[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6354664,"mediaKeyId","2219668-994bcdca0459e73f838bb100a255fb12","parentId",2219668,"title","JAC trims university ask, denies $1.5M for possible NCAA loss and bans DEI spending from state aid and endowment matching","audioSeconds",652,"startMs",2545000,"endMs",3197000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2219668-994bcdca0459e73f838bb100a255fb12&start=2545&end=3197","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2219668-994bcdca0459e73f838bb100a255fb12/thumbnail_2545000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6354664/Wyoming/JAC-trims-university-ask-denies-15M-for-possible-NCAA-loss-and-bans-DEI-spending-from-state-aid-and-endowment-matching","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6354664-8750b291e849f77c1048da626ae5c310/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168601&Signature=ILCUqTPSGKPPEWJZ2YXDHdW7vZs7qs5IkY-r-eu5Ia6fsdT5v6~QoIzqZ5obL81od8BqrCReOJLw3uET43VL9i5BE4GCpSK7ItEKnED7BTV9jVO9JewJ~keGTFuW8IXZZD0fdtIBWM10ddoXeRyqacOnJTsRPNunhP7F4cjGIDmMx89~fYhNFfy81Zv3KFTve0D~EXdpFiDvwFddbMd7vRRswIKBYe8WXzAOKXCAkzLs2IrNUESdUAPiM0Glfxx25JKoTtdkm5wHZ4oGCJ1xOebuauAb96BsqZunPL4boCGuW9SNJZc6h0yjoCwLHRB4ckCwwMExapfiaUqq4Kd5YA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Wyoming Legislature","date","2025-01-31T00:00:00Z","article","The Joint Appropriations Committee reviewed the University of Wyoming budget requests and approved several targeted items while denying other requests.

Why it matters: The committee’s choices affect the university’s ability to respond to potential litigation-related revenue loss, expand medical‑school placements for Wyoming students and set limits on state support for diversity, equity and inclusion activities funded through certain state aid and endowment matching appropriations.

Representative Pendergraft explained that JAC denied the governor’s recommendation of $1.5 million general funds one-time for an estimated loss related to litigation over athletes’ use of image and likeness (described as an NCAA matter). The committee felt the timing and likely time horizon made the full up-front funding unnecessary and postponed a final decision until outcomes were clearer.

Pendergraft said the committee increased the governor’s recommendation of $500,000 one-time by $50,000 to $550,000 GF one-time to establish an agreement with the University of Utah School of Medicine to expand slots for five Wyoming students under a program similar to WICHE; later committee discussion clarified that this funding pays tuition for the first class year and will create ongoing cost commitments as cohorts progress.

The committee adopted the governor’s one-time funding for inflation associated with a coal pyrolysis demonstration project. On institutional policy, JAC amended footnote 12 to specify that “no funds from the state aid and endowments and matching appropriations shall be expended on any diversity, equity, and inclusion program” — expanding prior language to bar any DEI program, activity or function from those funds. Committee members debated whether culturally specific events such as Black History Month would be covered by the prohibition; the presenter and chairman stated that celebratory programming that does not accuse or impugn other races would not qualify as DEI programming subject to the ban.

Representative Pendergraft and other members said they will reserve fuller policy discussion for second reading and directed questions about timing of the NCAA matter to the university; Pendergraft said she would reconfirm timing with university officials.

