Compromise: Last-minute deal on Wyoming K-12 funding bill
The Latest on an education funding bill negotiated by Wyoming lawmakers on the last day of the legislative session (all times local):
3:51 p.m.
Members of the Wyoming House and Senate have reached a compromise on legislation that could begin to address the state’s K-12 education funding shortfall.
The shortfall is on track to top $380 million a year. The bill agreed to by three senators and three representatives on the last day of the legislative session Friday would save $34.5 million a year.
The bill also would begin a years-long process of overhauling education funding amid declining revenue from coal, oil and natural gas extraction.
Last-minute negotiations centered on funding for instructional facilitators – education experts who coach teachers. A half-cent sales tax increase and mineral tax reallocation favored by the House remain off the table after being taken out by the Senate earlier.
The full House and Senate would need to sign off on the changes before sending the bill to Gov. Matt Mead.
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3:35 p.m.
Members of the Wyoming House and Senate have reached a compromise on legislation that could begin to address the state’s K-12 education funding shortfall.
The shortfall is on track to top $380 million a year. The bill agreed to by three senators and three representatives on the last day of the legislative session Friday would save $34.5 million a year.
The bill also would begin a years-long process of overhauling education funding amid declining revenue from coal, oil and natural gas extraction.
Last-minute negotiations centered on funding for instructional facilitators – education experts who coach teachers. A half-cent sales tax increase and reallocation favored by the House remain off the table after being taken out by the Senate earlier.
The full House and Senate would need to sign off on the changes before sending the bill to Gov. Matt Mead.
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11:34 a.m.
Last-minute negotiations between members of the Wyoming House and Senate will decide the fate of their top-priority issue this year: Addressing a massive education funding shortfall.
Friday is supposed to be the last day of this year’s legislative session but representatives voted 51-9 not to agree with changes senators have made to an education funding bill.
The bill now goes to a committee of both senators and representatives to hash out their differences.
The Senate changes include eliminating a proposed half-cent sales tax increase and 1 percent minerals tax diversion to benefit K-12 education. Senators favored starting with cuts and resorting to tax measures only if absolutely necessary later.
Wyoming’s public education system faces a more than $380 million shortfall amid weak revenue from oil, natural gas and coal production.
