CHEYENNE – Gov. Mark Gordon signed the first bills of the 2025 Legislative session at the Capitol Monday, which included a bill commemorating Wyoming’s first woman governor, Nellie Tayloe Ross.

The first bill to be signed by the Governor was Senate File 20, Oil and gas bonding-options and bonding pools, a bill that provides support for producers in Wyoming’s core oil and gas industry. Sponsored by the Joint Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee, the bill benefits Wyoming’s energy industry and provides additional support for small oil and gas operators.  The bill was developed in response to excessive bonding requirements implemented during the Biden administration that would have been devastating to many Wyoming oil and gas producers. The bill establishes an account to allow small operators to cover the costs of bonding and eventually the costs of plugging dry or abandoned wells.

“Wyoming has always had a leadership position on these issues,” Gordon said, thanking industry partners and the Legislature for working on the issue. “This is a wonderful bill.” 

The Governor also signed House Bill 75 – coal severance tax rate. The bill reduces the coal severance tax rate from 6.5 to 6 percent, bringing it in line with oil and gas severance tax rates. Also signed today was House Bill 54 – Chancery court judges-district and circuit court assistance, which can help address heavy caseloads in Wyoming’s District and Circuit courts by allowing Wyoming’s Chancery Court judges to hear cases in those courts.

Gordon signed the following bills today:

House Bills Signed

• HB0025 Vehicle accident reporting-amendments.
• HB0027 Disabled parking windshield placards-revisions.
• HB0092 Wyoming livestock board-memorandums of understanding.
• HB0014 Solid waste municipal cease and transfer funding.
• HB0022 Water and wastewater operator-emergency response.
• HB0030 Driver’s licenses and IDs-revisions.
• HB0041 Environmental quality-irrevocable letters of credit.
• HB0061 State land lease preference amendments.
• HB0069 Foreign adversary ownership or control of business entities.
• HB0073 Recreation safety-rock climbing.
• HB0075 Coal severance tax rate.
• HB0082 Provider enrollment-standards.
• HB0004 Snowmobile registration and user fees.
• HB0023 Surrender driver’s license-repeal.
• HB0045 Removing otters as protected animals.
• HB0054 Chancery court judges-district and circuit court assistance.
• HB0086 Public property and buildings-amendments.
• HB0166 State auditor payment transparency.
• HB0214 Local government payments-electronic payments.
• HB0040 Sales and use tax revisions.
• HB0017 Career technical education equipment grants amendments.
• HB0132 Annual permits for specified commercial loads.
• HJ0001 Amending Wyoming’s act of admission for earnings.
• HB0038 Ad valorem taxation-payment and credit of penalties.

Senate Bills Signed

• SF0015 Oil and gas conservation commission-regulation of pits.
• SF0016 Industrial siting-tribal notification.
• SF0020 Oil and gas bonding-options and bonding pools.
• SF0023 Handicap placards-health care providers’ approval.
• SF0025 Electronic lien and title system.
• SF0149 Wildlife conservation license plates-amendments.
• SF0042 Resort hotel liquor licenses.
• SF0049 Tangible personal property-index and depreciation.
• SF0013 Reading assessment and intervention amendments.
• SF0078 Distribution of unsolicited absentee ballot request forms.
• SF0080 Abandonment of water rights-limitations.
• SF0131 Charter school leasing.
• SF0073 Charter school funding-amendments.
• SF0081 Tax exemption-property owned by the state.
• SF0088 2025 large project funding.
• SF0063 State lands-fencing-2.
• SF0048 Business property exemption.
• SJ0003 Commemorating Nellie Tayloe Ross.

Gordon also allowed three bills to become law without his signature. They are SF0096 Wyoming Gold Act, SF0120 Wyoming PRIME act, and SF0006 Residential property-removal of unlawful occupant.