Monday, February 23, 2026 |
Photo – University of Wyoming – Bigfoot99 file photo
In a battle of dueling amendments in the House on Saturday, the University of Wyoming came out on the short side.
Budget amendment 120, brought by Representative John Bear of Gillette prevailed over a “parachute” amendment that would have restored $40 million to the UW budget. Republican Steve Harshman brought the amendment to protect UW from the cut.
The House voted 32-28 to keep a $20 million budget cut to the university in the 2027-28 budget. The cut could be as deep as $40-million depending on a report due to the Joint Appropriations Committee in December.
Both amendments required the university board of trustees to submit an operational plan to the governor and JAC on December 1, 2026.
In its bill, the senate gave UW all of the money it requested, setting up a contentious negotiation between the two chambers during reconciliation.
