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SF0013 • 2026

Wyoming national guard member referral-amendments.

AN ACT relating to defense forces and affairs; increasing the referral bonus amount for the Wyoming national guard member referral incentive program; expanding eligibility of the program; extending the sunset date for the program; making conforming amendments; providing an appropriation; and providing for an effective date.

Enacted

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

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

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Wyoming National Guard Member Referral Incentive Program Amendments

This law changes and expands a program that gives bonuses to Wyoming National Guard members who refer new recruits.

What This Bill Does

  • Increases the referral bonus from $500 to $1,000 for successful referrals.
  • Expands eligibility to include veterans of the Wyoming National Guard, current employees of the Military Department, and recruits starting the enlistment process.
  • Requires that a recruit must complete their accession into the Wyoming National Guard before receiving a referral bonus.
  • Extends the program's expiration date from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2028.
  • Provides $250,000 in funding for the program.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Wyoming National Guard members
  • Veterans of the Wyoming National Guard
  • Current employees of the Military Department
  • Recruits starting the enlistment process

Terms To Know

Referral bonus
A monetary payment given to a current or former member of the Wyoming National Guard for successfully referring someone who joins.
Accession
The process by which a recruit officially becomes part of the Wyoming National Guard.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law does not specify what happens to unspent funds after June 30, 2028.
  • It is unclear how many new recruits will join due to these changes.

Bills Worth Reading With This One

These pairings are meant to flag bills from the same session that may have a bigger real-world effect when you read them together.

SF0012

Both bills relate to the Wyoming National Guard and involve funding for incentive programs.

High confidence

Possible combined effect: The combined effect of these two bills is an expanded and enhanced incentive program for reenlistment and referrals within the Wyoming National Guard, with increased financial incentives and broader eligibility criteria.

Why this got flagged:
  • Both bills provide funding for incentive programs within the Wyoming National Guard, with Bill A focusing on reenlistment and extension bonuses, and Bill B expanding the referral bonus program. Reviewing both together will give a comprehensive understanding of the financial support structure for these programs.
  • This act appropriates one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) from the general fund to the Wyoming Military Department for purposes of funding the Wyoming National Guard Member Reenlistment and Extension Program.
  • This act increases the referral bonus amount from five hundred dollars ($500.00) to one thousand dollars ($1,000.00), extends the sunset date of the program from July 1, 2026 to July 1, 2028, and provides an appropriation of two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000.00) from the general fund to the Wyoming Military Department for purposes of funding the program.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-03 LSO

    Assigned Chapter Number 27

  2. 2026-03-03 Governor

    Governor Signed SEA No. 0026

  3. 2026-03-02 House

    H Speaker Signed SEA No. 0026

  4. 2026-03-02 Senate

    S President Signed SEA No. 0026

  5. 2026-03-02 LSO

    Assigned Number SEA No. 0026

  6. 2026-03-02 House

    H 3rd Reading:Passed 57-0-5-0-0

  7. 2026-02-27 House

    H 2nd Reading:Passed

  8. 2026-02-26 House

    H COW:Passed

  9. 2026-02-25 House

    H Placed on General File

  10. 2026-02-25 House

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

  11. 2026-02-24 House

    :Rerefer to H02 - Appropriations

  12. 2026-02-24 House

    H08 - Transportation:Recommend Do Pass 9-0-0-0-0

  13. 2026-02-18 House

    H Introduced and Referred to H08 - Transportation

  14. 2026-02-18 House

    H Received for Introduction

  15. 2026-02-18 Senate

    S 3rd Reading:Passed 22-8-1-0-0

  16. 2026-02-17 Senate

    S 2nd Reading:Passed

  17. 2026-02-16 Senate

    S COW:Passed

  18. 2026-02-12 Senate

    S Placed on General File

  19. 2026-02-12 Senate

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

  20. 2026-02-10 Senate

    :Rerefer to S02 - Appropriations

  21. 2026-02-10 Senate

    S08 - Transportation:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0

  22. 2026-02-09 Senate

    S Introduced and Referred to S08 - Transportation 21-10-0-0-0

  23. 2026-01-05 Senate

    S Received for Introduction

  24. 2025-12-01 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Official Summary Text