Ending: The committee closed Section 67 after these actions and moved on to other items in the budget review.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Floor Session-Day 14, January 31, 2025-PM","oneSentenceSummary","The Joint Appropriations Committee reviewed the University of Wyoming’s requests and denied a $1.5 million funding ask related to a potential NCAA loss while approving tuition funding for five students at the University of Utah School of Medicine and inserting a prohibition on DEI spending from certain state aid and endowment matching funds.","taxTitle","House of Representative, Committees, Legislative, Wyoming","taxId",30484,"location","Wyoming","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6354669,"Joint Appropriations Committee approves $48.8 million ECA increase for K–12, signals push for recalibration",1379,3796000,5175000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2219668-994bcdca0459e73f838bb100a255fb12&start=3796&end=5175","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2219668-994bcdca0459e73f838bb100a255fb12/thumbnail_3796000.jpg","/articles/6354669/Wyoming/Joint-Appropriations-Committee-approves-488-million-ECA-increase-for-K12-signals-push-for-recalibration","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6354669-be7319c19ea0707c67765b7cfe685349/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168601&Signature=LvLyVImHBfncuF66uYHFNKAB2eZcUBVML18z679sZKrnvXGgkQiFu0zMng0H4b6x0RUN1Qx~XNGtgOUSPHOgG2nj1EZm6zLix6~oaiww3Nq0XsjGjIcHZEwbNeuK2h56ufIvWrfNNph1rIZiiY50xhzuAhSQ8s94KCDtcvbhixrMZCHL2kIwzA1QMunzBrD6pVU3JU~cS4MZuD9-LyGmIfUAMsSzETX2GMDivAw2eoJIhIbAGNtz-QPCAmWizYaNarT00Z7DoVyOW0o6VVkchndsr8RA4wuFF5VyKrucBgPHeGmsiLmcn8VgHc~SZPrO1OJOevHL1LAY2zJXdIy8Lg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Joint Appropriations Committee voted to add $48,800,000 to the school foundation program as the external cost adjustment (ECA) for K–12 education, specifying a mix of percentage increases across professional labor, nonprofessional labor, materials and a targeted classroom-teacher increase.

Why it matters: The ECA affects school district budgets statewide. Committee members said the increase aims to close part of the gap between current funding and the evidence-based model used in court decisions, while also balancing long-term sustainability concerns.

Chairman Bair described the options JAC considered and said the committee selected a middle path: the consultants’ lower option would have increased spending by about $37 million, the highest option would have closed the gap at about $66.3 million, and JAC selected $48.8 million. He summarized the distribution: a 4.61% increase for professional labor (administrators and teachers), 5.41% for nonprofessional labor (secretarial and custodial staff), 1.067% for educational materials and a 6.78% targeted increase for classroom teaching staff separate from administrators. Bair said the 6.78% classroom increase is intended as JAC’s preference that funds be directed toward classroom teachers, though representatives acknowledged districts retain budget authority.

Representative Larson asked whether the 6.78% labeled for teachers could be spent elsewhere at the district level; Bair and other members noted that court precedent requires a model and that the budget language expresses legislative intent but cannot fully constrain local board budget authority without statutory change. Chairman Brown and others asked whether the increase is sustainable; Bair said the ECA is ongoing and will double in the next biennium and acknowledged long-term forecasting concerns about the school foundation program if revenues do not keep pace.

Members discussed recalibration — the five‑year model update that sets underlying cost assumptions — and agreed to pursue a recalibration committee over the summer to produce recommendations for the next budget cycle. Bair said the management council had approved a bill to appoint a committee (six members from each chamber) to do recalibration work and emphasized the heavy lift required.

What’s next: The ECA increase will appear in the biennial budget and will be included in the next biennium’s calculations; committee leaders said they will pursue a recalibration effort this summer to attempt a longer-term resolution to model compliance issues raised in prior litigation.

Ending: The committee closed Section 205 on school finance and continued through other budget items.

