Back to Wyoming

HB0109 • 2023

Wyoming works for tomorrow.

AN ACT relating to higher education scholarships and grant programs; modifying the award of Wyoming's tomorrow scholarships to include a preference for students enrolled in credential programs approved by the Wyoming community college commission under the Wyoming works program and students enrolled in teacher preparation courses; modifying the calculation of the average market value of the Wyoming's tomorrow scholarship endowment fund as specified; transferring funds; appropriating funds upon receipt of matching private funds as specified; and providing for an effective date.

Education
Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor
Representative Sommers
Last action
2023-02-06
Official status
inactive
Effective date
3/1/2023

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass, so details about how private matching funds will be sourced are not relevant at this time.

Wyoming's Tomorrow Scholarships and Grants

The bill modifies the awarding of Wyoming's tomorrow scholarships to prioritize students in certain programs and changes how scholarship funds are calculated.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the way Wyoming's tomorrow scholarship endowment fund calculates its average market value for future fiscal years.
  • Gives preference to students enrolled in specific credential or teacher preparation courses when awarding scholarships.
  • Transfers $75 million from the general fund to the Wyoming's tomorrow scholarship endowment fund on July 1, 2023.
  • Appropriates $5 million to the Wyoming's tomorrow scholarship endowment fund if matched by private funds at a ratio of 1:1.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Students applying for Wyoming's tomorrow scholarships
  • The state auditor and treasurer managing scholarship funds

Terms To Know

Wyoming Works Program
A program that provides credentials and training to address workforce needs.
Endowment Fund
A fund managed by an organization, like a scholarship foundation, which uses investment income for specific purposes.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass in the session and has no current effect.
  • Specific rules for awarding scholarships based on workforce needs have yet to be determined by the commission.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HB0109HS001

Standing Committee • House Education Committee

Filed

Plain English: The amendment modifies the Wyoming's Tomorrow Scholarship endowment fund and specifies how earnings from this fund are to be used once it reaches a balance of $50 million.

  • Adds language to classify the Wyoming's tomorrow scholarship endowment fund under state law, detailing its purpose and management.
  • Specifies that after reaching a balance of $50 million, earnings from the investment of monies within this fund will be credited to the Wyoming's Tomorrow Scholarship expenditure account.
  • The amendment text does not provide details on how funds are transferred or appropriated upon receipt of matching private funds.
  • It is unclear what specific changes are made to the awarding process for Wyoming's tomorrow scholarships beyond mentioning a preference for certain programs.
HB0109HS002

Standing Committee • House Appropriations Committee

Filed

Plain English: The amendment changes the amount of money allocated for Wyoming's Tomorrow Scholarships and adds a new requirement for transferring funds to the scholarship program.

  • Changes the maximum award amount from $75,000,000.00 to $40,000,000.00.
  • Requires the state auditor to transfer $5,000,000.00 from the general fund to the Wyoming's Tomorrow Scholarship Expenditure Account on July 1, 2023.
  • Reduces a specified amount from $15,000,000.00 to $10,000,000.00.
  • The amendment text does not explain the full context or implications of these changes beyond what is explicitly stated.

Bill History

  1. 2023-02-06 House

    H COW:H Did not consider for COW

  2. 2023-01-20 House

    H Placed on General File

  3. 2023-01-20 House

    H02 - Appropriations:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 7-0-0-0-0

  4. 2023-01-17 House

    :Rerefer to H02 - Appropriations

  5. 2023-01-17 House

    H04 - Education:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 9-0-0-0-0

  6. 2023-01-12 House

    H Introduced and Referred to H04 - Education

  7. 2023-01-11 House

    H Received for Introduction

  8. 2023-01-11 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
23LSO-0458
2023
STATE OF WYOMING
23LSO-0458
Numbered
2.0

HOUSE BILL NO. HB0109

Wyoming works for tomorrow.

