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SUMMARY
of COMMITTEE SPONSORED BILLS for the 2006 BUDGET SESSION
This
bill would create an enhanced penalty of life imprisonment without the
possibility of parole for any sex offender if the offender is convicted of
sexual assault of a minor and has at least one prior conviction for specified
sexual offenses which arose as a result of a separate occurrence, including
first through third degree sexual assault, regardless of the age of the victim,
or indecent liberties against a minor if the victim was under age 16 and the
actor was at least 4 years older at the time of the prior offense.
This
bill would extend the enhanced reimbursement program that was authorized under
2004 Wyoming Special Session Laws, Chapter 2, for obstetric services under the
Wyoming Medical Assistance and Services Act (Medicaid). Under the act,
physicians performing obstetric services for Medicaid eligible patients will
receive 90% of the statewide average for obstetric services, not to exceed 100%
of the physician's usual and customary charges for the authorized services. The
bill provides an appropriation for the FY07-08 biennium to pay for the enhanced
reimbursement ($3.5 Million in general funds and $3.8 Million in federal funds).
This
bill would extend the medical malpractice insurance loan account program
authorized by 2004 Wyoming Special Sessions Laws, Chapter 5, which was
available to assist physicians with their medical malpractice insurance
premiums if application for assistance was made prior to January 15,
2005. The deadline for applying for the assistance has been extended
under this bill to March 30, 2007, with an appropriation provided for the
anticipated loan requests ($682,500 in general funds).
This
bill would create a juvenile justice task force with specified membership to
examine various aspects of the juvenile justice system, including jurisdiction,
gatekeeping options, length of time in the system, services received and
preferred outcomes for juveniles. The task force is to report its
findings and recommendations by October 1, 2006 to the Governor, Chief Justice
of the Wyoming Supreme Court and the Joint Judiciary Interim Committee.
There is an appropriation for task force meetings ( $75,000 in general funds).
This
bill is intended to clarify that the judicial retirement program that existed
prior to July 1, 1998 applies only to judges appointed prior to that date, or
those already receiving benefits under that program. All other judges
will receive benefits under the judicial retirement program created on July 1,
1998.
This
bill would eliminate the requirement that the cost of mailing the income
withholding notice to the employee be borne by the obligee.
This
bill would require the Wyoming State Hospital (WSH) to perform, only if the
court requests an opinion on the matter, a forensic evaluation upon a person accused
of a crime, to determine if the person, at the time of the alleged criminal
conduct, lacked substantial capacity to appreciate the wrongfulness of his
conduct or to conform his conduct to the requirements of the law. Currently the
report from the WSH requires the evaluation, whether requested or not, along
with the evaluation of the person's fitness to participate in his defense at
trial. The latter evaluation would still be required in all cases where an
accused is sent to the WSH before his trial.
This
bill would amend procedures for the involuntary commitment of persons who are
mentally ill and who pose a danger to self or others. It specifies that
the State Hospital is the hospital of last resort and specifies who is
responsible for payment of costs for emergency detentions after the first 72
hours of hospitalization.
This proposed constitutional amendment would clarify that
all funds deposited into the Permanent Wyoming Mineral Trust Fund are
inviolate. Currently the revenues from the Constitutionally required 1.5%
mineral severance tax on certain minerals are clearly inviolate, but there is a
difference of opinion as to the inviolate nature of additional mineral tax
revenues or other funds deposited to the PWMTF.
The bill would clarify and modify the role of the state
chief information officer and those state entities which are and are not
subject to oversight for information technology purposes.
This draft imposes a time limit
(until June 30, 2008) for a city, town or county to elect to participate in a
specified state law enforcement retirement plan.
This
bill increases the cap on the distribution of severance taxes from $155 Million
to $200 Million. The bill diverts 14.01% of the revenue that would
normally go into the general fund to the multi-lane highway fund for the
purposes of construction and maintaining multi-lane highways in the
state.
The
bill creates a private equity investment account within the permanent Wyoming
mineral trust fund and authorizes the state treasurer to invest the moneys in
private equities. The fund is limited to $175 Million. The fund is
to be used primarily to invest in the buy-out of existing profitable
companies. This bill contains an
appropriation of $50,000,000 from the general fund to the proposed Private
Equity Investment Account within the PWMTF.
