Wyoming Legislator Questions UW Budget Request

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — The outgoing chairman of the state Legislature's Joint Appropriations Committee is questioning the supplemental budget requests made by the University of Wyoming.

The Laramie Boomerang reports the university is seeking $19 million in additional money from the session that convenes next month.

The request includes $10 million in state funding to create a new scholarship endowment and $5 million to boost programming in the College of Agriculture.

JAC chairman Sen. Bruce Burns on Thursday suggested much of the university's requests would have been better offered during the 2018 budget session or could wait until the 2020 budget session.

The Sheridan Republican is retiring from the Legislature at the end of this month. He will be replaced by Riverton Republican Eli Bebout, who suggested that supplemental budget requests are for emergencies.