1969

193

Imposed the first severance tax on gold, silver & other precious metals, soda, saline, coal, trona, uranium, bentonite, petroleum or other crude mineral oil or natural gas or other valuable deposit (1% rate based on property tax valuation)

1974

HJR2A

Created the Permanent Wyoming Mineral Trust Fund (PWMTF); 1.5% severance tax on coal, oil, natural gas, oil shale & such other minerals as designated by the Legislature deposited in the PWMTF

1974

19

Increased severance tax rate to 3% on trona, coal, other fossil fuel minerals, & oil, natural gas & oil shale

1975

125

Increased severance tax rate to 4% on trona, coal, oil, natural gas & oil shale (2% severance tax rate remained on uranium, bentonite, gold, silver, or other precious metals, soda & saline)

1975

120

Imposed a coal impact severance tax on a graduated scale (1974 - .4%; 1975 - .8%; 1976 - 1.2%; 1977 - 1.6%; 1978 & after - 2%) until $120M collected

1977

189

Increased severance tax on coal by 1.6% for CY 77 & 2% for CY 78 until $160M collected; increased severance tax on coal by 1.5% for Water development account; increased severance tax on coal by 1% for highway fund; increased severance tax on coal by .5% to PWMTF; effective 1/1/78[1] (total 10.1%); increased severance tax on trona by 1.5% (total 5.5%); increased severance tax on uranium by 3.5% (total 5.5%)

1977

155

Increased severance tax on coal, uranium & trona by 1.5% until $250M collected; effective 1/1/78

1981

49

Increased severance tax on oil/gas by 2% (6% total); distributed to state (highway fund, PWMTF & water development account) & cities & counties

1983

173

Decreased severance tax on underground coal by 3.25% to 7.25%

1985

182

Decreased severance tax on collection wells from 6% to 1.5% & exempted from property tax through 1989

1986

3

1/4 of proceeds from severance taxes (except underground coal) diverted to worker's compensation fund

1987

97

Coal Equity Tax Act of 1987 - limited severance tax to $.80/ton on high-cost coal

1987

29

Severance taxes paid on CO2 injected in oil production allowed as a credit against oil severance tax

1987

241

Granted 4% severance tax exemption for wildcat wells for 4 years (total 2%)

1988

93

Allowed deduction for return on investment for mineral production on certain capital investments for transportation facilities or processing plants

1988

SJR7

Amended constitution to provide for 3 tier system for fair market value of taxation (minerals, industrial, & all other)

1988

73

Implemented 3 tier system for fair market value in assessing property for property tax (minerals, industrial, & all other)

1988

72

Budget reserve account diversion of severance taxes begun

1989

35

Extended Coal Tax Equity Act to 1991 (3/31/91)

1989

172

Exempted coal used in processing from property & severance taxes

1989

287

Exemption for tertiary oil production from projects certified by Oil & Gas Commn.; granted a severance tax exemption up to 1/2 of wages paid to resident workers or total amount of 2% severance tax

1989

36

Created municipal rainy day account funded with excess oil & gas severance tax & federal mineral royalties

1989

57

Repealed deduction allowed for return on investment for mineral production (on transportation facilities & processing plants)

1989

120

Continued budget reserve account diversion of severance taxes through 6/30/91

1989

144

Decreased severance tax on uranium from 4% to 2%

1990

22

Extended 1.5% severance tax on collection wells to 1/1/95

1990

13

Budget reserve account diversion extended through 6/30/92

1991

13

Coal Tax Equity Act extended through 3/31/95

1991

237

Extension of 2% severance tax exemption on tertiary production to 12/31/94 (4% total)

1991

239

Exempted specified underground mining equipment from property tax

1991

42

Exempted uranium from 4% severance tax as long as price under $17/pound

1991

139

Extended 4% severance tax exemption on wildcat wells to 12/31/94 (2% total)

