Legislative Update - Week Eight Focuses on Property Tax Relief

For our state’s lawmakers, it is time to go home. Thirty-seven days of sausage-making is complete and none too soon. A combination of ailments from the common cold to COVID-19 has thinned the ranks of lawmakers and lobbyists, leaving those still standing a little frazzled. Meanwhile, a rare day without mass road closures out of Cheyenne should offer legislators at least a chance to return home tonight. Simply put - everyone is ready to go.

How do you measure a Legislative session as it comes to a close? Senate Vice President Dave Kinskey offered a few numbers as the 2023 session wound down on Friday morning. He points out:

• Members of the Senate voted 1,145 times, which includes all bills, amendments, roll calls and voice votes;
• The Senate filled three bins of recycled paper yesterday alone, and; 
• Over the session, over 600 omelets have been consumed by lawmakers this session. There was no breakdown given on the number of Denver omelets vs. the standard ham and cheese.

Here’s what else you need to know from the Capitol this week

1. Property Tax Refund Is Signed
2. Property Tax Amendment Is Signed
3. What’s Next?
4. Gubernatorial Proclamation

Property Tax Refund Bill Signed Into Law

Thursday afternoon, Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon signed House Bill 99 into law. HB99 is the expansion of eligibility requirements for the Property Tax Refund Program.

The program’s eligibility will be increased to allow those making 125% of the county median income to receive a refund of up to 75% of your previous year’s property tax. Click here to see if your household would be eligible for a refund. AARP Wyoming has already been in contact with State Revenue Department Director Brenda Henson and rest assured, we will have information on how to apply for the refund as soon as April for the June program deadline. Director Henson was amazing last year when it came to promoting the program to our members and it sounds like we will get the band back together to do the same this year.

Property Tax Relief Amendment Is Signed

Senate Joint Resolution 3 had quite a ride through the Legislative Session. Originally titled, “Property Tax Relief for the Elderly and Infirm,” the bill sort of meandered through committee and the Senate while other property tax relief efforts (with the exception of HB99) fell one-by-one. By the start of this week, it was clear that if a constitutional amendment allowing property tax was going to be put on the 2024 ballot, Joint Resolution 3 was the only way to make it happen.

Through the House, there were efforts made to define what elderly and infirm meant, and finally, upon third reading, massive changes were made to the bill, including its title, which now reads, “Property Tax Residential Class.” 

Here’s where we are at now - the bill, which was signed into law by Gordon on Friday, triggers an election to amend the state constitution to provide for a fourth class of property - residential. This is up from the current three classes of industrial, commercial, and all other. If the vote for the constitutional change passes, it will allow future legislatures to carve out specific property tax rates for homeowners as lawmakers see fit. Expect to be able to vote on this amendment in the 2024 ballot.

If you appreciate what the legislature is trying to do here, take 30 seconds and send a thank you note to Senator Dan Dockstader. The man has moved mountains the last two years in an attempt to offer property tax relief to Wyomingites who need it.

What is Next?

Last week the Wyoming Legislature’s Committees met as joint committees (made up of both the House and Senate members) to discuss what they would like to study in the interim. This is a sort of priority-setting session. Chairs of each Joint Subcommittee will take their preferred study topics to a meeting of the Legislature’s Management Council in mid-March and the Council will offer its blessing on those priorities, or give them new study topics. Most committees will meet three to four times between now and the next Wyoming Legislative session, which is scheduled to begin Feb. 12, 2024 at 10 a.m.

Once the interim topics are announced and meetings scheduled, we will be sure you know so you can engage.

Thank you to Governor Gordon for signing a proclamation on Wednesday declaring Wyoming a Hidden Heroes State. The proclamation recognizes the work of caregivers of veterans across Wyoming, while highlighting some of the available resources for military caregivers.

The Hidden Heroes campaign is a collaboration between AARP and the Elizabeth Dole Foundation to bring attention to the untold stories of military caregivers and seeks solutions for the challenges and long-term needs they face. AARP has more than 3 million veterans in its membership and has made issues facing veterans, military members, and their families a priority. The organization has produced a free military caregiving handbook available by clicking here. The guide offers helpful resources and caregiving checklists, facts about veteran and military caregivers, and five key issues to address in your caregiving journey. 

AARP also offers the free Watchdog Alert Veterans Addition guide, which is available by clicking here. The guide outlines the fact 1-in-3 current or former military members have been targeted by disability or benefit scams and how veterans and military families can avoid being scammed.

Last thing - Today we said so long to an old friend. Bret Baugh is retiring from AARP Wyoming exactly 21 years to the day after he started. If you have done anything with AARP Wyoming over the last two decades, Bret has had a hand in that effort. We took him to lunch on Wednesday to say thank you and Casper Representative and friend of the Baugh family offered a tremendous salute on the House floor as a send-off. Thank you Bret for your time at AARP Wyoming.