Senate concurs on ‘fairness in sports’ bill; rejects concurrence on two major tax and investment measures

CHEYENNE — The Wyoming Senate on March 4 voted to concur with House amendments to Senate File 44, known as the Fairness in Sports (intercollegiate athletics) bill, but rejected concurrence requests for Senate File 153, a change to residential real property taxable value, and Senate File 169, a repeal affecting the Strategic Investments and Projects Account.

The decisions follow extended floor debate about how the bills would be enforced and how much local school districts and counties would lose in revenue if the changes take effect.

Senator Michael Schueller, sponsor on the Senate side for the sports bill, framed the measure as focused on competition at the collegiate level. “This bill is really just about whether or not we want to allow males to compete with females at the collegiate level,” Senator Schueller said on the floor. Senator Chris Rothfuss questioned logistical enforcement of the bill’s new definitions, saying he did not see how schools would implement them: “I don’t think any of us could prove today that either that we are female or male pursuant to these definitions.” Despite those concerns, the Senate recorded concurrence on Senate File 44 by roll call.

Senate File 44 outcome: The Senate concurred with the House amendments on Senate File 44 (Fairness in Sports). The roll call was recorded in the transcript and the chair announced the measure concurred.

Senate File 169: repeal of the Strategic Investments and Projects Account

Senator Chris Yates urged colleagues to vote no on concurrence for Senate File 169, citing newly added projects and transfers that had not been agreed with House members. “I would ask you to vote no on concurrence,” Yates said. The motion to withhold concurrence passed; the Senate failed to concur and the presiding officer said a conference committee would be appointed to resolve differences.

Senate File 153: residential real property taxable value

Senator Fred Barlow, speaking against concurrence on Senate File 153, warned the change would significantly reduce property tax assessments for residential property and shift costs to the state and school foundation account. Barlow said the amendment set the assessment at 8.3 percent for residential property and that, combined with prior actions, would create a large net reduction to local revenues. “So, for 2026 and beyond it reduces that rate for owner-occupied residences down to 8.3,” Barlow said, adding the change would add substantial reductions to what the Senate had already enacted. Other senators raised similar concerns about uneven impacts on counties and school districts.

Senate action and next steps

- The Senate recorded concurrence on Senate File 44 (Fairness in Sports) and the bill will proceed accordingly. - The Senate failed to concur on Senate File 169 (Strategic Investments and Projects Account repeal); joint conference committee appointments were announced on the floor to reconcile differences. - The Senate failed to concur on Senate File 153 (Residential real property taxable value); the presiding officer announced a joint conference committee to negotiate changes.

Other floor business and signatures

President of the Senate Beau Beitman signed enrolled measures on the floor, including Senate Enrolled Act 93 (originally Senate File 95, special purpose depository institution amendments) and several House enrolled acts (House Enrolled Acts 70–72). The chamber also heard ceremonial remarks from delegates to Wyoming Girls State and Boys State. Senator Dan Cooper, during unrelated floor remarks, warned senators about falling severance tax revenue from lower oil prices and urged careful consideration of spending: “Every $5 movement in the price of a barrel oil costs the state of Wyoming $30,000,000 in severance taxes.”

Why it matters

The votes affect three distinct policy areas: college athletics eligibility rules (SF44), local property tax assessments and the school funding formula (SF153), and the future disposition of state investment accounts and project funding (SF169). Lawmakers said the property-tax changes could reduce local revenues and shift funding pressure onto the state’s school foundation program; the strategic investments repeal prompted requests for more negotiation across the two chambers.

What’s next

For the bills where the Senate failed to concur (SF153 and SF169), the Senate announced joint conference committees to work with House conferees. For SF44 the Senate’s concurrence moves the measure forward under the amended language agreed by the House. The transcript records roll-call tallies and the joint conference appointments.

Votes at a glance

- Senate File 44 (Fairness in Sports, intercollegiate athletics): Senate concurred with House amendments; roll-call recorded on the floor (concurrence announced by the presiding officer). - Senate File 169 (Strategic Investments and Projects Account repeal): Senate failed to concur; conference committee to be appointed. - Senate File 153 (Residential real property taxable value): Senate failed to concur; joint conference committee appointed.

The transcript of the March 4 Senate floor session contains the full roll-call entries and verbatim debate excerpts for members who spoke on each item.