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SF0002 • 2026

Legislative budget.

AN ACT relating to appropriations for the legislature; providing appropriations for the operation of the legislative branch of state government; providing for terms and conditions and other requirements relating to appropriations for the remainder of the current biennium ending June 30, 2026 and the period of the budget as specified; providing for carryover of certain funds beyond the biennium as specified; and providing for effective dates.

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Mgt Council
Last action
2026-03-03
Official status
enrolled
Effective date
7/1/2026

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text and summary do not provide specific details about how funds will be used after June 30, 2026.

Legislative Budget Act

This act provides funding and rules for how the state legislature will operate from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2028.

What This Bill Does

  • Provides money for salaries of legislators and staff members who work during sessions and between sessions.
  • Sets aside funds for travel expenses within and outside the state for legislative activities.
  • Allocates money for membership fees in national organizations that help lawmakers do their jobs better.
  • Includes funding for training new or newly appointed legislators on how to perform their duties effectively.
  • Authorizes reimbursement for out-of-state travel related to economic development efforts approved by the Management Council.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Legislators and staff who work in the Wyoming state legislature.

Terms To Know

Biennium
A period of two years, often used for budget cycles or legislative sessions.
Management Council
The group that oversees and manages the operations of the Wyoming state legislature.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Some parts of the act take effect immediately upon signing, while others have specific effective dates.
  • Details about how funds will be used are outlined in the bill but may change based on Management Council policies.
  • The exact amount and use of carryover funds from previous budgets depend on remaining unspent amounts.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-03 LSO

    Assigned Chapter Number 23

  2. 2026-03-03 Governor

    Governor Signed SEA No. 0001

  3. 2026-02-27 House

    H Speaker Signed SEA No. 0001

  4. 2026-02-19 Senate

    S President Signed SEA No. 0001

  5. 2026-02-19 LSO

    Assigned Number SEA No. 0001

  6. 2026-02-19 House

    H 3rd Reading:Passed 55-2-5-0-0

  7. 2026-02-17 House

    H 2nd Reading:Passed

  8. 2026-02-16 House

    H COW:Passed

  9. 2026-02-16 House

    H Placed on General File

  10. 2026-02-16 House

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

  11. 2026-02-13 House

    H Introduced and Referred to H02 - Appropriations

  12. 2026-02-13 House

    H Received for Introduction

  13. 2026-02-12 Senate

    S 3rd Reading:Passed 31-0-0-0-0

  14. 2026-02-11 Senate

    S 2nd Reading:Passed

  15. 2026-02-10 Senate

    S COW:Passed

  16. 2026-02-10 Senate

    S Placed on General File

  17. 2026-02-10 Senate

    S02 - Appropriations:Recommend Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0

  18. 2026-02-09 Senate

    S Introduced and Referred to S02 - Appropriations 31-0-0-0-0

  19. 2026-01-14 Senate

    S Received for Introduction

  20. 2026-01-12 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Official Summary Text

Bill Summary - 26LSO-0256

Bill No.:

SF0002

Effective:

Multiple Dates

LSO No.:

26LSO-0256

Enrolled Act No.:

SEA No. 0001

Chapter No.:

23

Prime Sponsor:

Management Council

Catch Title:

Legislative budget.

Has Report:

No

Subject:

Appropriations for the Legislative Branch of Government.

Summary/Major Elements:

Section 1

Compensation
:
LSO Staff Permanent/Temporary: $11,499,818
Legislators – Session: $1,156,600
Legislators – Interim: $2,239,976
Session Staff: $575,608
Employer Paid Benefits: $4,906,076

Travel
:
In-State Mileage and Per Diem – Session: $1,543,200
In-State Mileage and Per Diem – Interim: $1,252,390
Out-of-State Travel Expenses: $93,800
Out-of-State Per Diem: $128,800

Annual Dues
:
Energy Council, NCSL, CSG:

$657,190

Registration Fees
: $75,600
Telecommunications
: $50,000
ETS Services (Network connections & backup)
: $10,000
General Administrative Support
: $1,524,720
Statutes, Session Laws & Digests
: $405,000

Section 1 Total:
$26,118,778

Below the Line Budget Explanation – EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY FUNDS