This
bill increases the cap on the distribution of federal mineral royalties from
$200 Million to $250 Million. The bill does not change the percentages
for distribution of "under the cap" royalties.
This
bill creates an account within the highway fund that is designated the multi-lane
highway fund. The bill contains an appropriation of $75 Million to be
placed in the multi-lane highway fund for the purposes of constructing and
maintaining multi-lane highways in the state.
This
bill exempts from sales tax those drilling activities that are classified as
the deepening or extending of any well previously drilled for oil and gas
beyond the point they were initially drilled.
This
bill imposes a sales and use tax when a contractor is acting as a vendor.
It covers situations when a contractor is acting as a retail merchant or when
the contractor is billing material and labor separately.
The
bill is essentially the same bill that was sponsored by the committee in 2003
and 2005. The bill addresses the valuation of producer/processed natural
gas for taxation purposes. The bill would require the use of the
"netback" method of valuation for such natural gas.
For
calendar year 2006, the bill provides an exemption for intangible personal
property attributable to Wyoming when the intangible personal is separately
identified on the taxpayer's books and records. (The bill is an extension
of the exemption granted for the year 2005.)
The
bill amends the definition of "real property" passed in 2005 to
include any intangible "characteristic" which contributes to the fair
market value of the property.
The bill
defines tangible and intangible personal property and provides for the taxation
thereof. The bill exempts certain intangible property from taxation.
The
bill governs the taxation of certain intangible property by exempting a portion
of the intangible property held by various types of industry. The
department of revenue is required to set the percentage and then report on the
results of the program.
The
bill creates a task force to study state assessed property. The task
force is to study the composition of the current ad valorem (property) tax
classification of industrial and commercial property, the department of
revenue's methodology for assessment and valuation, and determine any impacts
that the methodologies for valuation have on competition and uniformity.
The bill contains an appropriation of $25,000 from the general fund.
This
bill is a result of the Department of Revenue's Streamlined Sales tax
initiative. It provides a source at which sales tax shall be imposed for
transactions subject to sales and use tax collections in the State of Wyoming.
The
proposal modifies current licensing requirements imposed upon private
post-secondary education degree granting institutions operating in this state
by requiring registration with the Wyoming state department of education and
accreditation by an approved accrediting institution recognized by the U.S.
department of education and accepted by the Wyoming department of
education. Under existing law, the Wyoming state board of education is
required to license such institutions and to inspect licensed institutions to
ensure compliance.
The proposal would forward the recommendations contained within the
2005 Recalibration Study initiated and submitted by the Select School Finance
Committee. Contained within this proposal will be the recalibrated
components contained within the adopted school finance funding formula,
together with mandates for model administration and future studies accompanying
model recalibration. The current draft contains numerous
appropriations to supplement the budget bill for school financing. Please
see the draft for those appropriations.
The
draft would transfer the adult basic education/general educational development
programs from the department of workforce services to the Wyoming community
college commission.
The
draft bill creates 4 levels of Hathaway merit scholarships for Wyoming
residents to attend the University of Wyoming or a Wyoming Community
College. The merit scholarship amounts range from $800 to $1,600 per
semester. They are based initially on ACT and high school GPA
requirements. They are available for the equivalent of four to eight full
time semesters with a maximum time for attendance under the scholarship of six
academic years. There are also Hathaway need based scholarships.
These are available only if the student has first earned a Hathaway merit
scholarship and continues to be eligible for the merit scholarship. The need
based scholarships are awarded only if the student has at least $2,000 annually
in unmet financial need. The bill calls for the program to be
applicable to students graduating in the spring of 2006, and to receive Hathaway
scholarships beginning with the fall of 2006.
This
draft bill provides funding for the Hathaway scholarships and higher education
endowments. Seventeen million dollars is appropriated from the common
school permanent fund reserve account for the Hathaway program initial funding
and a reserve account. Sustained funding of the program is provided
through an endowment. Current law provides for federal mineral royalties
to be deposited to the endowment account. The draft bill provides a
general fund appropriation to the endowment account as necessary to complete
the funding of that account in the amount of $400 million dollars. An
appropriation of one hundred thousand dollars and two full time positions are
provided to the Department of Education.
A
separate higher education endowment account is also provided funding under the
draft bill. A general fund appropriation in the amount of one hundred
five million dollars, is made as necessary to complete funding of that
account.
