Senate committee advances Wyoming Freedom Scholarship bill after heated debate and multiple amendments

The Wyoming Senate Committee of the Whole on Feb. 14 considered House Bill 199, the Wyoming Freedom Scholarship Act, and ultimately reported the bill favorably to the Senate after intense floor debate and several amendments.

House Bill 199 would convert and amend Wyoming's education savings account program into a scholarship account program. Key changes discussed on the floor included a shift in the funding mechanism from the general fund to a portion of mineral royalty funds (as drafted in the bill), an increase in the maximum per‑student allotment to $7,000 (the sponsor said the figure reflects average private school tuition), and a $30 million appropriation identified in the bill language. The bill also renames and restructures program certification, eligible expenses and testing requirements.

"This is House Bill 199, the Wyoming Freedom Scholarship Act," Senator Brennan said in opening remarks on the bill. He walked senators through changes to statute 9‑4‑601, discussed the funding switch, and described how the accounts are administered and the $7,000 figure.

Amendments and accountability

Senators spent substantial floor time on multiple amendments addressing accountability, funding sources and eligibility limits. A standing committee amendment reinstated testing and assessment requirements for…