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Legislator
State Representative
Thomas Kelly
(R) - Wyoming
Wyoming House District 30
In Office
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Sheridan Office

412 Airport Road
Sheridan, WY 82801

Capitol Office

State Capitol
200 W. 24th St.
Cheyenne, WY 82002
Website
Vote Record By Category
Category Vote Index Total Score
CTE 100
6
 
Major Maintenance 0
-1
 
Community College 57
-2
 
Benefits 25
-2
 
State Lands 0
-2
 
Recalibration 0
-3
 
Retired 0
-3
 
Vouchers 0
-4
 
Testing 33
-4
 
Workforce Development 44
-4
 
Licensure 0
-5
 
Parental Rights 0
-6
 
Curriculum 11
-7
 
School Safety 14
-8
 
Charter Schools 0
-10
 
Standards 0
-11
 
School Facilities 16
-13
 
Mental Health 6
-20
 
Property Tax 0
-21
 
Membership Impacts 14
-24
 
Revenue 3
-40
 
Safe and Just Schools 3
-41
 
School Finance 12
-43
 
Association Related 7
-47
 
Attraction and Retention 2
-51
 
All Bills 15
-92
 
Rated Bill Votes
Bill Bill Name Motion Vote Date Rating Vote Comments
HB0001 General government appropriations-2. HB0001H2028 Amendment failed 25-36-1-0-0 02/05/2025 3 Nay fully funds the eca
HB0001 General government appropriations-2. HB0001H3025 Amendment failed 16-43-3-0-0 02/07/2025 3 Nay fully funds the ECA
HB0018 Career technical education funding. Concur:Passed 58-1-3-0-0 02/27/2025 2 Yea This bill allows a greater than calculation for CTE equipment and supplies to provide additional dollars to smaller districts. This addresses calculations for CTE positions in smaller districts. As long as this is continuously fully funded WEA has no issue.
HB0032 What is a Woman Act. Concur:Passed 52-10-0-0-0 03/05/2025 -3 Yea This bill is a bill in search of a problem. The bill ignores modern science and the growing knowledge around gender, sex, and gender identity. The bill only works to further a national narrative that looks to discriminate against those who are not straight. The bill has implications for school facilities and data collection.
HB0036 Hathaway scholarship-amendments. H04 - Education:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 9-0-0-0-0 01/20/2025 2 Yea addresses concerns over the work requirement component
HB0036 Hathaway scholarship-amendments. HB0036VT001 Amendment Reconsideration Motion Passed by Roll Call 55-5-2-0-0 03/04/2025 2 Yea while the bill expands eligibility for CTE students as well as those who may just be looking for a certificate, the work requirement presents some significant policy questions that may raise equity issues for students in rural areas. However, this is a good bill with good intentions and an attempt to keep our education investments in the state of Wyoming
HB0046 Homeschool freedom act. 3rd Reading:Passed 54-6-2-0-0 01/23/2025 -2 Yea This bill eliminates all curriculum accountability for home school students. This has significant work force readiness implications as well as larger statewide economic implications. Without providing curriculum, those families that have not homeschooled well, will necessitate a remedial action in schools that takes a significant amount of work
HB0060 Student eligibility in sports-amendments. 3rd Reading:Passed 51-6-5-0-0 02/03/2025 -3 Yea The proposed legislation is an expansion of the previous trans prohibition in athletics. The bill, first and foremost, raises significant legal questions in light of Bostok. What is more, these types of policies are counter to WEA's Legislative Platform and MACR Platform as well as our Safe and Just Schools Work. The bill suffers from equity, cost effectiveness, efficiency and administrative feasibility issues.
HB0072 Protecting privacy in public spaces act. Concur:Passed 54-7-1-0-0 02/27/2025 -3 Yea This bill may violate the decision handed down in Bostock v Clayton County and the rules promulgated by the EEOC and DOL. The bill is counter to WEA's Legislative Platform, MACR as well as our Safe and Just Schools work. The bill suffers significant equity issues, cost effectiveness, effectiveness, and administrative feasibility issues.
HB0080 Stop ESG-State funds fiduciary duty act. 3rd Reading:Passed 44-16-2-0-0 01/23/2025 -3 Yea This political football is a priority for the Freedom Caucus, but does exactly what it purports to stop; putting politics in our investment strategies. This bill would significantly hamper the state from raising the necessary funds through investment strategies that have been so successful for Wyoming, insulating the state when there is an economic downturn. Over $1b would be lost to the retirement system alone by 2028 if the bill passes. It would spell trouble for the state economy as well.
