SF0124

Appropriates fifteen million dollars from the Wyoming tourism reserve to attract a rodeo and cowboy museum and hall of fame to Wyoming.

• Appropriates $15,000,000 from the Wyoming tourism reserve and projects account to the Wyoming office of tourism for attracting a rodeo and cowboy museum and hall of fame to Wyoming, with funds available through June 30, 2036. (Sec. 1(a), W.S. 39-15-111(p)(i)(B))
• Distributes the appropriation in three equal installments of $5,000,000 each on July 1, 2026, July 1, 2027, and July 1, 2028. (Sec. 1(b))
• Grants appropriated funds priority over required transfers to the Wyoming outdoor recreation and tourism trust fund account for the period July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028. (Sec. 1(c)(i), 2023 Wyoming Session Laws, Chapter 153, Section 2)
• Requires the Wyoming tourism board to solicit applications for grants and recommend approval or rejection to the governor. (Sec. 1(c)(ii))
• Requires the Wyoming tourism board to certify that relocation efforts have reasonable expectation of increasing tourism, generating jobs, gross state product, state revenue, and economic diversification. (Sec. 1(c)(iii))
• Conditions grant expenditure on matching funds in a ratio of at least one dollar of grant funds to one dollar of nonstate matching funds. (Sec. 1(c)(iv))
• Requires grant approval to include a repayment provision if the applicant does not relocate to Wyoming by June 30, 2028. (Sec. 1(c)(v))
• Requires the attorney general to review and certify the legality of any proposed grant and related documents before final approval. (Sec. 1(c)(vi))
• Requires the governor to approve grants only upon determining the applicant's relocation will result in substantial benefit to the public. (Sec. 1(c)(vii))
• Requires the office of tourism to report annually to the joint appropriations committee on expenditures from this appropriation through November 1, 2036. (Sec. 1(d))