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2008 Budget Session
(February 11 to March 7, 2008)
Overview | Today's Update | Pending Bills | Passed Bills | Defeated Bills
Overview
The Wyoming Legislature returned to Cheyenne on Feb. 11, 2008, for a 20-day Budget Session to pass a two-year state budget and consider any other bills which muster a two-thirds majority vote for introduction.
Lawmakers this session are considering a combined $34.5 million in new investments in the Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resources Trust Account and its separate project spending account for habitat improvements and resource conservation. Legislators are also considering a first-ever infusion of state "general fund" tax proceeds into non-game management and sensitive species conservation programs of the Wyoming Game & Fish Department; and pondering a special research account to document potentially endangered species of wildlife in the state in order to address problems with their habitat or populations before they require listing under the Endangered Species Act.
Wyoming Conservation Voters is at the Legislature throughout the session, to provide you with detailed reports on debates, amendments, and opportunities for concerned citizens to participate in the public discourse surrounding lawmakers' actions.
We will release our seventh annual Legislative Scorecard at mid-year to evaluate each of our 90 lawmakers' actions on these and many other issues of interest to sportsmen, wildlife enthusiasts and the other members of the state's sizeable majority who support a clean environment. Thank you for your attention to the Legislature as they work through these issues year in and year out. As always, please contact us with any questions, concerns or ideas for future activism.
The WCV Daily Legislative Update ...
... for Tuesday, February 19, 2008
(Click here for this session's previous daily updates)
The Wyoming Legislature dove into the multibillion-dollar state budget on Day 7 of the 20-day 2008 Budget Session, with each house passing its version of the financial plan on first reading. Budget provisions approved by the governor and the Joint Appropriations Committee over the winter were explained and debated in both the House and Senate, with all top conservation priorities faring well.
SF 1 and HB 1 are "mirror bills" containing identical budget proposals from the appropriators, starting their way through each house simultaneously in a reform that in recent years has greatly speeded the budgeting process. After each house considers and amends the countless provisions, a conference committee will sort out the differences for final approval by both bodies prior to the March 7 adjournment deadline.
Both these bills contain a combined $34.5 million in new investments in the Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resources Trust Account and its separate project spending account for habitat improvements and resource conservation; a first-ever infusion of $1.8 million in state "general fund" tax proceeds into non-game management and sensitive species conservation programs of the Wyoming Game & Fish Department; and a special $1.8 million research account to document potentially endangered species of wildlife in the state in order to address problems with their habitat or populations before they require listing under the Endangered Species Act. These budget items appeared to have strong support during initial floor debate.
Please check back each morning for a summary of the prior day's legislative action of interest to sportsmen and conservationists, and highlights of upcoming action on important bills.
HB 1 / SF 1 - coming soon
HB 11 - coming soon
HB 60 - coming soon
HB 89 - coming soon
HB 90 - coming soon
HB 103 - coming soon
HB 111 - coming soon
HB 120 - coming soon
HB 122 - coming soon
SF 3 - coming soon
SF 7 - coming soon
SF 11 - coming soon
SF 58 - coming soon
Bill moves 2nd round of Wildlife Trust Fund large projects
SF 63 Sponsor: Select Natural Resource Funding Committee
Status: Awaiting Senate first reading (as soon as Feb. 13)
The Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resources Trust Fund, established in 2005, is a special state savings account now approaching $60 million after steady support in the past three legislative sessions. Interest from these savings are available to the statewide, seven-member trust-fund board, appointed by the governor and approved by the state Senate, to spend on wildlife habitat restoration and protection projects in cooperation with government and nonprofit agencies.
A special legislative committee was established to evaluate large projects in which more than $200,000 is proposed to be invested by the trust-fund board. The select committee must approve these projects before they make their way through the normal legislative process.
SF 63 is the second annual bill brought forward by this committee to gain approval for large wildlife habitat protection projects, after successful passage of last year's message. This year's bill includes just over $2.9 million in funding for eleven new projects and continuations of two authorized last year. Highlights include:
—Grasslands conservation efforts in multiple northeastern Wyoming sites in Johnson, Campbell, Weston and Converse counties;
—Easements to prevent the breakup of working and habitat-rich western Wyoming family ranches;
—Aspen regeneration in both the Wyoming Range and the Laramie Range at opposite ends of the state;
—Urgent soil-conservation aid along the Kirby Creek watershed in Hot Springs County to reduce siltation to the Big Horn River.
—Invasive species control in the Yellowtail Reservoir and Yellowtail Recreation Area of north-central Wyoming.
Additionally, the projects continued from 2007 enhance aspen and sage on the Bates Creek watershed near Casper to benefit elk and mule deer forage, and improve vital aspen, sage, bitterbrush and sumac on four sites near Lander to benefit mule deer, elk and pronghorn wintering and fawn survival.
The state's $2.9 million leverages total funding and matching grants topping $25 million over the next three years from nonprofit and government agency partners, and speeds up the projects approved last year as well.
The bill passed the Senate Travel Committee on a 5-0 vote on Feb. 12 and cleared its final Senate reading Feb. 15, also on a unanimous vote. It now awaits consideration in the House Travel Committee.
Wyoming Conservation Voters is proud to support the outstanding collection of worthwhile wildlife and resource conservation projects the trust board has winnowed from a richly competitive set of applicants.
We certainly encourage all sportsmen and conservationists to let their House members know you support HB 63 as well as future Trust Fund projects.
SF 69 - coming soon
SF 80 - coming soon
SF 94 - coming soon
This list of major bills of interest to conservationists and sportsmen will be continually updated. Please check back as we track legislation still being considered.
No bills of interest to conservationists and sportsmen have yet passed the Legislature in 2008. Please check back daily for updates.
HB 4 - coming soon
HB 124 - coming soon