Section 2: Management Council flex authority.
Section 3: Reimbursement for out-of-state travel expended in accordance with Management Council policies.
Section 4: Carry forward of prior appropriations for K-12 consulting fees, legislator laptop sales and remainder of FY25-26 legislative budget for extraordinary expenses like litigation and special sessions.
Section 5: $34,000 for training reimbursement for legislators elect and newly appointed legislators.
Section 6: Authorization of economic development travel appropriation.
Section 7: $20,000 for legislator attendance at Treasurer’s Investment Conference.
Section 8: $25,000 for salary, per diem and mileage for the legislative members of the Capitol Interpretative Exhibits and Wayfinding Subcommittee.
Section 9: $492,100 for Economic Modeling Software and Maintenance Fees. This Program will primarily be used by the Research/Program Evaluation staff to evaluate the economic impact of executive branch agency rules at the county level.

The Budget/Fiscal Division will also utilize the modeling program.

Comments:

Multiple Effective Dates;
Appropriates funds to LSO.
The above summary is not an official publication of the Wyoming Legislature and is not an official statement of legislative intent.

While the Legislative Service Office endeavored to provide accurate information in this summary, it should not be relied upon as a comprehensive abstract of the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
26LSO-0256

ORIGINAL Senate

File No
.
SF0002

ENROLLED ACT NO. 1,

SENATE

SIXTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2026 Budget Session

AN ACT relating to appropriations for the legislature; providing appropriations for the operation of the legislative branch of state government; providing for terms and conditions and other requirements relating to appropriations for the remainder of the current biennium ending June 30, 2026 and the period of the budget as specified; providing for carryover of certain funds beyond the biennium as specified; and providing for effective dates.

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

Section 1.

There is appropriated from the general fund to the legislative service office the following specified amounts, or as much thereof as may be necessary, to pay the costs and expenses of the Wyoming legislature through June 30, 2028:

SALARIES
LSO Staff Permanent/Temporary
......................
$11,499,818
Legislators – Session
..................................
1,156,600
Legislators – Interim
.................................
2,239,976
Session Staff
..............................................
575,608
Employer Paid Benefits
................................
4,906,076

IN-STATE TRAVEL
Mileage and Per Diem – Session
.......................
1,543,200
Mileage and Per Diem – Interim
.......................
1,252,390

OUT-OF-STATE TRAVEL
Travel Expenses
.............................................
93,800
Per Diem
....................................................
128,800

DUES
National Conference of State Legislatures
.............
293,524
The Energy Council
.........................................
76,800
Council of State Governments
............................
271,346
Other
........................................................
15,520

REGISTRATION FEES
...........................................
75,600

TELECOMMUNICATIONS
.........................................
50,000

ETS SERVICES (Network connections & backup)
...........
10,000

GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT
......................
1,524,720

(Information technology, copying,

supplies and equipment, furniture,

contract services, special projects, etc.)

STATUTES, SESSION LAWS AND DIGESTS
.....................
405,000

TOTAL
...................................................
$26,118,778

Section 2.

[Standard Provision-Flex]. The Management Council may transfer funds from one expense category to another under Section 1 of this act as the activities of the legislature may require.

Section 3
.

[Standard Provision-Travel]. The appropriation for out-of-state travel under this act shall be used to reimburse legislators for documented legislative travel and per diem expenses to attend out-of-state meetings in accordance with policies of the Management Council.

In addition to other out-of-state travel authorized in Management Council policies, Management Council may approve out-of-state travel for legislators that furthers the interests of the state of Wyoming.

This travel may include travel to meet with legislators or legislative committees from other states and travel to attend other meetings, conferences or events that further the interests of the state of Wyoming.

Section 4.

[Carry Forward of Prior Appropriations].

(a)

Notwithstanding W.S. 9
‑
4
‑
207, the unobligated portions of the following appropriations shall not revert on June 30, 2026, and are hereby reappropriated to the legislative service office for the following purposes:

(i)

Any unexpended, unobligated amounts reappropriated for expenditure by the legislative service office under 2024 Wyoming Session Laws, Chapter 59, Sections 4(a)(i) and 7 and 2025 Wyoming Session Laws, Chapter 140, Section 2 are reappropriated for expenditure by the legislative service office for the period commencing July 1, 2026 and ending June 30, 2028.

Expenditures of amounts reappropriated under this paragraph shall be for professional consulting expertise and other support necessary to carry out and execute work of the legislature pertaining to required K-12 education responsibilities, issues and studies.

