QpbCPl3YGylqQGFrRXyRCsI3XJMr6xSNA6RijWZ2YOB02e4cim8ln9xr2tkE6v8EyWDyt0x-XkNWB6e15rTM4x0iBpAJ98S-gqGdiDH-DNUeP6JyiqZyWbkwptjlG2Ve8vBPAtX56sEeirQ~JTJ70ML3oRKlYDII8K0gTH8j7Ayo75wv84TdqjCx3IP9PrNcwwYMd~nFIAoKM14I0SzM-SyNQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Wyoming House on Thursday voted to concur with Senate amendments to House Bill 199, approving a prekindergarten program delivered through education savings accounts that will be means‑tested at 250% of the federal poverty level and funded at $30 million per year.

Supporters said the change balances school choice and fiscal control. Representative John Andrew moved the motion to concur, saying the conference committee adopted most of the other body’s amendments and that the pre‑K provision would be means‑tested to control the appropriation. “We had our meeting with the other body this morning, and we adopted most of their amendments,” Andrew said when presenting the motion. “The conclusion we came to was that we would means test the pre‑k program at 250% of the federal poverty level.”

Advocates argued the program gives families options while limiting state exposure. Representative Kelly urged members who have backed school choice to support the concurrence: “If you have been supporting school choice, a no vote here will really be shooting ourselves in the foot. So please vote aye,” he said on the floor.

Opponents raised constitutional and accountability questions. Representative Harshman asked for the appropriation amount and whether participating providers would be subject to state accountability testing; Andrew replied the appropriation is $30,000,000 per year and that student assessment is included in a flexible way: “You can take the state test or you can take any nationally normed exam… so there’s something that should work for any learning style,” Andrew said. Several members — including Representatives Chastick and others — cited Article 3, Section 36 of the Wyoming Constitution and warned the measure could raise legal challenges if they believed the appropriation improperly directed public funds to non‑public institutions.

The roll call recorded 42 yeas, 19 nays and 1 excused; the clerk announced, “By your vote, you have voted to concur with some amendments to House Bill 199.”

What’s next: The bill, having cleared the House on concurrence, moves back toward final enrollment and the governor for signature under the normal legislative process.

Votes and other formal actions recorded in the debate are reflected in the journal and roll call recorded on the floor.","The Wyoming House on Thursday voted to concur with Senate amendments to House Bill 199, approving a means‑tested prekindergarten program delivered through education savings accounts (ESAs) capped at 250% of the federal poverty level and funded with a $30 million annual appropriation.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6659984,"Wyoming House advances ‘defining health care’ bill after hours of debate on abortion definitions and trigger language",1138,3789000,4927000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2439097-96c6742b4ecac9fd535a01e765c3196f&start=3789&end=4927","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2439097-96c6742b4ecac9fd535a01e765c3196f/thumbnail_3789000.jpg","/articles/6659984/Wyoming/Wyoming-House-advances-defining-health-care-bill-after-hours-of-debate-on-abortion-definitions-and-trigger-language","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6659984-a1f6d8f9ff44cb8532f2291c1708a1b2/orig.mp4?Expires=1775009894&Signature=axrUSrgzBXaYGdbNtqKrqMXYAr3cmod~eu3bdiU2kE3f9r4Sb9ty0LW7lrSwU3DvN7XGfFvA-5S9MUjledrAZWg1fgAJKn~hcib1eF1HLs8y9yMmu6F524fdnXS9gq09idNJkQA3jpTzmkutG4Bc6-2uYjeMJWUX-nya3M6uPCAPF43wkZrconn4XispdngnWZReeRtAJ2wECe8E6ckUpaF7AboXNHeL9wKZBvxm3UVNHg683X3CDInGu9BkHQIpeVjXbObzARi5KE5DmhwaiHZj273SkLsP0AOp1c4xHWpovOQx3Dep92rTMAxM7~kZhKHs0YsKuBIzYMBmv6M0sg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","(Note: this article focuses on the House floor debate on Senate File 125, the bill titled to “define health care and protect the people's welfare.”)

After extended debate the House’s Committee of the Whole reported Senate File 125 do pass with standing committee amendments. The bill inserts extensive definitions into state law that, among other things, state that “an unborn baby is a member of the human race” and declares that abortion as defined in the act may be treated as not constituting health care in certain circumstances. The measure includes a trigger provision that would make the new language effective either on March 12, 2026, or upon a Wyoming Supreme Court ruling in a pending case — language several members called a “trigger” that could reenact substantially identical language even if the court had ruled the earlier language unconstitutional.

Opponents argued the changes intrude upon the judiciary. Representative Chastick said much of the amendment’s language mirrors the previously enacted Life as a Human Rights Act and warned the committee amendment could invite repeated litigation. “This becomes very problematic when you look at the enacting clause of this bill. The enacting clause, there's a trigger… if the Supreme Court rules that the original law was unconstitutional, this trigger bill says, ‘nope — we're doing it again,’ ” Chastick said.

