Governor Gordon opened the Joint Appropriations Committee on Dec. 1 with a broad presentation of his recommended biennial budget, which he described as "fiscally conservative and balanced" and titled "the essentials." He said the budget is framed around four principles: protecting citizens, supporting core industries, improving government effectiveness, and keeping government close to the people.

The governor identified major line items forwarded to his office, including $2,200,000,000 recommended for school funding and $400,000,000 for capital construction. He told the committee the fiscal profile also includes $103,000,000 for the judicial branch and $226,000,000 for the legislative branch. The governor noted statutory requirements that appear in the profile: a $130,000,000 vehicle sales tax transfer to highway funds and a statutory 5% reserve estimated at $193,000,000.

On revenue and savings, the governor said state investment earnings are large this year and singled out roughly $913,700,000 in anticipated investment income to offset taxpayer burdens during the biennium. He proposed $250,000,000 in permanent savings recommendations, proposing splitting that equally between the permanent bridal trust fund and the common school permanent land fund, and left roughly $462,000,000 to be available to the Legislature for appropriation.

The governor focused on how the state’s spending is distributed, saying "76% of Wyoming's entire budget isn't spent on the administration of state agencies at all," and that most state dollars flow out to communities — schools, hospitals and local providers — via grants and contracted services. He also recommended continued funding to offset reductions in federal SNAP administrative dollars and asked the Legislature to support farm-to-school efforts whether or not a federal grant arrives.

On health and corrections, the presentation called for investments in rural health and a rural health transformation program under the Department of Health, including proposals to strengthen obstetric and behavioral-crisis services. For corrections, the governor urged immediate action on a supplemental for out-of-state inmate housing ($9,300,000), requested $9,700,000 for inflationary increases in corrections operations, and $1,400,000 to maintain 195 adult community corrections beds through FY2026.

Water and energy policy were a central focus. The governor warned of growing pressure on Wyoming’s water and recommended funding for the State Engineer’s Office and Attorney General’s Office to protect water use across multiple basins, including preparations to participate in Colorado River Basin issues. On energy, he advocated a “best of all of the above” approach — supporting coal, oil and gas, nuclear and renewables — and highlighted trade and research ties with Taiwan and Japan that, according to presenters later in the hearing, include potential markets for coal and LNG and interest in carbon-management and carbon-capture research.

The governor closed by stressing that the Legislature ultimately crafts and appropriates the budget and invited lawmakers to work with his administration through the session.

Ending: Committee questioners probed specific elements (youth outmigration, data centers, international trade and litigation funds) and committee staff signaled a follow-up process for technical details as the budget moves through committee consideration.