Wyoming state lawmakers reduced the biennial funding for the Wyoming Business Council from a recommended $54.6 million to $15 million. The Joint Appropriations Committee is also considering four bill drafts that would reshape the council's statutory authority and oversight.

The funding reduction is intended to sustain the Wyoming Business Council while its mission is reexamined and statutory changes are considered. Representative John Bear, R-Gillette, chairman of the Legislature's Joint Appropriations Committee, questioned Wyoming Business Council CEO Josh Dorrell regarding taxpayer funding for private company customer acquisition. "I'm just curious why the taxpayer is being tapped to help these companies," Bear said.

Representative Jeremy Haroldson, R-Wheatland, questioned whether some Wyoming Business Council grant programs align with the traditional role of government. "We would not have made America what America is if we would have used this policy to build our economics," Haroldson said. Representative Ken Pendergraft, R-Sheridan, expressed frustration with Dorrell's inability to provide specific budget figures or staff costs during the committee session. "I'm not trying to be confrontational, but I'm frustrated," Pendergraft said.

Dorrell stated that detailed budget requests must go through his board and the governor before being presented in August. He noted that wages for projects supported by the Business Ready Community program grew by 35 percent since 2020. "I appreciate the discussion. I appreciate the hard questions," Dorrell said, adding, "I don't feel like it's a hot seat at all because I hope that we're all on the same team."

One of the proposed bill drafts targets the repeal of specific programs deemed old, unfunded, or no longer aligning with the state's mission. Another draft addresses the winding down of the Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund, and a third concerns the reversion of nearly $12 million in unused state broadband funds. Wyoming has received more than $400 million in federal funding for broadband expansion.

A bill draft proposes creating formal legislative liaisons, consisting of one senator and one representative, to serve between the Wyoming Business Council and the Legislature. Other proposed changes include potential requirements for grant funds to be returned if an asset is sold before a project is closed out. One bill draft also seeks to increase legislative oversight of federal funds awarded through the American Rescue Plan Act. Wyoming expects to receive approximately $50 million for venture capital through the act, and another bill draft would codify the countywide consensus funding program, which has not received funding since 2014.

The Joint Appropriations Committee working group has incorporated many of the discussed reductions and modifications into the bill drafts. The committee has not yet taken a final vote on the four bill drafts.

Why It Matters

The reduction in the Wyoming Business Council's funding and the proposed legislative changes represent a reevaluation by state lawmakers of how Wyoming supports economic development. These actions could alter existing programs, influence how federal funds are managed, and redefine the council's operational scope. Lawmakers referenced a 1997 report that led to the creation of the Wyoming Business Council, indicating a historical perspective on the organization's role within the state.