This
draft resolution would authorize, not require, the Legislature to permit
investment of education trust funds in equities. The State Treasurer's
Office has previously noted that investments in equities can increase earnings
from an estimated four percent to seven percent. The resolution would
also allow the Legislature to ensure the inviolate nature of education trust funds.
Under current interpretation of the Attorney General, the Constitution does not
protect trust funds established by legislative action from future appropriation
by subsequent legislative action.
This bill would modify predator management districts and
district boards, add directors and modify the annual meeting date. The
bill would allow for management of damage from predacious birds and provide for
comprehensive predator management to address livestock, wildlife and public
health concerns. It would amend the fees collected on livestock.
The bill contains an appropriation of $10 Million from the general fund and one
additional full-time position.
This bill would create a provision for impoundment of
animals and to provide for their care. This bill would modify the definition
of cruelty of domestic animals, provide for bonding and modify lien provisions.
This bill would define "public use" for eminent
domain purposes. "Public use" is defined to exclude
the taking of private property by a governmental entity for the benefit of
another private individual or private entity and specifically excludes
acquisition primarily for economic development, industrial
development, an increase to the tax base, an increase to tax revenues, an
increase in employment and an increase in general economic health.
This bill would add a provision for seed stock and
exhibitor permits and would increase fees. It would modify the conditions
under which inspections could be done and would permit a fee for nonmandatory
inspections and would allow for funds to be appropriated by the
legislature. The bill would create a task force to study the brand
program and provides an appropriation of $50,000 from the general fund.
This bill would allow an anti-trust suit to be brought
for an indirect injury and would provide for treble damages.
This bill would allow the livestock board to conduct
business electronically and increases the compensation of the livestock board
to be the same as the legislature. The bill provides an appropriation of
$50,000 from the general fund.
This bill would create a grain indemnity program and
establish a grain indemnity account. It would provide for assessments,
establish penalties, require bonding and provides an appropriation of $20,000
from the general fund.
This bill would allow restrictions at the state fair
rodeo if the restrictions were required by a sanctioning body of a particular
event.
This bill would require the registration of livestock
dealers and provides for enforcement. This bill is proposed in order for
Wyoming to obtain a brucellosis free status from the federal government.
This bill would expand the board from 9 to 13 members by
adding 4 youth leadership members as permanent members. It would
extend the term of the board from 4 to 6 years and increases the compensation
of the board to the amounts paid to legislators. The bill provides an
appropriation of $50,000 from the general fund.
This bill would increase the fine if a herder abandons
sheep and extends the penalty to any person who helps a herder abandon sheep.
This bill would provide enforcement for violations on
state lands by providing criminal penalties and enhanced damages and by
providing enforcement authority to specified law enforcement agencies.
This bill would impose a moratorium on certain eminent
domain actions.
This bill would modify the board membership and provide
for a director of the board to be the chief executive officer of the
board. The bill provides an appropriation of $262,5000 from the general
fund.
This bill would allow the fee collected on pesticide
registrations to be put into an account in the department of agriculture to be
used for pesticide control.
The
bill prohibits private feeding of big game animals. It is in response to
recommendation #26 from the Brucellosis Task Force.
The
bill allows the game and fish department to issue hunting and fishing licenses
electronically.
The
bill does the following:
1.
Provides term limits on board of outfitters members;
2.
Clarifies the board's authority to cite unlicensed outfitters and guides;
3.
Increases penalties for second and subsequent violations of outfitting without
a license;
4.
Provides for forfeiture of equipment used when outfitting without a license;
5.
Prohibits leasing of lands for hunting to unlicensed outfitters
The
bill provides for background checks and allows for simulcasting of races from
places with a higher percentage allowed to be retained by the track.
The
bill creates a state gaming commission to regulate currently allowed forms of
gambling in the state. Nonprofit organizations would be required to
obtain a license from a local licensing authority after approval by the state
gaming commission.
This
bill adjusts the population formula for issuance of retail liquor
licenses. The bill increases the number of retail liquor licenses that
may be issued by a county within a five mile radius of a city or town from
three to six, and decreases the population requirement within towns from 3,000
to 2,500 persons.
This
bill allows concurrent platting and annexation. The bill also allows
municipalities to make waiver of objection to annexation a requirement in
agreements to extend water and sewer services to non-municipal residents.
This bill conforms state law with the recent U.S.