Bill Summary - 26LSO-0030

Bill No.:

SF0013

Effective:

7/1/2026

LSO No.:

26LSO-0030

Enrolled Act No.:

SEA No. 0026

Chapter No.:

27

Prime Sponsor:

Joint Transportation, Highways & Military Affairs Interim Committee

Catch Title:

Wyoming national guard member referral-amendments.

Has Report:

No

Subject:

Amendments to the Wyoming National Guard Member Referral Incentive Program.

Summary/Major Elements:

This act expands the eligibility for the Wyoming National Guard Member Referral Incentive Program to veterans of the Wyoming National Guard, current employees of the Wyoming Military Department, and recruits beginning the enlistment process with the Wyoming National Guard.

This act prohibits the Wyoming Military Department from distributing a referral bonus to a referring recruit until the referring recruit has completed accession into the Wyoming National Guard.

This act increases the referral bonus amount from five hundred dollars ($500.00) to one thousand dollars ($1,000.00), extends the sunset date of the program from July 1, 2026 to July 1, 2028, and provides an appropriation of two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000.00) from the general fund to the Wyoming Military Department for purposes of funding the program.

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-0030

ORIGINAL Senate

File No
.
SF0013

ENROLLED ACT NO. 26,

SENATE

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

AN ACT relating to defense forces and affairs; increasing the referral bonus amount for the Wyoming national guard member referral incentive program; expanding eligibility of the program; extending the sunset date for the program; making conforming amendments; providing an appropriation; and providing for an effective date.

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

Section 1
.

W.S. 19
‑
9
‑
403(e)(intro), (i), (ii), (iv)(B) and (v) is amended to read:

19
‑
9
‑
403.

Pay and allowances of officers and enlisted persons in active state service and state active duty; worker's compensation coverage for national guard members; no pension denied by reason of service.

(e)

There is created the Wyoming national guard member referral incentive program. The purpose of the program shall be to incentivize and maximize peer
‑
to
‑
peer recruiting that results in a completed accession to the Wyoming national guard by providing a referral bonus to Wyoming national guard members
, veterans of the Wyoming national guard, current employees of the military department or recruits beginning the enlistment process with the Wyoming national guard
who make a successful referral. Administration of this program shall require that:

(i)

A Wyoming national guard member
, veteran of the Wyoming national guard, current employee of the military department or recruit beginning the enlistment process with the Wyoming national guard
may provide the identity and contact information of a person who the member
, veteran, employee or recruit
believes would be an appropriate recruitment prospect using a form provided by the Wyoming national guard, which includes the person's name, contact information and any other information required by the military department;

(ii)

The military department shall keep a record of all forms submitted under paragraph (i) of this subsection. Upon the completed accession of a referred person and to the extent sufficient funds are available, the military department shall distribute a referral bonus to the member
, veteran, employee or recruit
who provided the successful referral
. The military department shall not distribute a referral bonus to a referring recruit until the referring recruit has completed accession into the Wyoming national guard
;

(iv)

As used in this subsection:

(B)

"Referral bonus" means a monetary payment set each calendar year by the adjutant general not to exceed
five hundred dollars ($500.00)
one thousand dollars ($1,000.00)
;

(v)

This subsection is repealed effective July 1,
2026
2028
.

Section 2
.

There is appropriated two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000.00) from the general fund to the Wyoming military department for purposes of making referral bonus payments authorized by W.S. 19
‑
9
‑
403(e), as amended by this act. This appropriation shall be for the period beginning with the effective date of this act and ending June 30, 2028. 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, 2028. It is the intent of the legislature that this appropriation not be included in the standard budget for the Wyoming military department for the immediately succeeding fiscal biennium.

Section 3
.

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