HB0094 Charter school authorizations-amendments. HB0094VT001 Amendment Reconsideration Motion Passed by Roll Call 44-15-3-0-0 03/04/2025 -3 Yea Without providing any evidence that Wyoming charter schools perform as well or better than public schools, as was the assertion for allowing additional charter schools, this bill provides for the authorizing board to authorize an unlimited number of charter schools. this increases the overall cost of education, increases per pupil funding amounts without demonstrating benefit. Charters currently can work with districts to receive authorization.
HB0096 Prohibiting mask, vaccine and testing discrimination. 3rd Reading:Passed 45-16-1-0-0 01/24/2025 -3 Yea This bill ignores virology science and cripples districts ability to address any future significant outbreaks of COVID 19 putting students, staff, families and the community at large at risk.
HB0147 Prohibition of institutional discrimination. Concur:Passed 55-5-2-0-0 03/03/2025 -3 Yea The bill may significantly hamper educators ability to provide a high quality education to their students, while meeting standards. Will have a chilling effect on many important education related topics including historical discussions about WWI, WWII, Jim Crow Laws, Tulsa Race Massacre, Trail of Tears etc.
HB0169 Homeowner tax exemption-2025 and 2026. 3rd Reading:Passed 40-20-2-0-0 01/23/2025 -3 Yea The bill creates a 50% property tax exemption for owner occupied homes. This reduces the school foundation program by $124 million a year and local revenues by $73 million. There is a backfill that is a one-time appropriation that will cover the loss to the SFP as well as a sunset date. Should the legislature in the future repeal the sunset date, this would cause a $50 million a year loss to education funding. WEA's platforms do not support exemptions
HB0172 Repeal gun free zones and preemption amendments. Concur:Passed 47-7-8-0-0 02/21/2025 -3 Yea The bill would repeal gun free zones allowing for citizens to carry firearms in public schools. as all policy should benefit our students and educators, and given the data behind gun violence, WEA platforms advocating for local control, and deficiencies in equity, effectiveness, administrative feasibility and cost effectiveness, WEA does not support this proposal.
HB0180 K-12 mental health program-3. H04 - Education:Do Pass Failed 3-6-0-0-0 02/10/2025 3 Nay This bill appropriates over $5 million in grants for student mental health services in our public schools. The bill is a great start in helping to address this critical issue. While the fiscal note score would warrant a +1, the qualitative policy analysis on this bill and the effort to address one of educations most significant issues is what bolstered this bills score.
HB0199 Steamboat Legacy Scholarship Act. HB0199H2004 Amendment failed 25-36-1-0-0 01/28/2025 1 Nay would provide for a required assessment - accountability measure
HB0199 Steamboat Legacy Scholarship Act. HB0199JC001 Adopted HB0199JC001: 42-19-1-0-0 02/27/2025 -3 Yea This is a new voucher bill that makes vouchers universal in Wyoming; draws over $40 million away from public schools, no accountability, no oversight; open for waste, fraud and abuse; and undoubtedly unconstitutional.
HB0200 Parent rights-amendments. 3rd Reading:Passed 34-26-2-0-0 02/06/2025 -3 Yea the bill expands an already problematic parental rights bill that provided vague language that has already been problematic for districts to implement. The bill would mandate all educators to provide all materials, digital, hand held and presenters ahead of time and published on a district website. This applies to all educators, not just social studies/civics/history, though this was the original intent. creates an undue burden on educators
HB0259 Supplemental K-12 school facilities appropriations-2. 3rd Reading:Passed 59-1-2-0-0 01/28/2025 -2 Yea adds half the funding for the gillette school
HB0259 Supplemental K-12 school facilities appropriations-2. Concur:Passed 62-0-0-0-0 03/05/2025 -3 Yea The bill removes the Gillette school and bus barn, despite years of needing to be addressed. Efforts similar to this are one of the reasons WEA filed the lawsuit to address school facilities. Relevant to our current litigation and ongoing litigation.
HB0270 Permanent mineral trust fund-spending policy. 3rd Reading:Passed 33-26-3-0-0 02/04/2025 -2 Yea This is a $14 million cut to public education on an annual basis.