Supreme Court ruling in Granholm v. Heald. The bill allows direct
shipment of wine from in-state wineries to persons in the state.
This bill prohibits the use of machines which
deliver alcohol through vaporization.
This bill provides for on premise dispensing rooms
in restaurants with a restaurant liquor license. The bill retains the
requirement that the ratio of food to alcohol sold be at least 60%/40%,
continues the hours of operation requirements and continues to prohibit the
sale of package liquor with a restaurant liquor license.
This
bill provides for suspension of a minor's driver's license if the minor is
convicted of attempting to purchase alcohol while using a vehicle during the
offense. The suspension would be discretionary with the court, but
mandatory by the department if directed to do so by the court.
This bill changes the definition of resident to
reflect the larger businesses in Wyoming that are otherwise owned by out of
state entities, changes the definition of principal office, and changes the
percentage of non-resident subcontractors that may be used by a resident
preference bid awardee.
This bill
substantially rewrites the telecommunications act of 1995. The bill
eliminates total service long run incremental cost as the floor for essential
telecommunications service prices, and instead sets a maximum price for which
these services can be priced. The bill also redefines when the PSC can
find that competition exists in a market and therefore when deregulation can
occur.
The
bill allows cable companies to use installers other than licensed low voltage
installers when installing lines carrying communications, data and related
services of cable TV providers.
This
bill specifies that county commissioners may hire staff to deal with
non-discretionary functions of the commission.
This
bill amends the law that sets minimum benefits standards for annuities. It
has two main features: it adjusts the expense levels allowed by companies
and sets a minimum payout.
The
bill enters the State in the interstate insurance production regulation
compact. The compact allows insurance companies to submit potential
insurance contracts for life, long term care, annuity and disability policies
to a centralized office for filing, review and approval.
This bill allows
counties to contract for coroner services through joint powers
agreements. This is made explicit in the coroner statutes. The bill
sets a minimum number of meetings for the board of coroners and requires the
law enforcement academy to provide training. It allows the Attorney
General to enforce the training requirements. This bill contains an
appropriation of $10,000 from the general fund.
This bill expands the board to five members and
prohibits more than one member from working for the same entity.
This bill would allow the department of electrical
safety to assess civil penalties for violations of the electrical code.
This bill gives
the chief electrical inspector authority to investigate electrocutions.
This bill would prohibit the inclusion in any insurance
policy of a clause that excludes payment of benefits because the insured was
under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
This bill appropriates $3,734,000 from the general fund
for the 2007-08 fiscal biennium to the Department of Transportation for twenty
additional highway patrol troopers.
This bill would authorize the issuance of University of
Wyoming specialty license plates upon payment of a $100 fee to the University
Alumni Association.
This bill would authorize the payment of a $500 bonus to
members for referral of a new guard member. The bonus would be payable
upon successful completion of any required basic training. The bill
appropriates $450,000 from the general fund to the Military Department.
This bill would require the Department of Transportation
to create a system for on-line verification of motor vehicle insurance
coverage, and would require insurers to supply the necessary information for
the system. The bill appropriates $250,000 from the general fund to the
Department of Transportation.
This bill directs the Department of Education to adopt
rules for the certification of public and private driver's education courses,
and provides that only certified courses can issue a certification of
completion for purposes of obtaining a restricted driver's license
exemption.
This bill would allow the early termination of an
alcohol-related license suspension or revocation if the licensee has a
breathalyzer ignition interlock device installed on the licensee's
vehicles. The bill requires the Department of Transportation to adopt
rules for the program, including certification of ignition interlock installers.
This bill would remove a provision in existing law that
prohibits National Guardsman from being "under arms" when called to active
duty for service in another state.
This bill would modify the eligibility of projects under
the business ready community program and the community facilities program.
This bill would create a sales and use tax exemption for
new coal gasification or coal liquefaction facilities, otherwise known as value
added facilities.
This bill would create the school of energy resources at
the University of Wyoming. It also establishes an energy resources
council and provides an appropriation of $12,071,997 from the general fund to
the University of Wyoming.
This bill would provide for integrated solid waste management
planning by local governmental entities, provide for monitoring of solid waste
landfills, and provides a number of appropriations and authorizes two
additional positions to the department of environmental quality. The
appropriations are $7,970,000 for monitoring grants; $1,300,000 for planning
grants and $320,500 for the additional positions; all from the general fund to
the department of environmental quality.
