Wyoming – Mark Gordon announced he will allow Senate Enrolled Act 0056, also known as Senate File 0081 on public school finance, to become law without his signature.
In a letter to Bo Biteman, the president of the Wyoming Senate, the governor thanked lawmakers and the Select Committee on School Finance Recalibration for their work addressing what he described as the complex issue of school funding. Gordon praised the statewide effort to gather input from teachers, parents, administrators, and school board members while developing the funding model.
The governor said he chose to allow the legislation to take effect as a starting point, while noting several concerns. He said the measure could disadvantage smaller school districts, limit local authority, and fail to fully address operational funding needs.
Gordon also pointed to concerns about a provision known as the “instructional silo,” which restricts how funding can be used for instructional purposes. While he said the approach is intended to maximize classroom resources, he warned it could force districts into difficult financial decisions.
According to the governor, the restrictions could lead to funding shortages for building maintenance, transportation, nutrition programs, safety efforts, and extracurricular activities. He said the impact could be especially significant for smaller districts that operate within a single facility.
Gordon also argued the policy may encroach on the authority of local school boards. A former Johnson County school board member and current chair of the Education Commission of the States, he said local control has been a key part of successful education initiatives in Wyoming.
The governor said he expects the committee to address these concerns during the legislative interim.
In addition to the school finance measure, Gordon signed several other bills into law, including legislation related to state banks and special purpose depository institutions, the RAVEN Act, amendments to donated hunting licenses, transparency in hospital service pricing, tax exemptions for certain motor vehicle sales between family members, and changes to outpatient examination and commitment length laws.
A full list of bills signed by the governor is available on the state’s website.
