1. Enduring Local Prosperity
Will this policy encourage families to set down roots, leading to long-term economic development through better local opportunities for the next generation?
Result: ✅ Pass
Restricting grants and loans to a narrower band of projects can help the Wyoming Business Council avoid favoritism when awarding grants and loans for the Business Ready Community program. This does not change the fact that government actors without a financial stake in the businesses do not have as much of an incentive as entrepreneurs to make sound investment decisions.
2. Flexible Self-Reliance
Does this policy give individuals, communities and/or the state the flexibility to adapt to changing political and economic circumstances? Will this help individuals and communities move away from ongoing reliance on government programs, subsidies and mandates, and toward independence and resilience?
Result: ⚠️ Caution
There is a fine line between regulation to encourage transparency and regulation that is overly burdensome. Requiring applicants to own funded assets may encourage local responsibility and accountability. Conversely, additional legislative review and reporting requirements may reduce administrative flexibility and slow project implementation.
3. Private Property Rights
Does this policy remove institutional barriers, so that individuals or businesses may more easily use their land, property and labor in ways that do not violate the rights of others?
Result: ✅ Pass
The bill strengthens accountability by requiring publicly funded assets to remain under applicant ownership. Market economies work best when assets can be easily bought and sold between entities best able to use them, but these restrictions may be appropriate because these assets are purchased with taxpayer funds.
4. Transparent Constitutional Government
Is this policy limited to carrying out the functions of a small and transparent government as described in the U.S. and Wyoming constitutions, while dividing power appropriately between the legislative, executive and judicial branches of Wyoming's government?
Result: ✅ Pass
Legislative liaisons will have access to meetings, applications, executive sessions, and reporting. This increases legislative oversight over an executive branch program, improving transparency and accountability.
5. Responsible Taxation & Spending
Question:Will this policy reduce government spending, broaden the tax base, simplify tax policy or lower tax/fee intake?
Result: ✅ Pass
Critics of the Wyoming Business Council have claimed that many of the programs are fiscally wasteful. If this is indeed the case, LSO-0044 could keep Council employees vigilant, so that they spend the millions in funds more wisely. The bill increases government spending by $30,000 to fund legislative liaisons. Relative to multi-million dollar government programs, this amount is modest.
6. Local and State Control
Will this policy return power to Wyoming families or local governments from state government? Or will this policy transfer power to state government from the federal government?
Result: N/A
7. Voluntary Exchange & Individual Choice
Does this policy remove obstacles from business and consumers engaging in voluntary, mutually beneficial transactions, ultimately giving consumers more choices?
Result: N/A
8. Profit Motive & Fair Competition
Does this policy encourage entrepreneurs and businesses to seek profits through calculated risks based on market prices rather than government signals, lowering prices for consumers?
Result: ✅ Pass
Restricting the types of projects that can be completed using grant money reduces the risk that a publicly funded project will compete with privately funded projects.
9. Electoral Accountability
Does this policy assist Wyomingites in voting more securely and/or easily for eligible candidates in transparent elections for public office? Or provide mechanisms for holding elected or nonelected officials accountable for their actions to the people of Wyoming?
Result: ✅ Pass
Legislative oversight improves accountability because elected legislators directly observe and comment on grants, applications, and program performance. Annual and final reporting to legislative liaisons further ensures unelected officials can be held in check by elected officials.
10. Generational Resource Stewardship
Would this policy ensure Wyoming's natural resources can be shared across current and future generations of Wyomingites?
Result: N/A✅
Final Verdict: Passes the WyLiberty Policy Compass
Score: 6 Pass | 1 Caution | 0 Fail | 3 Not Applicable
Summary:
LSO-0044 would significantly restructure the Wyoming Business Ready Community (BRC) Program, one of the largest programs overseen by the Wyoming Business Council. It creates two nonvoting legislative liaisons, one senator and one representative, to review grant applications, attend public and executive meetings, and provide comments before the State Loan and Investment Board makes final decisions. The bill eliminates BRC funding for airports, recreational facilities, and convention centers and requires that assets purchased or improved with BRC grants or loans be owned by the public applicant. Multi-year grants could extend from 3 to 4 years, while recipients would face expanded annual reporting and final audit requirements. The measure also changes fund reversion rules by allowing unexpended, unobligated appropriations made after July 1, 2027, to remain available through the fourth fiscal year before reverting to their original funding source.