There’s a lot to celebrate this week! The Wyoming Legislature has passed an excellent public lands resolution and a wonderful electric-vehicle bill, and the Game and Fish Department is getting much-needed tax relief.
BIG WIN FOR PUBLIC LANDS
A resolution stating that Wyoming opposes the indiscriminate sale of public lands passed the House in a landslide and has been signed by Gov. Mark Gordon. While not legally binding, SJ9 is a huge win. It sends a clear message that public lands belong in public hands.
Thank you to everyone who contacted their lawmakers about this bill! It has been no small feat for the measure to get this far, and public support for the resolution played a major role in getting it passed.
GREAT NEWS FOR EV DRIVERS
Electric-vehicle drivers will no longer face triple taxation, thanks to a bill passed by the Legislature this week. HB145 eliminates sales tax on electricity sold at public charging stations, bringing it in line with gas stations, and removes red tape for smaller, low-speed charging stations. An amendment adopted this week also lowers the annual decal fee that EV owners pay from $200 to $100.
The bill now heads to the governor for his signature.
This legislation is a wonderful win for Wyoming! It makes the system fairer for Wyoming drivers, while ensuring that out-of-state EV drivers pay their fair share to maintain roadways. Thank you to everyone who helped get this bill passed.
GAME & FISH GETS A TAX BREAK
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department no longer has to pay property taxes on its office spaces, thanks to a bill passed in the Legislature this week. The move will save Game and Fish about $400,000 per year, at a time when costs are rising and revenue from hunting licenses is declining.
Game and Fish had been the only state agency paying property taxes on its offices. They will still owe taxes on other properties, such as herd management areas.
The bill has passed both houses of the Legislature and now goes to the governor for his signature.
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Photo courtesy Gov. Mark Gordon