1992

4

Reallocated 30% of revenues from 1.5% severance tax on coal & trona to public school foundation program account

1993

167

Exempted oil & gas from 4% severance tax if well drilled (new production) between 93 to 96 (cap on oil $25/bbl; gas $2.75/mcf); same reduction for workover or completion for 24 months but no cap on price (2% total)

1994

6

Extended budget reserve account diversion to 6/30/96

1995

141

Granted 50% credit against natural gas severance tax (2%) for research projects to enhance natural gas production (2% total)

1995

48

Coal Tax Equity Act extended through 3/15/99

1995

55

Exempted oil produced from previously shut-in wells from all but 1.5% severance tax for PWMTF

1995

59

Budget reserve account diversion extended 6/30/2000

1995

76

Extended tertiary production 2% exemption through 12/31/96 (4% total)

1995

104

Extended uranium severance tax exemption through 1/1/99; lowered spot price for qualifying uranium from $17 to $14/pound

1995

74

Extended 1.5% severance tax for collection wells through 1/1/99

1995

75

Extended reduced severance tax rate on oil/gas wells drilled (new production) through 3/31/98

1997

171

Extended 4% severance tax exemption for oil/gas produced from workovers & recompletions to 2001 (2% total)

1997

72

Extended tertiary production 2% exemption to March, 2001 (4% total)

1998

16

Specified collection well property tax exemption applied to production for CY 94

1998

47

Extended reduced severance tax rate on oil/gas wells drilled (new production) through 3/31/2003 (2% total)

1998

48

Extended uranium tax severance tax exemption through 3/31/2003

1999

64

Coal Equity Tax Act extended through 12/31/2003; lowered maximum severance tax per ton from $.80 to $.60

1999

168

Oil Producers Recovery Act - reduced severance tax on oil from 6% to 4% (if oil price exceeds $20/barrel the tax returns to 6%); granted sales tax exemption for sales of power to person engaged in oil extraction

1999

121

Budget reserve account diversion extended from 6/30/2000 to 6/30/2004

2000

4

Repeal of the Oil Producers Recovery Act of 1999 (severance tax on oil returned from 4% to 6%; repealed sales tax exemption for sales of power to person engaged in oil extraction)

2000

99

Removed certain shallow gas wells (like coalbed methane) less than 2,000 feet in depth from the 4% severance tax reduction in W.S. 39-14-205(f) (granted by 1993 Wyo. Sess. Laws Ch. 167) so they will be taxed at full 6% severance tax

2001

N/A

No significant bills affecting mineral taxation

2002

37

Clarifies taxable services at an oil or gas well site (exempts all activities prior to the setting and cementing of production casing)

2002

49

Changes period in which audits of mineral taxes are to be commenced from within 5 years of production to within 3 years of production

2002

50

Amends and clarifies mineral lien statutes (comprehensive changes to the statutes)

2002

62

Changes the diversion of severance taxes (above the 1.5%) from the budget reserve account to the severance tax distribution account; repeals distribution of severance tax on shallow gas wells (coalbed methane wells) to the PWMTF and deposits in severance tax distribution account

2003

24

Changes the industry factor for trona valuation to 32.5%

2003

62

Amends and clarifies property tax liens on mineral production (changes made to follow severance tax liens)

2003

105

Extended uranium tax severance tax exemption through 3/31/2009

2003

130

Extended tertiary production 2% exemption to March, 2008 (4% total), provided the price received by the producer is less than $27.50 per barrel

2004

N/A

No significant bills affecting mineral taxation

2005

4

Amends and clarifies mineral audit periods (must commence within 3 years and 6 months following the reporting date; must be completed within 2 years after the audit is commenced)

2006

96

Extends the oil/gas well service sales tax exemption to the deepening of a well

2006

14

Grants a sales/use tax exemption for coal gasification or liquefaction facilities operational equipment

2007

N/A

No significant bills affecting mineral taxation