HB0271 Common school account-spending policy amount. 3rd Reading:Passed 32-27-3-0-0 02/04/2025 -3 Yea the bill by reducing the spending policy amount, reducing K12 funding by $24 million on a yearly basis. while K12 funding is constitutionally mandated to be fully funded, the implied attempt is to run down the LSRA as a backfill for education so dollars are not available to fund.
HB0282 Property tax-acquisition value. 3rd Reading:Passed 35-25-2-0-0 02/06/2025 -3 Yea the bill is unconstitutional and would significantly reduce funding for public schools.
HB0293 Repealing the school foundation program reserve account. 3rd Reading:Passed 53-7-2-0-0 02/05/2025 -2 Yea repeals section 314 of the 2024 budget bill where the distribution of revenue from severance taxes was modified to include 1/3 of those revenues to the SFP Reserve Account. repealing this section and eliminating the account would revert the $88 million in the SFP Reserve Account to the CSPFR Account and in FY2026 would move the $1.3 million dedicated to that account to the Budget Reserve Account. Its a means to reduce education funding while bolstering savings and investment returns.
HB0294 Federal mineral royalties-distribution amendments. 3rd Reading:Passed 56-5-1-0-0 02/11/2025 -2 Yea The bill would reduce the amount of FMR's distributed to the school foundation program by $600k in FY2026. In future years any distribution that would typically be distributed to the school foundation program would go the common school permanent fund reserve account and the permanent wyoming mineral trust fund. This is an effort to save and invest instead of spend on education now. Given the unknown and perpetual robbing of SFP funds, this increases the score well and above the REMI model impact
HB0320 Taxation and Revenue Task Force 2028. 3rd Reading:Failed 25-36-1-0-0 02/11/2025 3 Nay creates a task force to fully understand how much trouble the state is in financially after the session.
HJ0003 Support for rural schools. Concur:Passed 60-0-2-0-0 03/03/2025 3 Yea while only a resolution, the declaration would have implications for ensuring adequate and cost-based funding for all schools regardless of economies of scale issues. Has significant implications regarding current litigation
HJ0004 Constitutional amendment-veterans property tax exemption. 3rd Reading:Passed 58-2-1-0-1 01/30/2025 -2 Yea The WEA Legislative Platform does not support any tax exemptions as they negatively impact education funding. This would be roughly a loss of $6 million a year in revenue without any backfill.
SF0005 School district vehicles-flashing lights authorized. 3rd Reading:Passed 59-0-3-0-0 02/26/2025 1 Yea This bill will allow school district vehicles that are not school buses, but that are still used to transport students to display flashing safety lights. A number of incidents have occurred over the past few years that highlights the need for districts and the legislature to address student safety in regards to transportation as well as crosswalks.
SF0013 Reading assessment and intervention amendments. 3rd Reading:Passed 61-0-1-0-0 02/18/2025 1 Yea the bill provides for reporting individual student IRP's while also still allowing for group reading as an appropriate intervention. the bill is a continued work to help provide effective reading interventions for students while being mindful of reporting requirements
SF0034 K-12 school facilities maintenance and appropriations. 3rd Reading:Passed 38-23-1-0-0 03/04/2025 1 Nay This bill increases the allowable square footage utilized to calculate routine and major maintenance for school districts and increases the percentage utilized to calculate major maintenance payments to school districts
SF0049 Tangible personal property-index and depreciation. 3rd Reading:Passed 57-4-1-0-0 02/18/2025 -3 Yea The WEA Legislative Platform states "The WEA opposes tax rate reductions for business and industry which negatively impact revenue flow to the state’s general fund or any school funding accounts." Additionally, the platform specifically states "The WEA believes that no class of property currently on the tax rolls should be exempt from any form of taxes that benefit public schools. We therefore oppose any legislation that would permit such exemptions." The bill is scored using our REMI tax doc.