Supporters said the language clarifies legislative intent and provides guidance to courts. Representative Rodriguez Williams, explaining the committee amendment, said findings and definitions help courts by showing legislative intent: “Our courts do desire definitions. Our courts do desire the intent of the legislature and what their intent was.”

Members divided the standing committee amendment for separate votes. Division 1 — language that largely restates text previously passed into statute — passed on the floor; Division 2 also passed. Members also adopted a Committee‑of‑the‑Whole amendment and later voted to advance the bill with the committee’s changes to a recommendation of do pass.

Legal questions dominated floor remarks. Multiple members cited Article 1, Section 38 (the constitutional provision on health care decision‑making) and debated whether subparagraph (c) in that article gives the legislature authority to impose “reasonable and necessary restrictions” or whether the constitutional text protects an individual right that only the courts may interpret. Representative Chastick warned the measure “intrudes upon the role of the courts,” while Representative Heff and others argued that Article 1(c) explicitly allows the legislature to determine reasonable restrictions in the interest of health and general welfare.

Where it stands: The Committee of the Whole reported the bill do pass with amendments; the House recorded passage to the Committee of the Whole and later the committee’s report shows the bill as due pass amended. The transcript records multiple divisions and votes on amendments; the final floor record indicates the Committee of the Whole recommendation was adopted and the bill moved forward in the house process for further consideration.","The Wyoming House debated Senate File 125 at length before the Committee of the Whole reported the bill do pass with amendments; the measure inserts statutory definitions about when abortion may not be treated as health care and includes a trigger tied to a Wyoming Supreme Court decision.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6659976,"House adopts new ground for terminating parental rights to aid guardians seeking adoption after prolonged parental absence",1872,11710000,13582000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2439097-96c6742b4ecac9fd535a01e765c3196f&start=11710&end=13582","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2439097-96c6742b4ecac9fd535a01e765c3196f/thumbnail_11710000.jpg","/articles/6659976/Wyoming/House-adopts-new-ground-for-terminating-parental-rights-to-aid-guardians-seeking-adoption-after-prolonged-parental-absence","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6659976-7f25e9f52883cf8d8d36d4d0ea053aca/orig.mp4?Expires=1775009894&Signature=Pt5gY680fS9eJ2mvCAQpv1fWGAj4gB1HxcIKxSAZj46LhUR0Iu1XIRWfuPBCnGEjVmrRKpx2uwr-o3AYZgRELWL74VCAOITcMv33gdMhaXtAig0VqTdJOWJ1hNppOSc8s23GCsiwwF-uozAqActKcQE76HUM-09I5oK12lLvRyBA-wagwq1YlqtuLvS7~Z~KmSVY6oo-G5Wqd~uMaFO2CkoWqReFG-7f5Y-72JVEjFZp0ke8wbEj5o8W1C1Gnf3y0unHNNBRvoZAmRaYT48Us3S73dK3fBHDMdSfYhJKORxy28Yfytu6FZaUG3OIWsbFRHTYTxjkpPDSq0lQMMvdQA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate File 22 — a proposal to add a new ground for termination of parental rights to help guardians (often grandparents) adopt children who have lived with them for extended periods — passed the Committee of the Whole after floor amendments and debate.

Representative Chastick, speaking for the bill, said the change addresses a “growing problem” in which grandparents and other relatives care for children while biological parents cycle in and out of substance abuse or instability. The bill adds a tenth category allowing termination of parental rights where a child has been in the care of a relative who has been appointed guardian and has physically cared for the child for 24 consecutive months and the court finds the parent unfit.

Supporters said the measure fills a gap in current law that makes it difficult for relatives who have provided long‑term, stable homes to adopt. Representative Volley, sponsor of a Committee‑of‑the‑Whole amendment, said the measure contains due process safeguards and does not allow removal without court proceedings. “This isn't a quick way to really, just take some kids away. It has the normal processes, but what we found… is that there is this sort of gap in the law where they don't have standing really to come in and start a process to address the issue,” Volley said.

Opponents urged caution because termination of parental rights is permanent and carries a high constitutional standard. Representatives Yin and Bratton said the bar for severing parental rights should remain very high and questioned whether existing statutory provisions — including the current list of nine grounds — are adequate and properly applied by courts. Representative Bratton also noted there is an existing statutory provision (one‑year abandonment ground) and asked why that was insufficient in the cases presented to committee; proponents said practical experience showed courts and guardians still faced hurdles.

