Committee approves expedited Secretary of State filings; adds FTE for office
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The House Minerals Committee unanimously approved House Bill 47 on an expedited filing option for the Secretary of State’s business-entity division and added an amendment to authorize one full-time equivalent (FTE) position funded at $93,000 for fiscal year 2026.
The measure creates an expedited filing process by which a filer can pay a fee—authorized up to $5,000 under the bill—to move a business filing ahead in the office’s queue in limited circumstances, such as time‑sensitive mergers or acquisitions. Representative Ocean Andrew, one of the sponsors, said the option is for “those limited situations” when a quick turnaround “makes business sense.”
The bill drew detailed administrative testimony from Secretary of State Chuck Gray, who told the committee Wyoming currently has a 15‑day statutory deadline to complete filings and that the office’s business division processed about 675,000 filings in fiscal 2024. “We have a 15 day statutory deadline,” Gray said, and told lawmakers the office has 11 full‑time employees in the business division while handling a rapid growth in filings and revenue. He said fiscal‑year 2024 revenue in the business division was about $50.4 million, up from $42.3 million in 2023.
Gray and his staff described a staffing shortfall driven by a sustained increase in filings since the COVID period. Colin Crossman, the office’s business director, told the committee he had fielded “probably between 20, 30” requests last year for expedited handling under current informal practices. Gray urged the committee to include staffing language that would ensure the office can carry out an expedited service without missing the existing statutory deadlines.
Representative J.T. Larson moved an amendment to authorize one FTE at $93,000 for fiscal 2026 and to include a “notwithstanding” clause that would remove that position from the bill if additional positions are authorized in the regular budget. Larson said the amendment was intended as a backstop in case the appropriations process does not add the positions the office needs. The amendment passed on voice vote.
After the amendment, the committee voted on the bill as amended. The roll-call vote was 9‑0 in favor; the committee re‑referred the bill to the Appropriations Committee for consideration of the funding language.
Officials and committee members asked multiple operational questions during the hearing, including whether the fee schedule would be tiered (Gray and Crossman described a tiered approach modeled on other states) and whether the fee could create an unfair “line‑jumping” effect for filers who cannot pay. Representative Mike Schmidt asked whether less‑resourced filers could be disadvantaged; sponsors and the secretary’s office said they do not expect routine filings to be delayed and described the expedited option as something used rarely by businesses with a date‑certain need.
The amendment and final passage mean the committee forwarded House Bill 47 with a requirement that appropriators address the staffing request. The bill now goes to Appropriations, and sponsors indicated a member of the committee will carry it on the House floor.
The measure creates an expedited filing process by which a filer can pay a fee—authorized up to $5,000 under the bill—to move a business filing ahead in the office’s queue in limited circumstances, such as time‑sensitive mergers or acquisitions. Representative Ocean Andrew, one of the sponsors, said the option is for “those limited situations” when a quick turnaround “makes business sense.”
The bill drew detailed administrative testimony from Secretary of State Chuck Gray, who told the committee Wyoming currently has a 15‑day statutory deadline to complete filings and that the office’s business division processed about 675,000 filings in fiscal 2024. “We have a 15 day statutory deadline,” Gray said, and told lawmakers the office has 11 full‑time employees in the business division while handling a rapid growth in filings and revenue. He said fiscal‑year 2024 revenue in the business division was about $50.4 million, up from $42.3 million in 2023.
Gray and his staff described a staffing shortfall driven by a sustained increase in filings since the COVID period. Colin Crossman, the office’s business director, told the committee he had fielded “probably between 20, 30” requests last year for expedited handling under current informal practices. Gray urged the committee to include staffing language that would ensure the office can carry out an expedited service without missing the existing statutory deadlines.
Representative J.T. Larson moved an amendment to authorize one FTE at $93,000 for fiscal 2026 and to include a “notwithstanding” clause that would remove that position from the bill if additional positions are authorized in the regular budget. Larson said the amendment was intended as a backstop in case the appropriations process does not add the positions the office needs. The amendment passed on voice vote.
After the amendment, the committee voted on the bill as amended. The roll-call vote was 9‑0 in favor; the committee re‑referred the bill to the Appropriations Committee for consideration of the funding language.
Officials and committee members asked multiple operational questions during the hearing, including whether the fee schedule would be tiered (Gray and Crossman described a tiered approach modeled on other states) and whether the fee could create an unfair “line‑jumping” effect for filers who cannot pay. Representative Mike Schmidt asked whether less‑resourced filers could be disadvantaged; sponsors and the secretary’s office said they do not expect routine filings to be delayed and described the expedited option as something used rarely by businesses with a date‑certain need.
The amendment and final passage mean the committee forwarded House Bill 47 with a requirement that appropriators address the staffing request. The bill now goes to Appropriations, and sponsors indicated a member of the committee will carry it on the House floor.
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