House committee of the whole advances acquisition‑value property tax bill after extended debate

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The Wyoming House committee of the whole voted 35‑22 to advance House Bill 282 on Feb. 4 after extended floor debate and adoption of two committee amendments.

Representative Landon Locke, sponsor of House Bill 282, told members the measure is intended to move the state toward an acquisition‑value property tax system and to simplify implementation. "I consider this more property tax reform, more than anything," Locke said on the floor, describing a phased approach that rolls values back to 2019 and then applies an annual escalator.

The bill would set a base year value for residential property: for parcels last acquired on or before Dec. 31, 2019, the base year would be their fair‑market value on Jan. 1, 2019; purchases from 2020 through 2025 would use the fair‑market value in the year of purchase; and for properties acquired on or after Jan. 1, 2026 the acquisition price would serve as the base. After the base year the bill applies an annual adjustment equal to the lesser of 2% or the consumer price index. Locke said the measure also includes rules for non‑arm’s‑length transfers and for cases where purchase documentation is not provided to county clerks.

Opponents warned of constitutional and fiscal risks. Representative Dan Guillen said a 2023 study on acquisition‑value implementation found constitutional obstacles and argued the bill could be struck down in court: "If it were to go to court ... it would violate all three of those," Guillen said, referring to provisions of Article 15 of the Wyoming Constitution cited during debate. Other speakers, including Representative JT Larson and Representative Sherwood Storer, expressed concern that the measure would shift tax burdens among counties and reduce revenue used for schools and local services.

Supporters said the bill would protect long‑term homeowners from sudden tax spikes tied to nearby sales and would make annual property tax changes more predictable. Representative Marie Bair said the proposal provides "real reform" to a system that has left some homeowners with bills they cannot foresee.

Two committee of the whole amendments were adopted. Committee Amendment No. 1, offered by Locke, removed text deemed unnecessary from several State Board of Equalization paragraphs. Committee Amendment No. 2, offered by Representative Lally and accepted as a friendly amendment by the sponsor, restored the statutory percentage used to calculate assessments to a higher conforming rate (keeping 9.5% rather than the bill’s earlier 8.3% drafting).

After the amendments, Vice Chairman Stivar moved the committee of the whole to report that House Bill 282 do pass; members approved that motion 35‑22. The clerk announced "House bill 282 has passed committee of the whole 35 to 22." The measure will return to the full House for further action.

Why it matters: The bill would change how residential property is valued for tax purposes across Wyoming and alter the distribution of property tax revenue among counties and school funding streams. Opponents say the plan could cut hundreds of millions in assessed residential value in the first year; supporters say it would stabilize taxes for long‑term owners.

Key technical points and clarifications raised on the floor: - Baseline year and phase‑in: Properties owned on or before Dec. 31, 2019 use Jan. 1, 2019 value; purchases 2020–2025 use the purchase year's fair market value; acquisition value begins Jan. 1, 2026. - Escalator: Annual adjustment is the lesser of 2% or CPI unless specified exceptions apply. - Non‑arm’s‑length transactions: If evidence shows a sale was not arm’s length or required sale documentation was not provided to the county clerk, assessors may calculate a market value rather than accept the recorded purchase price. - Transfers among family, trust, court orders and certain gifts are treated as transfers (not new acquisitions) so base values continue and escalators continue to apply rather than resetting a base value. - Fiscal note: floor discussion cited a rough statewide residential impact figure of about $260 million (difference between 2019 baseline aggregate residential collections and later totals); the sponsor and others discussed this as the source of the fiscal‑impact estimate.

Next steps: House Bill 282 will return to the House calendar for further consideration and any third‑reading actions.