House Floor Session-Day 4, February 12, 2026-PM [Source] Translate

The meeting began with a welcome to the Level Up Educators, including District Teachers of the Year and the 2026 State Teacher of the Year, Michelle Roundy. Representative Williams expressed gratitude for their contributions to education and emphasized the importance of their work. Roundy spoke about the value of collaboration among students, families, teachers, and community members to support Wyoming's children, highlighting the state's strong educational performance and urging legislators to engage with educators and students. Following her address, Representative Yen acknowledged Roundy's dedication, and Representative Larson introduced faith leaders present to encourage the legislature. The meeting proceeded with the reading of various House Bills, including House Bill 22 on the recall of elected municipal officers and House Bill 29 on trapping licenses, with recommendations to pass most bills, often with amendments. Representative Larson recognized students from community colleges who received awards, and there was mention of attendees from the "Camo at the Capitol" event. Discussions on bills in second reading included House Bill 3 on pregnancy centers and House Bill 4 on birthing centers, with several bills moving forward without objection. The meeting included discussions on House Bill 36, concerning the Forestry Conservation Program. An amendment proposed by Representative Connolly to increase the number of fire modules from one to two was debated, with arguments for and against it. Ultimately, the amendment was rejected by a roll call vote. Further discussions included House Bill 45 and others related to local government funding and tax distributions. Representative Larson proposed an amendment to increase local government distributions from 5.6% to 8%, which faced opposition regarding long-term sustainability. The discussion highlighted the ongoing debate about balancing fiscal responsibility with community needs. Concerns were raised about property tax increases, particularly in hardship counties. Representatives discussed the financial strain on families and the need for tax relief. An amendment to increase the percentage of local government funding to 7% was adopted after a vote. The meeting also covered budget proposals for various state agencies, focusing on the Joint Appropriations Committee's (JAC) recommendations. The budget bill for the fiscal biennium from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2028, was introduced, with discussions on appropriations totaling $11.4 billion. The JAC made significant changes, including denying several funding requests while adding funds for specific programs. The meeting emphasized the importance of understanding the budget process, with representatives encouraged to familiarize themselves with the budget bill and status report. Various budgetary tools and processes were presented, including a data visualization tool for historical appropriations. Discussions included budgetary recommendations for state agencies, with several agencies presenting flat budgets without additional requests. The committee accepted the governor's recommendations for many sections, while some funding requests were denied due to budget constraints. The meeting concluded with discussions on budgetary allocations for the Department of Transportation and the Department of Health, highlighting the complexities of budgeting for health and transportation services. The JAC adopted several recommendations, including funding for mental health services and addressing the needs of vulnerable populations. Overall, the meeting focused on budget allocations, funding denials, and the implications of these decisions on various educational and operational programs across the state. The session ended with a motion to adjourn until the following day.