Professional consulting expertise may be retained by the legislative service office only upon approval of the Management Council, and the unexpended, unobligated amounts may be expended for contractual agreements between the Management Council and professional consultants;

(ii)

Any balance remaining on June 30, 2026, resulting from the sale of legislative laptop computers prior to that date is appropriated to the legislative service office to be used for the purchase of replacement laptop computers and support systems for the period commencing July 1, 2026 and ending June 30, 2028;

(iii)

Any unexpended, unobligated amounts appropriated for expenditure under 2024 Wyoming Session Laws, Chapter 59 are reappropriated for expenditure by the legislative service office at the direction of the Management Council for extraordinary expenses of the legislature and as necessary to supplement any expense category under this act, for the period commencing July 1, 2026 and ending June 30, 2028.

(b)

This section is effective immediately.

Section 5.

[New Legislator Training Compensation].

(a)

From and after the date the state canvassing board certifies the results of the 2026 general election in accordance with W.S. 22
‑
16
‑
118, legislators elect and newly appointed legislators may, to the extent authorized by the Management Council, receive mileage and per diem at the same rate as members of the legislature plus an amount equal to the daily salary paid to legislators for each day spent at a legislative training function or at a meeting of an interim committee to which they will be assigned.

(b)

There is appropriated from the general fund to the legislative service office thirty-four thousand dollars ($34,000.00) for purposes of this section.

(c)

As used in this section:

(i)

"Legislator elect" means a person elected to the legislature during the 2026 general election who is not a current member of the legislature and before the person is duly sworn in;

(ii)

"Newly appointed legislator" means a person appointed after the 2026 general election to fill a vacancy in the House or Senate and before the person is duly sworn in.

Section 6.

[Economic Development Authorized Travel].

(a)

Subject to available appropriation, le
g
islators traveling ou
t
-of-state, including internationally, in connection

with

executive

branch

or

legislatively

approved efforts to ex
p
and and diver
s
ify Wyoming's energy and industrial economy or to attract new business enterprises to the state or to imp
r
ove access to and growth in domestic and
international

markets,

are

authorized

reimbursement

of

actual
travel expenses, including travel, lodging, meals and
necessary incidentals, provided:

(i)

Reimbursement

of

travel

expenses

for

members of

the

legisla
t
ure

to

participate

in

economic

d
evelopment

efforts under this section shall require the approval of the
Management Council;

(ii)

In designating members authorized to receive

travel reimbursement under this section, preference shall be

given to members w
h
o have expressed an intention to seek r
e
-election

to,

or

if

mi
d
-term

to

continue

to

serve

in,

the

Wyoming legislature during the 2027 and 2028
l
egislative
sessions.

(b)

This section is effective immediately.

Section 7.

[Wyoming State Treasurer's Investment Conference].

There is appropriated twenty th
o
usand

dollars

($20,000
.
00)

from

the

g
e
n
e
ral

fund

to

the

l
egislative

service

office

f
or

payment

of

r
e
gistration,

mil
e
age

and

per

diem for legislators attending the Wyoming state treasurer's

investment conference in the 2026 or 20
27
interim.

Section 8
.

[Interpretive Exhibits and Wayfinding Subcommittee].

(a)

There is appropriated twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00) from the general fund to the legislative service office to pay the salary, mileage and per diem of the legislative members of the capitol interpretive exhibits and wayfinding subcommittee created by 2021 Wyoming Session Laws, Chapter 140, Section 8(a).

(b)

This section is effective immediately.

Section 9.

[Economic Modeling].

There is appropriated four hundred ninety-two thousand one hundred dollars ($492,100.00) from the general fund to the legislative service office for regional economic modeling software and maintenance fees for the 2027-2028 biennium to support the legislative service office budget fiscal division fiscal note process, the legislative service office research division administrative rules economic impact analysis and other projects and assignments of the legislature as necessary.

Section 10.

[Effective Dates].

(a)

As used in this act, "effective immediately" means 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. Any appropriation contained in this act that is effective immediately shall not lapse until June 30, 2028, unless otherwise specified.

(b)

Except as otherwise provided, this act is effective July 1, 2026.

(END)

Speaker of the House

President of the Senate

Governor

TIME APPROVED: _________

DATE APPROVED: _________

I hereby certify that this act originated in the Senate.

Chief Clerk

1