State Management Council to discuss potential legislative response to COVID-19

WORLAND — It has been just over a month since the Wyoming Legislature adjourned the 2020 budget session and the Management Council has scheduled a meeting to consider study topics for the joint interim committees, including appropriate legislative responses to the current public health emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The meeting will be held remotely with a live audio stream available on the Legislature’s website. Public comments may be submitted to Management Council at: http://www.wyoleg.gov.

Rep. Mike Greear, R-Worland, is a member of the Management Council.

The full agenda can be found at the legislative website. Discussion on potential legislative response will begin at 7:35 a.m. with Governor Mark Gordon on the agenda, along with Matt Obrecht and Don Richards, both of the Legislative Service Office.

Late last month Greear took time to discuss bills that were approved by the Legislature during the recent session.

House Bill 13/Enrolled Act 86 barely passed the House, Greear noted. The bill would have codified the compensatory mitigation credits for conservation of the greater sage grouse. While it was tough getting through the House, he noted it sailed through the Senate.

House Bill 14/Enrolled Act 14 addressed forced pooling (when a landowner is compelled to enter into a pooling arrangement). He said it helps free up drilling in a responsible fashion. It also provides protection to minority mineral owners.

He said they took testimony during the interim and worked through the bills. He said industry, regulators, the governor’s office, stockgrowers, Wyoming Mineral Owners Association and environmental groups were all on board.

“That’s some of the best work I’ve done down there that no one is talking about,” Greear said.

According to the bill, “A pooling order issued under this subsection shall expire 12 months after issuance if the person authorized to drill and operate a well fails to commence operations within 12 months of issuance of the pooling order.”

Greear sponsored three bills and all three passed both houses last month and have been signed by the governor — HB 76 regarding veterans property tax exemption; HB 103 regarding chancery court amendments; and HB 151 regarding economic development large project loans.

The chancery court was created by the 2019 Wyoming Legislature whose purpose is to provide a forum for streamlined resolution of commercial, business, and trust cases. Greear said his bill cleans up some of the language but noted the Supreme Court “did a wonderful job setting up the rules.”

House Bill 151 creates a loan review committee for large project loans.

House Bill 76, Greear said, is a “constituent bill” where a combat veteran brought up the issue to him. He said each county has different procedures in notifying veterans of property tax exemptions and this would work to make it uniform. He said one particular combat veteran did not get notified. The exemption is required annually.

The bill adds an amendment to the current statute, allowing for notification to be made by the county assessor’s office via telephone or mail or other communication methods. Mail was not previously authorized.

The bill also states, “A county assessor shall notify taxpayers of the exemption provided by this section with the assessment schedule sent under W.S. 3913103(b)(vii). The notification shall include instructions and timelines for applying for the exemption, including information on the ability of a claimant to confirm qualification for the exemption in subsequent years by contacting the assessor’s office by telephone, mail or other communication method.”

The large projects loan bill was brought to Greear from the governor’s office and Wyoming Business Council.

According to current state statute, “Funds in the large project account within the revolving investment fund shall be used exclusively to promote and aid economic development of the state by providing loan guarantees or loans to proposed or existing enterprises that will employ people within the state, provide services in the state, use resources in the state or otherwise add economic value to goods, services or resources within the state consistent with this section.”

The bill approved this session makes amendments to the program by providing for a loan review committee so that the loan projects are reviewed and in order prior to being voted on by the State Loan and Investment Board.

The business portfolio of businesses seeking loans must also show the number of jobs created, both permanent and temporary.

Another personal bill — House Bill 242, Wyoming Learning and Work Program, that mirrors a program Greear set up at Wyoming Sugar, died in committee. The program would have allowed students to take career technical education programs while also working.

“Even though it died in committee, I have spent most of my evenings in meetings with people around the state regarding CTE (Career technical education). It’s getting some momentum. We’re going to do some fun things this summer with it. I’m actually excited about it.”

Another bill that failed was from the Management Council to increase the per diem. It died in the Senate and Greear then introduced it as a personal bill. It passed the House but again died in the Senate.

He said for two years he has tried to get the per diem increased.

“It’s not for me. If I’m losing $10 a day, it doesn’t matter. It’s for the other guys, the 300-350 volunteers on our boards and commissioners whose rates are tied to the legislative rate,” Greear said.

The per diem is $109 a month right now. The bill would have increased it to the federal rate of $150.

He said the bill would have kept the per diem at $109 during legislative session.

“You would think I was just a tax and spend liberal for bringing this,” Greear said.

“I’m not going to worry any more. I’ve tried twice.”