Wyoming Senate Votes to Save Business Council from Legislative Elimination

The Wyoming Business Council, the state’s primary economic development agency, survived a direct legislative attempt to dismantle it on Monday when the state Senate voted 21-10 against introducing a bill that would have removed it from state law. However, the council is not out of danger, as a separate budget amendment that would strip its funding remains a possibility in the ongoing state budget negotiations.

The bill’s sponsor, Senator Dan Laursen (R-Powell), argued that the agency, which has received nearly $1 billion in state funding since its creation in 1997, lacks measurable return on investment and proper legislative oversight. He contended that using public money to support private businesses allows the government to “select winners and losers.”

The decisive vote against the bill was hailed as a strong signal by Business Council CEO Josh Dorrell. “I think 21 votes is a pretty strong signal, of business being open in Wyoming,” Dorrell told Cowboy State Daily just outside the Senate chamber. He expressed openness to a proposed task force, mentioned by Governor Mark Gordon in his State of the State address, that would evaluate the council’s role and recommend potential reforms.

Despite this legislative victory, the council’s future hinges on the budget process. The Wyoming Senate and House will now debate the state’s two-year budget bill, which currently contains an amendment from the Joint Appropriations Committee to defund the agency. Lawmakers can still modify or reject that amendment in the coming days. The 21-10 vote suggests the Senate may be inclined to preserve the council’s funding, but the final outcome is yet to be determined.