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Committee adopts amendment to extend exemption application window, moves permanent deadline to March 1
Summary
The House Revenue Committee adopted an amendment to House Bill 109 to give homeowners a short transitional window in May and then move the 25% owner-occupied property tax-exemption application deadline to March 1 beginning in 2027. Assessors and the Department of Revenue said they can administer the change.
The House Revenue Committee on Feb. 19 approved an amendment to House Bill 109 to adjust the application date for a 25% owner-occupied property tax exemption and voted to work the bill out of committee.
Representative Lean described the amendment as a transition: the bill moves the deadline to the second Monday in May this year to give homeowners a brief period after late-April assessments, and then makes March 1 the permanent deadline beginning in 2027. Representative Bratton, the bill’s prime sponsor, said the change is narrowly targeted and does not expand eligibility or increase cost.
"This bill simply prevents thousands of Wyoming homeowners from being blindsided by a property tax increase that many have no idea is coming," Representative Bratton said, noting the switch from an automatic 25% exemption last year to a system that requires homeowners to affirm occupancy online.
County assessors and the Department of Revenue told the committee the change is administrable but could complicate local calendars if multiple deadlines exist. A county assessor testifying for several offices said assessors had already done considerable outreach — notices on tax bills, flyers and town halls — but that not all taxpayers read those materials.
Ken Gil, property tax division administrator for the Department of Revenue, said the department’s portal is date-stamped and tied to statewide systems so staff can track applications and ownership changes. He told members the portal can be extended to accept applications through the second Monday in May for the transition year.
Committee action: The committee adopted the amendment and, by voice/roll-call, approved moving the bill forward (committee tally reported as nine yes votes). The committee recorded no public testimony during the hearing on HB 109.
What comes next: With the amendment adopted, the bill will be moved out of committee for further consideration. The change is intended to provide a brief post-assessment window for homeowners to sign up, then shift the permanent statutory date to March 1 so assessors can align deadlines statewide.