","JAC approved a $48.8 million external cost adjustment (ECA) for K–12 education—an amount between consultant recommendations and the higher Joint Education Committee proposal—and urged a summer recalibration process to resolve long-term compliance with the evidence‑based funding model.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6354674,"JAC adds one-time fire funding, approves second single-engine air tanker and replenishes loan authority for state lands",775,1795000,2570000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2219668-994bcdca0459e73f838bb100a255fb12&start=1795&end=2570","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2219668-994bcdca0459e73f838bb100a255fb12/thumbnail_1795000.jpg","/articles/6354674/Wyoming/JAC-adds-one-time-fire-funding-approves-second-single-engine-air-tanker-and-replenishes-loan-authority-for-state-lands","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6354674-6bf87d8614ffe8e6a6c76eb43dbe984d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168601&Signature=d2IwBxfcYlnyLX2gKQYipRpLcSET9eiSIJ1RGtIsOdl4x1jeQ~t0apAKS4I66uCYVbMrvTlNZGOZAwL7Acbh497PSjv~CHLNx-cXd7Bm2FpyNlUT-HcFIdmiqArDzg2RJbDyqpNRboshaQVpA6Y1nUCZUGWlHjL-46vEXEeDHMZEqE8qjq3XLv5YEYsS4wr9BWhPd~vJ2h5EBdsujwbtCc1UAnOsVmdIqshNY2cFGi8j6niXZMAvNc2iF~dQk1mLnL9MWBfB8liDY39KU1~sRdwOU74ocDYllx57AQ2Gw8xBjAKHSNA2pb~xMobmn4pNlZkkdeN4vo1fo41JmIRAAg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Joint Appropriations Committee adopted several changes to the State Lands and Investments section of the budget aimed at addressing wildfire funding shortfalls and operational needs.

Why it matters: Following a record fire season, the committee acted to replenish emergency fire accounts, expand aerial firefighting capacity with an additional single-engine air tanker (SEAT) and adjust loan and grant program limits — moves that affect firefighting readiness and local governments’ access to mineral royalty grants.

Representative (Chair) Bair explained that JAC adopted the governor’s recommendation for a one-time appropriation of $3,000,000 (a mixture of school foundation and permanent land funds) to pay estimated state trust property taxes, and added contingencies tying some appropriations to passage of Senate File 68 and Senate File 81. The committee approved a one-time $20,000,000 general-fund replenishment of the Emergency Fire Suppression Account and an additional $20,000,000 to repay prior fire borrowing (2024 session law referenced in committee comments). Bair described the measures as intended to “help offset what happened last year.”

The committee reduced the governor’s requested $20,169,592 for the Mineral Royalty Grant (MRG) program by $5,196,592, leaving $15,000,000 in one-time general funds to the MRG program; members noted prior obligations against previously granted MRG dollars.

On aerial firefighting capacity, the committee added $2,750,000 GF, one full-time equivalent position and four seasonal part-time positions, and authorized acquisition/operation of a single-engine air tanker (SEAT). In floor discussion, members described SEATs as single-engine aircraft used for initial attack; Representative Bridal asked whether the asset was a helicopter or plane and where it would be stationed. The presenter said the aircraft would be a rotor or single-rotor aircraft with bucket capacity (40- or 90-gallon bucket cited in discussion) and tentatively stationed “up in coal country” to serve mountainous regions including the Big Horns and border areas. Members discussed how quicker, locally available aerial assets had limited fires’ spread in the prior season.

The committee also corrected loan-authority language to increase the loan limit to $30,000,000 for the relevant account (language cleanup) after an initial technical reduction; members emphasized the change as a cleanup rather than a new appropriation.

What’s next: Committee members said the appropriations are tied to implementation language and court or statutory outcomes (Senate Files 68 and 81 were cited as triggers for one footnote), and they signaled additional long-term budget work on wildfire mitigation and sustainability in future sessions.

Ending: After discussion the committee closed the State Lands and Investments section and moved forward in the budget review.