This bill would allow banks to participate in national
investment pools by eliminating the requirement that funds be kept on deposit
in Wyoming and would provide for additional investments of public funds.
(To be voted on by the Committee.)
This bill would change the name of the Wyoming natural
gas pipeline authority to the Wyoming pipeline authority, increase the
authority's bonding capacity and expand the state treasurer's investment
authority to invest in pipeline bonds.
(To be voted on by the Committee.)
This bill would expand the purpose of the Wyoming
infrastructure authority to include advanced coal technology facilities and
advanced energy technology facilities.
This bill would create a new 5% premium discount for
employers who implement a drug and alcohol workplace testing program approved
by the Workers' Safety and Compensation Division.
This bill would make coverage under the worker's
compensation act dependent on the location of the individual employee's work,
regardless of employer's home location or principal place of business. It
would also allow new employers to pay estimated advance premiums in lieu of
posting a bond. It would also provide a $100 penalty for each late
employer payroll report. It would impose 2% per month interest on all
delinquent premium payments by repealing the language "or fifty dollars
($50.00) per month, whichever is greater."
This bill appropriates $5 Million to the Department of
Health to purchase vaccine for the 45% of Wyoming children who are not already
eligible for free vaccine under the federal vaccine for children program.
This bill would authorize the investment of the up to 45%
of workers' compensation fund reserves in common stocks.
This bill would increase cigarette and other tobacco
taxes by 40%. The increase would be continuously appropriated to the
Department of Health for the Medicaid program.
This bill authorizes the Department of Education through
newly-created boards to make grants of up to $65,000 to local school districts
that implement specified health-related activities and curriculum in the
district's schools.
An existing Department of Health program reimburses
physicians and dentists up to $30,000 per year, and other health care
professionals up to $10,000 per year, for student loan obligations for each
year the provider works in an underserved area of the state. This bill expands
the program to cover speech and language pathologists. It requires the
department to consult with appropriate licensing boards when adopting rules to
implement the program. The bill appropriates $10 Million from the budget
reserve account to the department of health for loan repayments and $93,000
from the general fund to the department for one additional part-time position.
The Wyoming Health Care Commission was created in 2002 to
study issues related to health insurance availability/affordability and medical
malpractice. This bill extends the Commission's sunset by three years;
adds the Department of Health director and the insurance commissioner as ex
officio members; staggers the terms of the commissioners; repeals obsolete
language regarding completed tasks; authorizes the Commission to charge fees
for its reports; authorizes the Commission to request administrative subpoenas
from the Office of Administrative Hearings; requires additional studies of ways
to reduce the number of uninsured, to revise Medicaid benefits, to create
alternative compensation systems for medical malpractice and to analyze the
effects of medical specialty hospitals.
This bill would create a new program in the Department of
Family Services to rate child care facilities for quality; to provide payments
to facilities based on their quality rating, the percentage of at-risk children
served by the facility and the size of the facility; and to provide
professional development incentive payments to facilities to enhance staff
training and education. The bill would require facilities receiving
payments to file specified monthly and annual reports with the department and
to accept low-income children into the facility. The bill appropriates
$14,301,043 from the general fund to the department of family services and
authorizes 12 additional positions.
This bill would expand the existing drug court program to
also have authority over other social problems such as domestic violence and
child abuse. Programs would be required to select a name indicative of
the problems address. The bill appropriates $1,050,000 from the general
fund to the department of health for the expanded programs.
Directs the Department of Health to begin creating a statewide
health information network for electronic medical records. The Department
would first select a vendor to choose the hardware "hub" that would
contain patient data for access by health care provider
"spokes." The bill contains a number of appropriations
for different aspects of the bill: $20,094,440 from the general fund to
the department of health; $946,471 from the general fund to the department of
health; $37,000,000.00 from the general fund to the department of health;
$40,000 from the general fund to the department of administration and
information; $240,000 from the general fund to the department of health for
three additional positions.
This bill would authorize the Department of Health to
award grants of up to $250,000 to assist hospitals in qualifying for
"Magnet Hospital" certification by the American Nurses Association.
