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Budget amendments reshape Senate’s spending priorities; petroglyph protection, Board of Control funding moved
Summary
On the third reading of the biennial budget (Senate File 1), senators debated and voted on multiple third-reading amendments — several failed and several were adopted — affecting capital accounts, vehicle purchases, cultural resource funding and water-project funding sources.
The Wyoming Senate took up the biennial budget (Senate File 1) on Feb. 20 and considered a long series of third-reading amendments that altered funding sources and added program-level items.
Senator Larson introduced Third-Reading Amendment No. 1 (capital preservation reappropriation language) and said it would avoid doubling funds for keeping the state capitol open on weekends; that amendment failed on a roll call (12 aye, 19 no). He later brought Amendment No. 2, which would reduce vehicle-purchase funding for ANI by $4.5 million; that amendment also failed by recorded vote (12 aye, 19 no). Senator Larson and others repeatedly urged careful tracking of balances, noting existing account balances and the need to avoid reducing funds for key projects.
Other actions on the budget included adoption of Amendment No. 3 (funding to restore agricultural leadership program support), and Amendment No. 4 (a cost-allocation correction preserving roughly $223,504 for producer-funded agricultural programs). Amendment No. 5 was withdrawn. Amendment No. 6 (clarifying language for Department of Agriculture requests to the Game and Fish Commission) was adopted by voice vote. Amendment No. 7, a $10,000 artwork appropriation for the Hathaway Building, failed. Amendment No. 8 provided funding for surveying, documenting and three-dimensional modeling of petroglyph and pictograph sites on state lands and was adopted after sponsors argued the appropriation was left out last session; sponsors cited a recent vandalism incident to argue urgency. Amendment No. 10 moved Board of Control funding back to the general fund (about $17.3 million), a change supporters said restores historical funding practices and prevents water-development accounts from being used for Board of Control administrative costs; that amendment was adopted.
What happens next: The budget, as amended on third reading, will proceed through the legislative process for final consideration; the Senate recessed after completing many votes and will resume later in the session.