","The Joint Appropriations Committee approved one-time general-fund replenishment for fire suppression, increased loan authority and added appropriations to expand aerial firefighting capacity and shore up the Mineral Royalty Grant program.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6354679,"Joint Appropriations Committee adopts targeted rate increases, cuts vacant positions in Department of Health budget",1023,577000,1600000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2219668-994bcdca0459e73f838bb100a255fb12&start=577&end=1600","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2219668-994bcdca0459e73f838bb100a255fb12/thumbnail_577000.jpg","/articles/6354679/Wyoming/Joint-Appropriations-Committee-adopts-targeted-rate-increases-cuts-vacant-positions-in-Department-of-Health-budget","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6354679-6dea6f408fd359d3fc3356a918d59a4b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168601&Signature=PQd3sq-DaGb0GC0hz9RfgmXnvKvsnNS~KJT0ws~y60LBE1oHRXWX1UYCSIRhYRFZOnYRF1glSrSbiXDd9OEenrNcSQJppQzKaCLsOOIaO9RmP3AFYNlKvCQuMtfS7nLh9zU7hb~qvBtGfnxTW5elEigAyaHSmv-6dBtoKXvwGIBT1Q33ujaZkft897pQutr6XJo6e9Q3FUmrapS1~NJKtpBDTFT3GQoanTCOO5ybMmzfm91Udi6yeb5~SptP3HSMyNQlnvdWiIQA7g2A3L1ftNQsnHnTVJGQdyxz~FUZlQl1fXeUQZ3sEUgzhSkbAJoPcLgx5p5m3UYLwWhfhAG6iQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Sherwood, presenting the Department of Health budget to the Joint Appropriations Committee, said the agency’s spending is largely pass-through payments to providers and described the JAC’s actions on the department’s requests.

The committee approved a set of targeted measures intended to stabilize provider networks and maintain services for vulnerable populations, denied two larger reimbursement increases, and reduced several vacant behavioral-health positions.

Why it matters: The Department of Health budget covers Medicaid payments, state-operated health facilities and regulatory functions. The committee’s choices shift how much state general fund support the agency receives this biennium and which staffing requests are funded, while leaving some high-cost policy questions—particularly maternity-care access and behavioral-health rebasing—for later review.

Representative Sherwood, the presenting legislator, said the agency’s “82.5% of this agency's budget is pass through funds to private and nonprofit providers in our communities to reimburse for necessary medical and long term care support services” and described how JAC handled the agency’s requests and vetoed items. The committee adopted notes 3, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10 in the status report and denied notes 1 and 2. Sherwood told members that note 3 approved rate increases for home-health providers after concern about losing providers for high-needs children and that note 5 converted 12 part-time WIC positions to full-time equivalents “so that the Department of Health can recruit and retain professional staff.”

On amendments, Sherwood said JAC added $3,860,000 in general funds to be matched by $3,860,000 in federal funds “for home and community based provider rate increases to maintain services for persons with developmental disabilities” after ARPA funding ran out; she described that as a gap measure through the next budget cycle.

Committee members pressed staff and the presenter on several points. Representative Yin asked why maternity-care provider increases were not prioritized given testimony about a statewide maternity-care desert. Chairman Bair replied that the committee “believe[s] that this desert is not a result of lower Medicaid rates … but rather an issue with insurance” and malpractice-cost differences that may be driving providers out of state; he said the committee plans further interim work on the issue. Representative Larson and others pressed about behavioral-health rebasing and vacant clinical positions; Sherwood and Chairman Bair said rebasing was not considered an emergency for this session and would be revisited in the regular budget.

The committee also reduced 14 vacant positions in behavioral health and aging areas, producing roughly $1,300,000 in general-fund savings, and approved $100,000 in special revenue for food service at the Wyoming Life Resource Center. Sherwood told the committee that some of the rate increases are funded largely by federal dollars and special funds rather than general funds.

A motion to restore a portion of preschool external-cost adjustment funding failed 6–6 in committee, Representative Sherwood said; the presenter noted that a prior motion to fully restore that funding had not passed.

What’s next: Committee members said they will revisit maternity care, behavioral-health rebasing, and preschool funding during the interim and in the next budget cycle.

Ending: With those decisions, the committee closed Section 48 and moved on to the next agency.

","The Joint Appropriations Committee approved selected rate increases and staffing conversions for the Department of Health while denying larger reimbursement increases and reducing vacant behavioral health positions, as members pressed for more data on maternity care and behavioral health rebasing.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

JAC trims university ask, denies $1.5M for possible NCAA loss and bans DEI spending from state aid and endowment matching

Joint Appropriations Committee approves $48.8 million ECA increase for K–12, signals push for recalibration

JAC adds one-time fire funding, approves second single-engine air tanker and replenishes loan authority for state lands

Joint Appropriations Committee adopts targeted rate increases, cuts vacant positions in Department of Health budget