Read the full stored bill text
21LSO-0106
ORIGINAL House
ENGROSSED
Bill No
.
HB0051
ENROLLED ACT NO. 82,
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SIXTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2021 General Session
AN ACT relating to the emergency expenses of government; authorizing a governmental program related to expanding and enhancing meat processing capabilities; providing for an appropriation; providing a sunset date for the program; providing rulemaking authority; and providing for an effective date.
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:
Section 1
.
(a)
As used in this section:
(i)
"Department" means the Wyoming department of agriculture;
(ii)
"Eligible business" means a business that:
(A)
Is independently owned and operated;
(B)
Is headquartered in Wyoming or has its principal operations located in Wyoming;
(C)
Has the means, knowledge and capability to plan, construct and maintain a new meat processing facility, upgrade equipment within an existing meat processing facility or has the ability to gain the means, knowledge and capability to plan, construct and maintain a new meat processing facility;
(
D)
Is in good standing with the Wyoming secretary of state;
(E)
Is a new or existing business.
(b)
The Wyoming meat processing expansion grant program is hereby created. The Wyoming
department of agriculture
shall establish and administer this temporary program for eligible businesses by providing cost sharing for eligible businesses to address COVID-19 related problems by planning, constructing, expanding and maintaining meat processing facilities, upgrading technology in meat processing facilities, providing workforce training and converting custom inspected facilities to state or federally inspected facilities and state inspected facilities to federally inspected facilities. Cost sharing under this section shall:
(i)
Not be awarded until an eligible business submits, and the department approves, an application. The application shall be developed by the department and shall require each applicant to provide a business plan and to certify that the business is an eligible business as defined by this section and that knowingly making a false statement to the department on the application is prohibited and may result in the applicant being required to repay all costs shared under this section;
(ii)
Require each eligible business to provide appropriate information as requested by the Wyoming
department of agriculture
;
(iii)
Not exceed one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) per eligible business;
(iv)
Be made only with funds provided to the state government of Wyoming under the federal CARES Act or subsequent federal act for a similar purpose. No other funds of any kind and from any source shall be expended on
the payment of funds for cost sharing awarded under this section;
(v)
Be made on a first-come first-served basis;
(vi)
Require a contribution of fifty percent (50%) from the applicant;
(vii)
Require that funds be spent only on facilities or improvements located in the state of Wyoming.
(c)
The department shall promulgate any emergency and regular rules necessary to administer the program authorized by this section.
(d)
The attorney general shall review in writing the legality of the program and any rules established for the program authorized by this section.
(e)
No expenditure of funds shall be made under this section except in accordance with state and federal laws, regulations and orders.
(f)
The department may utilize program funding to conduct and contract for random audits of eligible businesses receiving funds for cost sharing under this section to ensure awarded funds are expended in compliance with state and federal law.
(g)
There is appropriated to the Wyoming
department of agriculture
an amount determined by the legislature from any federal CARES Act or other similarly purposed funds. If a COVID-19 relief account or other similarly named account is created for the deposit of COVID-19 related emergency response funds, this appropriation shall be made from that
account. If CARES act funds are not available for any portion of this appropriation, the joint appropriations committee or any other committee tasked with developing legislation shall consider appropriating additional COVID
‑
19 relief funds from any subsequent federal COVID-19 relief package. The funds appropriated under this section shall only be expended for cost sharing authorized by this act and consistent with the terms of the federal gift, stipend or appropriation from which the funds originate.
This appropriation shall not be transferred or expended for any other purpose and any unexpended, unobligated funds remaining from this appropriation shall revert as provided by law on June 30, 2022.
(h)
The program created by this section shall terminate on December 30, 2022.
Section 2.
The
department of agriculture
is hereby authorized to request and the Wyoming livestock board is hereby authorized to provide the Wyoming livestock board's mailing list of agriculture businesses, producers and industry participants for use by the
department of agriculture
to advertise the availability of funding pursuant to the program created by section 2 of this act.
Section 3
.
This act is effective immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution.
(END)
Speaker of the House
President of the Senate
Governor
TIME APPROVED: _________
DATE APPROVED: _________
I hereby certify that this act originated in the House.
Chief Clerk
1