The application and audit process takes several years and focuses on workplace
quality for nurses and quality of patient care. The bill would also
authorize grants of up to $100,000 to critical access hospitals to improve
working conditions and quality of patient care. The bill appropriates
$850,000 from the budget reserve account to the department of health for grants
to hospitals and $9,800 from the general fund to the department of health for
administration.
This bill would impose a six-month moratorium on the
licensing of designated hospitals and medical specialty centers pending a study
by the Wyoming Health Care Commission of the impact of physician-owned
specialty hospitals on existing hospitals and the quality of care.
This
bill would expand coverage of the Child Health Insurance Program, on a sliding
fee scale, to the working parents of eligible children. The bill
appropriates $3,350,000 in federal funds and $1,650,000 from the general fund
to the department of health for case service expenditures. Also $335,000
in federal funds and $165,000 from the general fund are appropriated to and
three full-time positions are authorized to the department of health
This draft expands the state board of education voting
membership to include the Wyoming state superintendent of public instruction.
This
draft authorizes an additional part-time position and an appropriation for
purposes of providing research, analysis and other policy-related assistance to
the Wyoming board of education. The bill appropriates $100,000 from the
general fund to the department of education.
This bill provides that "transitory
electronic mail" may be destroyed by public employees after the mail has
served its purpose. The destruction is under the supervision of the
official custodian of the record. "Transitory electronic mail"
is e-mail that constitutes a public record, but is an informal communication of
temporary administrative information that has no enduring value and does not
set office policies, establish guidelines or procedures, certify the
transaction of public business or constitute a receipt. Examples of
transitory electronic mail include preliminary communications relating to the
scheduling of meetings, routine office announcements and notices, telephone
call-back messages and informal messages.
This bill codifies the legislative privilege and specifies
the extent of the privilege between legislators and staff.
This
proposed constitutional amendment would authorize any funds of the state to be
invested in stock under conditions prescribed by the legislature.
Currently the Constitution specifies that only public employee retirement and
permanent funds of the state may be invested in stock. (Worker's compensation
funds may also be invested in stock under the Constitution as interpreted by
the Attorney General).
This
bill would allow the state treasurer the discretion to not continue to operate
the family college savings program or to contract administration of the program
to another entity. The current program has a low number of participants
and the bill would provide flexibility to combine the program with other state
college savings programs.
This bill would extend the assignment of the select
committee to monitor previous recommendations and submit an additional report
to the legislature and governor by October 1, 2006. The bill appropriates
$17,000 from the general fund for committee activities.
This bill requires that services to children with
developmental disabilities through the Department of Health be pursuant to
contract with the provider. The bill also creates a funding formula for
the payment of providers and requires that providers submit periodic reports
documenting the services provided and the use of 'best practices' as prescribed
by the Department. The bill appropriates $12 Million from the general
fund to the Department of Health.
The Department of Education currently receives funds under
the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. This bill would
codify a formula for the distribution of those funds from the Department of
Education to the Disabilities Determination Division of the Department of
Health.
The
proposal modifies the timing of the district five year facility planning
process. The district facility plans serve as the core for establishing
state remediation of school district building needs in accordance with
statewide facility standards. The bill proposes to change this process
from an annual submission and review to a biennial submission and review by
July 1 of each odd-numbered year. This proposed modification coincides with the
state budget cycle. As the state progresses under the current system, an annual
review was felt to no longer be necessary.
This
bill modifies the building assessment process to occur every two years during
alternate years to the facility planning process, in comparison to current law
which requires review of each school building within the State every four
years. The Commission is proposing this process be done in-house and is
requesting two additional positions for this purpose within its budget.
Currently, the Commission contracts this function outside the agency.
The
bill contains the annual authorization for Level I and Level II water
development studies and provides appropriations therefor. Included in
this year's bill is the Platte River recovery implementation program and an
appropriation for the University of Wyoming office of water programs.
Please see the bill for the numerous appropriations it contains.
The
bill contains the annual authorization for the Level III construction of water
projects which have previously completed the Level I and Level II stages.
Included in this year's bill is the first appropriation from water development
account III for dams and storage. The bill also contains a new sponsor's
inflation fund. Please see the bill for the numerous appropriations it
contains.
This
draft bill would create an energy assistance trust fund to be comprised of
non-state funds and then a matching state contribution to the fund.
Earnings from the corpus would be deposited to an income account and funds
within the income account would be available to provide a source of funds of
"last resort" for persons with heating bills they cannot pay.
