The bill amends existing laws related to K-12 public school finance in Wyoming, specifically increasing the allowable education square footage used to calculate routine and major maintenance for school districts. Key changes include the removal of previous limitations on the inclusion of education space capacity in gross square footage computations, allowing for greater flexibility in how school districts account for their facilities. The amendments to W.S. 21-13-309 and W.S. 21-15-109 adjust the criteria for determining the foundation program amount and major building repair payments, effectively raising the threshold for square footage calculations from 115% to 135% of the standard space level for the 2025-2026 school year.

Additionally, the bill appropriates a total of $43.7 million from the public school foundation program account for major maintenance and routine maintenance payments to school districts, with specific allocations of $31.9 million for major maintenance and $11.8 million for routine maintenance. These funds are designated for the period from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2028, and cannot be used for any other purpose. The act is set to take effect immediately upon completion of all necessary legislative processes.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 21-13-309, 21-15-109