Wyoming Senate concurs on state investment bill, recedes on school finance amendment; tax conference talks stall

CHEYENNE — The Wyoming Senate on March 6, 2025, moved several final measures across the finish line and closed its 68th general session, voting to concur on Senate File 191, to recede from nonconcurrence on Senate File 34, and reporting that a joint conference committee on Senate File 153 failed to reach agreement.

Senate File 191, described on the floor as relating to state funds, proxy voting and pecuniary investments, was the last concurrence request of the session. Senators voted to concur; the chair reported the roll call as 24 ayes, 2 noes and 5 excused. Senator Barlow, reporting earlier procedural history for several bills, noted the House had made technical corrections and said he had no objection to the changes added on the House side.

The school-finance bill, Senate File 34 — described in the message from the House as the routine and major maintenance calculation for K–12 facilities — drew a separate floor motion. Senator Roberts moved that the Senate recede from nonconcurrence and vote aye after staff advised that a separate bill enacted earlier in the session effectively nullified the House amendment that had prompted nonconcurrence. The roll call for that motion closed at 20 ayes, 7 noes and 4 excused.

Senator Barlow reported that the joint conference committee on Senate File 153, which relates to residential real property taxable value and the implementation of the voter-approved property tax amendment, met but did not reach agreement. "This was not just about the rates," Barlow said, noting there were definitional concerns and other amendments from the House that needed further work. He told colleagues the committee was unsuccessful and invited the Senate to appoint a new committee or allow the bill to die.

Several senators voiced support for taking the matter into the interim for additional work. Senator McKeown said definitions of residential property and owner-occupied status needed cleanup, and specifically criticized an owner-occupied residency threshold referenced in debate. Senator Case cautioned that tax notices due in May would be issued under current guidance, and suggested litigation over the creation of a fourth tier would be speculative and unlikely to change immediate rates.

The Senate also received House messages and signed enrolled acts before adjourning. The presiding officer signed several enrolled acts on the floor, including enrolled acts tied to original Senate File 17 (energy-related stimulus), Senate File 191 (state funds and investments), Senate File 34 (K–12 facility maintenance appropriations), and Senate File 169 (strategic investments and projects account repeal). The chief clerk distributed fiscal packets and bill summaries for members to take into the interim.

As formal business concluded, Majority Floor Leader Nethercott moved that bills pending before the 68th Wyoming Legislature not be carried over to a future session; the motion passed. The Senate then moved to adjourn and set a legislative budget session to convene in February 2026 at 10:00 a.m., or to reconvene at a date jointly determined by the leaders before Dec. 31, 2025.

Votes at a glance

- Senate File 191 (state funds; proxy voting; pecuniary investments): concurrence adopted. Roll call reported as 24 ayes, 2 noes, 5 excused. The House had sent a concurrence request (message no. 497). The enrolled act corresponding to this file was signed on the floor.

- Senate File 34 (K–12 school finance routine and major maintenance calculation): Senate receded from nonconcurrence and voted to concur; roll call reported as 20 ayes, 7 noes, 4 excused. The House message requesting concurrence was read as message no. 487.

- Senate File 153 (residential real property taxable value): joint conference committee reported unsuccessful; no final Senate action taken at this sitting. Senators instructed that the matter requires further work in the interim if it is to move forward.

Other formal actions and notes

- Enrolled acts signed on the floor included acts tied to original Senate File 17 (energy/stimulus), Senate File 191, Senate File 34 and Senate File 169. A House message reported the House adopted the joint conference committee report on Senate File 169 (message no. 510).

- Majority Floor Leader Nethercott moved that pending bills not be carried over; the motion passed.

Who spoke on these items

Senator Barlow (Senator) — reported on the joint conference committee for Senate File 153 and commented on negotiation positions and outstanding definitional issues.

Senator Roberts (Senator) — moved the motion to recede from nonconcurrence on Senate File 34 and urged colleagues to vote aye.

Senator McKeown (Senator) — raised definitional concerns about owner-occupied status in the property tax bill and urged interim work.

Senator Case (Senator) — cautioned about timing of tax notices and described potential, speculative litigation risk if implementation steps are not taken.

Majority Floor Leader Nethercott (Majority Floor Leader) — moved that pending bills not be carried over and advanced adjournment motions.

Ellen Thompson (Senate Chief Clerk) — announced distribution of fiscal packets and assisted with enrolled-act procedures.

What this means next

Bills that the Senate concurred on or for which enrolled acts were signed now move to final enactment steps as required by law (signatures and enrollment). The unresolved issues in Senate File 153 were left for further work in the interim or may die without further Senate action. The chamber set the legislative budget session for February 2026 to address follow-up business.

Evidence: transcript excerpts for the bills and votes are recorded in the Senate journal and were read on the floor during the March 6, 2025 session.