SF0062 Sex-designated facilities and public schools. 3rd Reading:Passed 51-6-5-0-0 02/26/2025 -3 Yea This bill may violate the decision handed down in Bostock v Clayton County and the rules promulgated by the EEOC and DOL. The bill is counter to WEA's Legislative Platform, MACR as well as our Safe and Just Schools work. The bill suffers significant equity issues, cost effectiveness, effectiveness, and administrative feasibility issues.
SF0069 Homeowner property tax exemption. SF0069JC001 Adopted SF0069JC001: 49-7-6-0-0 02/27/2025 -3 Yea The WEA Legislative Platform states "The WEA believes that no class of property currently on the tax rolls should be exempt from any form of taxes that benefit public schools. We therefore oppose any legislation that would permit such exemptions." The bill is scored using our REMI tax doc. even with backfilling this leaves a $60+ million SFP shortfall
SF0072 Summer vacation preservation act. 3rd Reading:Failed 5-52-5-0-0 02/24/2025 -1 Nay The intent behind the bill is altruistic. It is a means to address our educator and student happiness by providing flexibility in school calendar year scheduling. However, WEA has concerns regarding completing the same amount of work in less time as well as implications for district negotiations that may reduce pay.
SF0073 Charter school funding-amendments. 3rd Reading:Passed 58-3-1-0-0 02/19/2025 -1 Yea This bill provides charter schools funding for their central office positions. However, the bill creates an equity issue in terms of how district to district fund that central office component as well as creating an inequity from how we fund charter and district central office components. This creates an issue of equity as prohibited in case law. appropriate for district authorized; not for state authorized.
SF0077 Compelled speech is not free speech. SF0077JC001 Adopted SF0077JC001: 54-6-2-0-0 02/24/2025 -3 Yea This bill violates policies against bullying and harassment. The bill violates WEA's "Dignity in the Workplace" portion of our MACR platform. The bill targets specific minority populations within the workforce. It is discriminatory in nature and targets a population that is considered a protected class.
SF0081 Tax exemption-property owned by the state. 3rd Reading:Passed 57-4-1-0-0 02/18/2025 -1 Yea The WEA Legislative Platform states "The WEA opposes tax rate reductions for business and industry which negatively impact revenue flow to the state’s general fund or any school funding accounts." Additionally, the platform specifically states "The WEA believes that no class of property currently on the tax rolls should be exempt from any form of taxes that benefit public schools. We therefore oppose any legislation that would permit such exemptions." The bill is scored using our REMI tax doc.
SF0086 Alternative teaching certificate. SF0086JC001 Adopted SF0086JC001: 37-23-2-0-0 03/03/2025 -2 Yea The bill looks to provide teacher an alternative teacher certification. However, the bill is targeting one specific company. Additionally, the program is self-guided and online. The standard/materials seem to be subpar, and the would-be educator would miss out on the ever important classroom teaching experience before managing their own classroom. Raises equity issues and concerns over teacher preparedness, teacher quality, teacher retention.
SF0098 School board trustees-party affiliation. 3rd Reading:Failed 23-38-1-0-0 02/25/2025 -2 Nay This bill would politicize school board elections. Given the hyper-partisan nature of the state of Wyoming, candidates will no longer be elected because they are the most qualified but instead because of identity politics. Would have potentially negative consequences for school districts, employees, and students across the state.
SF0103 Terminating and defunding diversity, equity and inclusion. 3rd Reading:Passed 52-7-3-0-0 02/27/2025 -3 Yea The bill may significantly hamper educators ability to provide a high quality education to their students, while meeting standards. Will have a chilling effect on many important education related topics including vestiges of systemic racism including education funding, gerrymandering, disparities in health outcomes, pay equity etc.
SF0137 School finance-cash reserves. 3rd Reading:Passed 41-20-1-0-0 02/25/2025 2 Yea the bill would extend the sunset date on allowing districts to maintain a 30% cash reserve compared to the previous 15%.
SF0169 Strategic investments and projects account-repeal. SF0169JC002 Adopted SF0169JC002: 38-15-9-0-0 03/06/2025 -3 Yea The bill would cut over $60 million in revenue to the SFP
Rated Sponored Bills