The bill contains a $10 Million dollar appropriation from the general fund to
the holding account to be used as the state match. The bill also contains
a $50,000 appropriation to the department of family services for administration.
This
draft funds and modifies an existing state program providing a tax credit for
home owners. The eligibility criteria is changed from two levels of
maximum home value ($3,900 and $5,850 of assessed value) to a single maximum,
that being the median assessed value for homes in the county. The amount
of the credit is increased to $2,000 of assessed value times the mill levy,
from the current two levels ($1,460 or $590 times the mill levy, depending on
assessed value). The bill appropriates $8 Million from the general fund.
This
draft bill would lower the assessment rate for property other than industrial
property and minerals (i.e., the rate for commercial, residential and
agricultural property) from 9.5% to 8.25%. The draft contains an
appropriation of approximately $89 million to hold local taxing entities
harmless from the reduced revenues which would result.
This
draft would exempt one passenger car, pickup truck or motorcycle owned and operated
by a resident 65 or over from all but $5 in annual motor vehicle registration
fees. It would also provide a one time sales tax exemption for the same
type of vehicles for residents 65 and over. The bill contains a $38
Million appropriation to hold local taxing entities harmless from the reduced
revenues which would result.
This
draft would establish in statute a state component of the currently state
administered, primarily federally funded, low income energy assistance
program. The state component would be based upon the current state plan
used to administer the program, with certain modifications put in statute by
the draft. The statute would require an increase in the weatherization
component and an increase in eligibility, but a decrease in the maximum
benefits as now allowed. The draft provides a $3 Million appropriation
from the general fund for the remainder of this biennium and the next.
(This
bill will be considered by the Committee at the January 31, 2006 meeting)
This
proposed constitutional amendment would authorize appropriations from the state
to the business council of the Eastern Shoshone Indian Tribe, the business
council of the Northern Arapaho Indian Tribe or the joint business council of
the Eastern Shoshone and the Northern Arapaho Indian Tribes for the purpose of
providing government services to the citizens of Wyoming who are also members of
either tribe.
(This
bill will be considered by the Committee at the January 31, 2006 meeting)
This
bill would provide additional funding for the Saint Stephens school. The
current draft contains an unspecified appropriation from the general fund.
This
bill would establish an educational loan program for students seeking to
specialize as advanced practice registered nurses in psychiatry, whether at the
University of Wyoming (UW) or other out-of-state institutions. The bill
provides an appropriation for an educational loan forgiveness program, or other repayment
options upon completion of studies and requires a contract between the student
and UW. The appropriation is $425,000 from the general fund to the
University of Wyoming.
This
bill would clarify that the Department of Family Services may contract with
for-profit boards for the residential care of juveniles in the custody of the
Department.
This
bill would mandate coverage for treatment of persons suffering from specified
mental illnesses under health insurance policies issued in the state.
This
bill would establish a program for recruitment of psychiatrists for the Wyoming
State Hospital, with the assistance of the Office of Rural Health (ORH). The
bill provides an appropriation for an educational loan forgiveness program to be administered by the
ORH. The appropriation is $3,255,000 from the general fund to the
department of health. Seven additional full-time positions are authorized
to the department of health.
This
bill would mandate coverage for treatment of persons suffering from substance
abuse under health insurance policies issued in the state. The bill provides a
definition of substance abuse for purposes of determining the extent of
mandated coverage.
This
bill provides appropriations for various programs to enhance the mental health
and substance abuse system of service delivery in the state, including: a study
of the Wyoming State Hospital (WSH) facilities; establishing an
ombudsman/liaison at the WSH; enhancing mental health and substance abuse community
services; establishing a Medicaid waiver for children's mental health to avoid
removal from the home; establishing bereavement counseling services for
families of deceased emergency responders; establishing pilot projects to
enhance regional services in the state; enhancing transportation of involuntary
committees by the WSH; enhancing mental health consumers information services;
increasing the availability of mental health professionals throughout the
state; enhancing the mental health/substance abuse data infrastructure within
the Department of Health; enhancing mental health crisis stabilization services
in communities; requiring the University of Wyoming to submit a psychiatric
residency rotation program plan; and, providing an appropriation to allow the
Select Committee to continue its study of the mental health and substance abuse
system of services in the state. Please see the bill for the numerous
appropriations it contains.