Keeping Law SimpleLegislation, clearly explained
Back to Wyoming
Wyoming2006Enacted

HB0076

Free Tuition for Certain Wyoming Veterans and Families

Last scannedOct 18, 2026, 2:19 AM

In one sentence

This law provides free tuition at the University of Wyoming and community colleges for specific overseas combat veterans, their surviving spouses, and orphans, funded by a state appropriation.

What it does

  • Provides free tuition for up to ten semesters at the University of Wyoming and community colleges.
  • Covers credit or vocational education courses for eligible veterans, surviving spouses, and orphans.
  • Requires eligible students to maintain a 2.0 grade point average to keep their free tuition.
  • Sets time limits on when veterans and orphans can start using the benefit.
  • Requires the Community College Commission to reimburse schools for the cost of tuition.
  • Appropriates $200,000 from the general fund to pay for these tuition costs.

Who it affects

  • Overseas combat veterans who lived in Wyoming for at least one year before active service.
  • Surviving spouses and orphans of overseas combat veterans who died in service.
  • The University of Wyoming and Wyoming community colleges.
  • The Community College Commission, which manages the funds and reports to the legislature.

Limits and unknowns

  • The law does not cover Vietnam veterans, who are excluded from the definition of overseas combat veteran in this specific section.
  • If there is not enough money in the fund, the reimbursement to schools will be reduced proportionally.
  • The Community College Commission may take an administrative fee of up to 5% to manage the funds.

Plain language

Terms to know

Overseas combat veteran
A person who lived in Wyoming for at least one year before service, was honorably discharged, and received a medal for service in a foreign conflict. This definition excludes Vietnam veterans.
Combat veteran surviving spouse or orphan
A spouse or child under 21 of an overseas combat veteran who died during active service while the veteran was a Wyoming resident.
Academic year
A 12-month period starting with the fall semester at the University of Wyoming or the summer semester at community colleges.

Official record

Sources

Source checked
Official bill pageIntroduced textOfficial digestOfficial summaryCurrent bill text
Read the official summary

HB0076 Bill Summary Bill No.: HB0076 Drafter: MRW LSO No.: 06LSO-0257 Effective Date: Enrolled Act No.: HEA0042 Chapter No.: 73 Prime Sponsor: Representative Walsh Catch Title: Veteran's tuition waiver. Subject: Providing for veteran's tuition waiver. Summary/Major Elements: Provides free tuition at the University of Wyoming and community colleges for overseas combat veterans and combat veteran widows and orphans. Specifies requirements to initially qualify for and to retain the free tuition. Provides for the community college commission to reimburse the University of Wyoming and community colleges for costs of providing the free tuition. Provides an appropriation of $200,000 to the community college commission to reimburse schools for the cost of tuition. Comments: Requires a report by October 1, 2006 and annually thereafter from the community college commission to the Joint Appropriations and the Joint Education Interim Committee.

Public statements

Why lawmakers voted

Last checked Aug 9, 1:28 AM

We are still checking public recordings for this bill.

Wyoming roll calls

Recorded votes

7 roll calls

H Did Concur 57-0-3-0-02006-03-09 · House57 yes 0 no
Yes
57
No
0
Absent
0
Excused
3
Conflict
0

Yes 57

Alan C JonesH25Becket HinckleyH41Bill ThompsonH60Bruce BarnardH49Colin SimpsonH24David R EdwardsH06David R MillerH55Debbie HammonsH27Deborah AldenH03Del McOmieH54Douglas OsbornH40Doug SamuelsonH07Edward BuchananH04Elaine HarveyH26Erin E Mrs. MercerH53EsquibelFrank PhilpH34George BagbyH15Gerald GayH36Jack D Landon Jr.H30James C HagemanH05Jane WarrenH13Jeff WasserburgerH32Jerry IekelH29Jim SlaterH46John HastertH39Kathleen DavisonH20Keith M GingeryH23Kermit C BrownH14Kevin A WhiteH45Kurt BucholzH47Larry MeuliH08Lorraine K QuarbergH28Mark SemlekH01Marty A MartinH48Mary GilmoreH59Mick PowersH18Monte OlsenH22Owen PetersenH19Pat ChildersH50Pete JorgensenH16Peter S IllowayH42Randall B LuthiH21Robert A BrechtelH38Rodney "Pete" AndersonH10Rosie M BergerH51Ross DiercksH02Roy CoheeH35Stephen D WattH17Steve HarshmanR · H37Thomas A LockhartH57Tom Lubnau IIH31Tom WalshH56Wayne ReeseH11W. Patrick P GogglesH33Zwonitzer, DK.Zwonitzer, DL.

Excused 3

Ann RobinsonH58Burke JacksonH52Layton D MorganH12
S Passed 3rd Reading 30-0-0-0-02006-03-09 · Senate30 yes 0 no
Yes
30
No
0
Absent
0
Excused
0
Conflict
0

Yes 30

Austin "Kit" JenningsS28Bill HawksS29Bill Mr. VaseyS11Bruce Burns Jr.S21Cale CaseR · S25Charles ScottR · S30Chuck TownsendS01Curtis MeierS03E. Jayne MocklerS08Gerald E GeisS20Grant C LarsonS17Henry R CoeS18Jim AndersonS02John BarrassoS27John C SchifferS22John G HanesS05John J HinesS23Kathryn L SessionsS07Kenneth J DecariaS15Michael J Mr. Von FlaternS24Mike MassieS09Patricia L AullmanS16Phil A NicholasS10Rae L JobS12Ray R PetersonS19Robert A PeckS26Stan CooperS14Tex BoggsS13Tony RossS04Wayne H JohnsonS06
S02 Recommended Do Pass 5-0-0-0-02006-03-03 · Senate5 yes 0 no
Yes
5
No
0
Absent
0
Excused
0
Conflict
0