Sponsored by: Representative(s) Sommers, Berger, Brown and Northrup and Senator(s) Landen

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to higher education scholarships and grant programs; modifying the award of Wyoming's tomorrow scholarships to include a preference for students enrolled in credential programs approved by the Wyoming community college commission under the Wyoming works program and students enrolled in teacher preparation courses; modifying the calculation of the average market value of the Wyoming's tomorrow scholarship endowment fund as specified; transferring funds; appropriating funds upon receipt of matching private funds as specified; and providing for an effective date.

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

Section 1
.

W.S. 21
‑
16
‑
1902(c) and 21
‑
16
‑
1905(b) are amended to read:

21
‑
16
‑
1902.

Wyoming's tomorrow scholarship expenditure account created; use and appropriation of funds; calculation of annual average market value.

(c)

The
annual
average market value of the Wyoming's tomorrow scholarship endowment fund shall be calculated as follows for the fiscal year (FY) specified:

(i)

FY
2023
2024
shall be equal to the market value of the Wyoming's tomorrow scholarship endowment fund, calculated from the first
business
day of the fiscal year;

(ii)

FY
2024
2025
shall be equal to the previous two (2) year average market value of the Wyoming's tomorrow scholarship endowment fund, calculated from the first
business
day of the fiscal year;

(iii)

FY
2025
2026
shall be equal to the previous three (3) year average market value of the Wyoming's tomorrow scholarship endowment fund, calculated from the first
business
day of the fiscal year;

(iv)

FY
2026
2027
shall be equal to the previous four (4) year average market value of the Wyoming's tomorrow scholarship endowment fund, calculated from the first
business
day of the fiscal year;

(v)

FY
2027
2028
and each fiscal year thereafter, shall be equal to the previous five (5) year average market value of the Wyoming's tomorrow scholarship endowment fund, calculated from the first
business
day of the fiscal year.

21
‑
16
‑
1905.

Administration; rules and regulations.

(b)

The commission shall promulgate rules necessary to implement this article in consultation with the University of Wyoming, the department of workforce services, the Wyoming business council and other stakeholders, including industry representatives. The rules shall provide for a preference to award scholarships which considers workforce shortages and economic development needs of the communities, regions and the state. First preference shall be given to students who received a scholarship under this article in the immediately preceding academic term and remain eligible to receive a scholarship under W.S. 21
‑
16
‑
1904(c). Second preference shall be given to students who have secured an industry sponsorship.
Third preference shall be given to students enrolled in credential programs approved by the commission under the Wyoming works program pursuant to W.S. 21
‑
18
‑
407(b)(ii). Fourth preference shall be given to students enrolled in teacher preparation programs.
Preference may be given to students based on the length of their Wyoming residency. Preference may be given to students without a degree.

Section 2
.

(a)

On July 1, 2023, the state auditor shall transfer seventy
‑
five million dollars ($75,000,000.00) from the general fund to the Wyoming's tomorrow scholarship endowment fund created by W.S. 9
‑
4
‑
204(u)(ix).

(b)

There is appropriated to the Wyoming's tomorrow scholarship endowment fund five million dollars ($5,000,000.00) from the general fund, conditioned upon a match of funds in the ratio of one dollar ($1.00) of appropriated general fund to not less than one dollar ($1.00) of matching funds from any private or nonpublic funding source.

(c)

The state treasurer shall deposit all private or nonpublic funds received and state matching funds as provided under subsection (b) of this section in the Wyoming's tomorrow scholarship endowment fund. The state treasurer shall make transfers pursuant to this subsection from the general fund to the Wyoming's tomorrow scholarship endowment fund not later than the end of the calendar quarter following any quarter during which private or nonpublic funds are received.

(d)

On July 1, 2023, the state auditor shall transfer fifteen million dollars ($15,000,000.00) from the general fund to the Wyoming works program account created by W.S. 21
‑
18
‑
408(a).

(e)

On July 1, 2023, the state auditor shall transfer five million dollars ($5,000,000.00) from the general fund to the Wyoming works student grant account created by W.S. 21
‑
18
‑
408(b).

Section 3.

This act is effective July 1, 2023
.

(END)

1
HB0109