Lodging Tax Bill Dies On Final Vote

A bill that proposed a statewide lodging tax has died in the Wyoming Senate, stumbling in a final vote before it would have headed to the governor’s desk.

The Casper-Star Tribune reports the bill was voted down 19-7 Monday, with three lawmakers abstaining because their involvement in the hospitality industry posed a conflict of interest.

The bill proposed a 5 percent lodging tax to generate an estimated $19.5 million annually for the state’s tourism sector by 2021. Of that, 80 percent would have gone to the Department of Tourism, and 20 percent would have been deposited into a special projects account.

Critics argued it would negatively affect Wyoming residents traveling for sports tournaments or visiting their families in other parts of the state. The bill’s defeat marks the end of any significant tax revenue options for Wyoming this year.