Yes 5

Cale CaseR · S25Jim AndersonS02John J HinesS23Phil A NicholasS10Rae L JobS12
S08 Recommended Amend and Do Pass 5-0-0-0-02006-03-02 · Senate5 yes 0 no
Yes
5
No
0
Absent
0
Excused
0
Conflict
0

Yes 5

Gerald E GeisS20John BarrassoS27Michael J Mr. Von FlaternS24Ray R PetersonS19Tex BoggsS13
H Passed 3rd Reading 59-0-1-0-02006-02-28 · House59 yes 0 no
Yes
59
No
0
Absent
0
Excused
1
Conflict
0

Yes 59

Alan C JonesH25Ann RobinsonH58Becket HinckleyH41Bill ThompsonH60Bruce BarnardH49Burke JacksonH52Colin SimpsonH24David R EdwardsH06David R MillerH55Debbie HammonsH27Deborah AldenH03Del McOmieH54Douglas OsbornH40Doug SamuelsonH07Edward BuchananH04Elaine HarveyH26Erin E Mrs. MercerH53EsquibelGeorge BagbyH15Gerald GayH36Jack D Landon Jr.H30James C HagemanH05Jane WarrenH13Jeff WasserburgerH32Jerry IekelH29Jim SlaterH46John HastertH39Kathleen DavisonH20Keith M GingeryH23Kermit C BrownH14Kevin A WhiteH45Kurt BucholzH47Larry MeuliH08Layton D MorganH12Lorraine K QuarbergH28Mark SemlekH01Marty A MartinH48Mary GilmoreH59Mick PowersH18Monte OlsenH22Owen PetersenH19Pat ChildersH50Pete JorgensenH16Peter S IllowayH42Randall B LuthiH21Robert A BrechtelH38Rodney "Pete" AndersonH10Rosie M BergerH51Ross DiercksH02Roy CoheeH35Stephen D WattH17Steve HarshmanR · H37Thomas A LockhartH57Tom Lubnau IIH31Tom WalshH56Wayne ReeseH11W. Patrick P GogglesH33Zwonitzer, DK.Zwonitzer, DL.

Excused 1

Frank PhilpH34
H02 Recommended Do Pass 8-0-0-0-02006-02-23 · House8 yes 0 no
Yes
8
No
0
Absent
0
Excused
0
Conflict
0

Yes 8

Alan C JonesH25Colin SimpsonH24Frank PhilpH34Jane WarrenH13Larry MeuliH08Owen PetersenH19Pete JorgensenH16Rosie M BergerH51
H Introduced and Referred to H02 59-0-1-0-02006-02-16 · House59 yes 0 no
Yes
59
No
0
Absent
0
Excused
1
Conflict
0

Yes 59

Alan C JonesH25Ann RobinsonH58Becket HinckleyH41Bill ThompsonH60Bruce BarnardH49Colin SimpsonH24David R EdwardsH06David R MillerH55Debbie HammonsH27Deborah AldenH03Del McOmieH54Douglas OsbornH40Doug SamuelsonH07Edward BuchananH04Elaine HarveyH26Erin E Mrs. MercerH53EsquibelFrank PhilpH34George BagbyH15Gerald GayH36Jack D Landon Jr.H30James C HagemanH05Jane WarrenH13Jeff WasserburgerH32Jerry IekelH29Jim SlaterH46John HastertH39Kathleen DavisonH20Keith M GingeryH23Kermit C BrownH14Kevin A WhiteH45Kurt BucholzH47Larry MeuliH08Layton D MorganH12Lorraine K QuarbergH28Mark SemlekH01Marty A MartinH48Mary GilmoreH59Mick PowersH18Monte OlsenH22Owen PetersenH19Pat ChildersH50Pete JorgensenH16Peter S IllowayH42Randall B LuthiH21Robert A BrechtelH38Rodney "Pete" AndersonH10Rosie M BergerH51Ross DiercksH02Roy CoheeH35Stephen D WattH17Steve HarshmanR · H37Thomas A LockhartH57Tom Lubnau IIH31Tom WalshH56Wayne ReeseH11W. Patrick P GogglesH33Zwonitzer, DK.Zwonitzer, DL.

Excused 1

Burke JacksonH52

Official activity

Bill history

  1. Assigned Chapter Number - 73LSO
  2. Governor Signed HEA No. 0042Governor
  3. S President Signed HEA No. 0042Senate
  4. H Speaker Signed HEA No. 0042House
  5. Assigned Number HEA0042LSO
  6. H Did ConcurHouse
  7. H Received for ConcurrenceHouse
  8. S Passed 3rd ReadingSenate
  9. S Passed 2nd ReadingSenate
  10. Amendment AdoptedSenate
  11. Amendment AdoptedSenate
  12. S Passed CoWSenate
  13. Amendment AdoptedSenate
  14. S Amendments AdoptedSenate
  15. Amendment AdoptedSenate
  16. S Placed on General FileSenate
  17. S02 Recommended Do PassSenate
  18. S Rereferred to S02Senate
  19. S08 Recommended Amend and Do PassSenate
  20. S Introduced and Referred to S08Senate

Changes

Amendments

5 stored

HB0076H2001

Adopted 2nd reading by WALSH

HB0076S2001

Adopted 2nd reading by BOGGS

HB0076S2002

Adopted 2nd reading by COOPER

HB0076SW001

Adopted Committee of the Whole by BARRASSO

HB0076SS001

Adopted Standing Committee by BARRASSO