Gov. Gordon vetoes bill he said could hurt charter schools, public education system

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (KIFI) – Governor Gordon issued his first veto of the 2024 Legislative Session Thursday, calling a bill addressing charter schools a “bailing wire fix” that could threaten the sustainability of charter schools in the years to come.

The governor said the legislation does not treat all charter schools equally. 

Senate File 61 - Education-charter school amendments authorizes charter schools as “local education agencies” (LEAs) to apply for, receive and administer federal and state grants. However, the bill repeals the ability of the state’s Charter Authorizing Board to serve this function before that board has even had an opportunity to demonstrate its effectiveness, the Governor said. In addition, the proposed legislation could impose significant costs and administrative burdens unequally across charter schools, potentially posing constitutional issues.  

“Without a thorough examination of the consequences and impacts on our state, students, parents, and taxpayers, I fear we may risk exacerbating existing impediments to charter growth and innovation while simultaneously raising the overall cost of education to unsustainable levels over the long term,” the Governor wrote in his veto letter. “Such a scenario is neither fiscally responsible nor supportive of students and parents who choose charter schools for their education.”

You can view the governor’s veto letter below.

Governor Gordon also signed the following enrolled acts into law Thursday: