Catch Title: Public Funds Lobbying (Prohibitions and Enforcement)

Sponsor: Representative(s) Hoeft, Brady, Johnson, Lucas and Webber; Senator(s) Laursen, D

Effective Date: July 1, 2026

Bill URL: https://www.wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2026/HB0088

Overview

HB0088 establishes a strict prohibition on the use of state funds and resources by governmental entities for the purpose of influencing legislation. Beyond direct lobbying, the bill effectively bars political subdivisions from paying dues to professional associations—such as the Wyoming Association of Municipalities (WAM) and the Wyoming County Commissioners Association (WCCA)—if those groups engage in any lobbying activity. Compliance is enforced through a mandatory annual certification process, with the primary penalty being a total cutoff of all state funds to the non-compliant entity.

Key Provisions

• Prohibits governmental entities from using state funds or resources to directly lobby the legislature or hire contract lobbyists.
• Bans the payment of dues or remuneration to any association that “primarily represents” governmental entities (e.g., WAM, WCCA, School Board associations, Law Enforcement associations) if that organization lobbies or hires lobbyists.
• Requires an annual certification of compliance to be submitted by each governmental entity to the Attorney General by February 1 each year.
• Mandates a total cessation of all state funds and resources to any governmental entity that fails to comply with the certification or the lobbying prohibitions.
• Grants standing to any Wyoming taxpayer or resident to sue for injunctive relief and recover court costs and reasonable attorney fees if they prevail.

Implications

• Existential Threat to Associations: While lobbying represents only a fraction of their activities, these associations provide essential training, legal review, and technical support. This bill forces local entities to withdraw from these groups to protect their state funding, potentially collapsing organizations like WCCA and WAM.
• Punitive Funding Risk: The penalty for a violation is not a fine, but a total cutoff of all state funds. This poses an existential risk to local government operations and school district foundations if a single dues payment is flagged as a violation.
• Employee Testimony Exclusion: The bill focuses on dues and contract lobbying; it is interpreted to exclude an employee’s time spent providing technical or factual testimony at the request of a committee.
• Incentivized Litigation: The taxpayer standing provision, combined with the attorney fee shift, creates a high-risk environment for local boards, incentivizing private residents to file suits against local councils over perceived “resource” use.
• Ambiguity in “Resources”: [Ambiguous] The bill does not clearly define what constitutes “resources,” which could potentially include administrative time, travel reimbursements, or office equipment used for legislative engagement.
• Targeted Silencing: The measure is perceived as a punitive effort to silence the collective voice of local offices and the organizations that represent their interests before the legislature.
• Immediate Administrative Burden: With a July 1, 2026, effective date, entities must begin tracking every interaction and payment mid-year to prepare for the first mandatory certification on February 1, 2027.