The House adopted several Committee‑of‑the‑Whole amendments, including clarifying who qualifies as a relative for purposes of the new ground and rejecting certain appropriation amendments that had been proposed but defeated on the floor. The Committee of the Whole reported the bill do pass; the floor later recorded that “Senate file 22 has passed the Committee of the Whole.”","The House Committee of the Whole recommended Senate File 22 do pass, adding a new statutory ground to allow termination of parental rights when a child has been in a guardian relative’s care for 24 consecutive months and the court finds the parent unfit.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6659971,"Votes at a glance: key Wyoming House floor actions Feb. 27, 2025",13655,3213000,16868000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2439097-96c6742b4ecac9fd535a01e765c3196f&start=3213&end=16868","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2439097-96c6742b4ecac9fd535a01e765c3196f/thumbnail_3213000.jpg","/articles/6659971/Wyoming/Votes-at-a-glance-key-Wyoming-House-floor-actions-Feb-27-2025","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6659971-c23654cf83ba738550bbab9647990f0d/orig.mp4?Expires=1775009894&Signature=QWQAyft5If3zGHM8~d9bjmrzC6viNfgjGdDr9Bj~s814JV3UBaRo2hN1WeAwskORj-1bYeASvylBRIwRY8jtbCw17O5nboxKDnbSQanQmoLMndgVmay~ITp7X30stVawnxAx0pKGjam2RRmWTG9ZGIsEZhOE-2tb4zZkOPmaN7APAc9HgT9hCQNewZTXYkZ~Z4ZN5FC-DdQg6vnaGrhJ1eG14Eulu1mSPEJFc5dvMAEmKQif8jOd7vy6oEMR3bvgRMKqDyQJjoFWC9OwXkwAI6fbz1WhQZ4JWkGcsQlJQHqnhZdBsUQB-d59RlyRBLB2d0t3EUzY4MB341QjqjOrXg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Here are the major formal actions recorded on the House floor on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. This list summarizes floor roll calls, committee‑of‑the‑whole reports and enrolled acts mentioned during the session; counts and outcomes are drawn from the House floor record.

• House Bill 199 (prekindergarten ESA — concurrence with Senate amendments): House concurred with Senate amendments. Recorded roll call: 42 yeas, 19 nays, 1 excused. (See full article on HB199.)

• Senate File 125 (defining health care / reproductive health definitions): Committee of the Whole reported the bill do pass with standing committee amendments after divisions and votes on parts of the committee amendment; divisions on the standing committee amendment passed on the floor. (See full article on SF125.)

• Senate File 17 (CO2 EOR stimulus): Committee of the Whole reported the bill do pass with a standing committee amendment; bill would provide $10 million seed loan and $10/ton incentive for in‑state CO2 deliveries with repayment from severance taxes; program tied to federal 45Q eligibility. Recorded as passed by committee of the whole; final House passage not captured in the excerpt.

• Senate File 22 (ground for termination of parental rights): Committee of the Whole reported the bill do pass; several Committee‑of‑the‑Whole amendments were adopted, including clarifying language for relative and guardianship terms; bill reported to be passed to Committee of the Whole in transcript.

• Senate File 196 (Second Amendment Protection Act amendments): Committee of the Whole reported the bill do pass with standing committee amendments; floor debate included questions about whether existing statutes had been inadequate; committee amendment clarified definitions and added peace‑officer language.

• A set of bills were read and acted on with limited floor discussion; many were reported by the Committee of the Whole as “do pass” and by standing committees. Examples recorded in the committee‑of‑the‑whole report include: Senate files 51 (telecommunications revisions), 58 (defense forces/unmanned aircraft critical infrastructure), 104 (probate code revisions), 97 (trust code revisions), 158 (insurance/dental virtual cards), among others. The transcript’s committee‑of‑the‑whole report at the end of the session lists multiple bills as “due pass (amended)” or “due pass.”

• Enrolled acts signed at the dais (ceremonial signing on the floor): the transcript records the Speaker signing multiple enrolled acts on the floor, including Senate Enrolled Acts 50–58 and House Enrolled Acts 48–49; the chief clerk recorded the titles as read aloud for the record (e.g., emergency bridge loan for small businesses, country‑of‑origin beef labeling, etc.).

How to read these entries: “Committee of the Whole reported do pass” means the Committee of the Whole voted to recommend final passage to the full House; a roll‑call tally is recorded when the chief clerk calls the roll (as with HB199). Items described as “enrolled acts” indicate bills that have completed both chambers and were being signed for the official enrolled record on the floor.

What reporters should watch next: bills reported do‑pass will appear later on the calendar for final action, or return to the other chamber for concurrence/enrollment. Items with constitutional or significant fiscal impacts (SF125, HB199, SF17, SF22) merit follow up for implementation language, appropriations and possible legal challenges.","A roundup of major floor votes and committee‑of‑the‑whole recommendations recorded during the Wyoming House session on Feb. 27, 2025, including concurrence votes, committee reports and enrolled acts signed by the governor.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

House Committee advances CO2 enhanced‑oil‑recovery stimulus; bill seeds projects with $10 million loan and redirects severance tax to repay program

House concurs with Senate changes to HB199, approves means‑tested prekindergarten ESA with $30 million annual appropriation

Wyoming House advances ‘defining health care’ bill after hours of debate on abortion definitions and trigger language

House adopts new ground for terminating parental rights to aid guardians seeking adoption after prolonged parental absence

Votes at a glance: key Wyoming House floor actions Feb. 27, 2025