Wyoming legislative leaders have been told the state may face revenue declines between $555 million to $2.8 billion as a result of the coronavirus.
On Thursday, they several voted to craft several emergency bills to stabilize the economy and to address other needs due to the pandemic. The vote came during a meeting of the legislature's Management Council. Speaker of the House Steve Harshman said the short list of legislation will be discussed by committees and then be considered in a special one-day June legislative session.
The legislation will allow the state to provide some financial help towards health care, business, struggling landlords and even a mail-in ballot system for the upcoming primary election. Lawmakers say there are other things they'd like to address, but Senate President Drew Perkins said the list should remain small.
"This is not unlike an air drop of food stuffs to a starving relief effort. This is just the first thing we are going to do."
Perkins added they will likely return for additional special sessions in the summer and fall.
Have a question about this story? Contact the reporter, Bob Beck, at btwo@uwyo.edu.
