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SF 123

School finance-competitive grants for crossing guards.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Eric Barlow and 9 co-sponsors

Creates a time-limited, competitive grant program to fund Wyoming K-12 crossing guards, up to $10,000 per school per year, run by WDE, with a 2028 sunset.

S COW:Failed 10-20-1-0-0
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Bill Summary · SF 123

Summary — SF 123: School finance — competitive grants for crossing guards

Status: Introduced Jan 23, 2025. Failed in Senate Committee of the Whole (COW) on Feb 11, 2025 (roll call 10–20–1–0–0).

Purpose / intent

Create a time‑limited, competitive grant program to help K–12 public schools fund crossing guard programs — including state assistance, training/education for volunteers and school staff, wages for staff acting as crossing guards, and equipment purchases — to improve student safety at school crossings.

Key provisions

  • Establishes a new statutory section (W.S. 21‑13‑338) creating a crossing guard program grant administered by the Wyoming Department of Education (WDE).
  • Eligible applicants: Wyoming public school districts (applications submitted to WDE).
  • Grant size and term:
    • Grants limited to one (1) year.
    • Not to exceed $10,000 per school per year.
  • Application contents (minimum requirements): description of need, list of proposed schools/intersections, number of volunteers/staff and hours, training/education plan, itemized equipment list, and other information as required by WDE rule.
  • WDE authority:
    • Adopt rules (in consultation with Dept. of Transportation) establishing application procedures and training requirements.
    • Approve or deny applications in whole or in part; may award funds to specific schools within a district.
    • Require district reporting on grant expenditures.
    • Report annually (by Aug 1 of each applicable school year) to the Joint Education Interim Committee on grant awards and expenditures.
  • Sunset: the section (program) is repealed effective July 1, 2028.
  • Fiscal/appropriation provisions (as introduced):
    • Appropriation of $4,950,000 from the Public School Foundation Program Account to Department of Education — School Finance (unit: Public School Crossing Guard Program), effective immediately.
    • Implementation described as $1,650,000 per school year for school years 2025‑26, 2026‑27, and 2027‑28 (total $4,950,000).
    • Grants capped at $10,000 per school; $1,650,000 would fund up to 165 schools per year at the $10,000 maximum.
    • Appropriation not transferable; unexpended funds revert per law. Fiscal note: WDE indicates no additional personnel needed for this bill alone but multiple similar bills could create cumulative administrative impacts.

Affected parties / impact

  • Primary beneficiaries: K–12 public schools and school districts seeking support for crossing guard programs (volunteer training, staff wages, equipment).
  • Secondary: volunteers, school staff acting as crossing guards, parents and students at school crossings (safety improvements).
  • Fiscal impact: potential state expenditure up to $4.95 million over three years under the introduced version (or $1.65M per year). Departmental administrative workload expected to be absorbable for a single bill, per WDE.
  • Awards are “in addition” to foundation funding — the bill indicates awards should not be considered part of the school foundation resource block.

Procedural history / notable actions

  • Referred to Senate Education (S04): Recommend Do Pass (5–0).
  • Rereferred to Senate Appropriations (S02): Recommend Amend and Do Pass (5–0); Appropriations adopted an amendment (SF0123SS001) that would have reduced/limited funding and years.
  • Senate Committee of the Whole (COW) considered the bill and the amendment; COW vote failed on Feb 11, 2025 (Ayes 10, Nays 20, Excused 1) — bill did not advance further.

Sponsors

Primary sponsors shown in the bill header: Senators Brennan, Barlow, Olsen, Rothfuss, Schuler and Representatives Brown (G.), Brown (L.), Filer, Geringer, Harshman. (Additional sponsor lists in documents vary.)

Note: The introduced bill text and the Appropriations committee amendment contain differing funding and timing language. The summary above describes the introduced bill provisions and fiscal note; the Appropriations amendment would have narrowed the scope and reduced funding but the bill ultimately failed in COW.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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