Vaccine incentives-state employees.

21LSO-1049
2021
STATE OF WYOMING
21LSO-1049
Numbered
2.0

HOUSE BILL NO. HB1015

Vaccine incentives-state employees.

Sponsored by: Representative(s) Sherwood and Senator(s) Gierau

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to state employees; providing vaccination incentives to state employees in response to COVID-19 vaccine mandates; providing definitions; making an appropriation; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1.

(a)

In light of the significant reduction in mortality and other benefits provided by COVID-19 vaccinations and to incentivize state employees for their safety and continued dedication during this pandemic, each
eligible state employee who has been or will become fully vaccinated for COVID-19 on or before December 31, 2021, shall receive incentive pay of one thousand dollars ($1,000.00).

Incentive pay under this section is provided in response to COVID-19 vaccine mandates and is intended to voluntarily increase COVID-19 vaccination rates. Only those state employees who are continuously employed on and after the effective date of this act and continuing through December 31, 2021, shall be eligible for the incentive pay provided by this section.

(b)

As used in this section:

(i)

"COVID-19" means as defined by W.S. 1
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1
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141(a)(ii);

(ii)

"Fully vaccinated for COVID-19" means a person has received all manufacturer recommended shots of a vaccine that is marketed to prevent COVID-19 or a vaccine that is marketed to diminish or decrease the symptoms of COVID-19, not including booster shots;

(iii)

"State employee" means any employee of the state of Wyoming working full-time, including on a contract basis, for any branch of the state of Wyoming government including the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government, the University of Wyoming and any department, division, agency, board, commission or other instrumentality of those branches.

"State employee" shall not include any elected official whose salary is prescribed by law.

Section 2.

(a)

There is appropriated fourteen million seven hundred twenty thousand dollars ($14,720,000.00) to the state auditor from any unexpended, unobligated American Rescue Plan Act funds that were appropriated in 2021 Wyoming Session Laws, Chapter 166, Section 5(b). Pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, from this appropriation the state auditor shall distribute the following amounts:

(i)

Nine million dollars ($9,000,000.00) for distribution among the executive branch agencies for
employees of the executive branch, the commission on judicial conduct and ethics and the community college commission but not including any agency or entity specified in paragraph (ii) or (iii) of this subsection;

(ii)

Three million one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($3,150,000.00) to the University of Wyoming for eligible state employees of the University of Wyoming, the University of Wyoming medical education program and the enhanced oil recovery commission;

(iii)

Two million one hundred fifty thousand ($2,150,000.00) to the community college commission to be further distributed among the community colleges for eligible state employees of the community colleges and Wyoming public television;

(iv)

Three hundred seventy thousand dollars ($370,000.00) to the supreme court to be further distributed among the eligible state employees of the supreme court, district courts and circuit courts and related subdivisions;

(v)

Fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00) to the legislative service office for eligible state employees of the legislature.

(b)

The appropriation under subsection (a) of this section is for purposes of providing incentive pay under section 1 of this act and that are consistent with the terms of the American Rescue Plan Act, excluding the provision of government services related to a reduction in revenue. Any unobligated, unexpended funds remaining from this appropriation on June 31, 2022, may be transferred and expended upon approval by the governor for any other purposes authorized by the legislature and consistent with the terms of the American Rescue Plan Act.

Transfers and expenditures under this section shall be reported to the legislature through the B-11 process as authorized by W.S. 9-2-1005(b)(ii) and reported pursuant to W.S. 9-2-1013(b).

As used in this section, "American Rescue Plan Act funds" means funds appropriated or disbursed to the state of Wyoming through the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund established under section 602 of title VI of the federal
Social Security Act, as created by section 9901 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, P.L. No. 117-2.

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)

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HB1015