Wyoming Legislative Panel Endorses Tobacco Tax Compact Bill

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — An interim legislative panel has endorsed a bill that would seek a compact between the state of Wyoming and its two tribes on levying tobacco taxes.

Currently, tobacco products sold on the Wind River Indian Reservation are not subject to state taxes, meaning they are cheaper to purchase on the reservation than elsewhere in the state.

The draft bill endorsed Wednesday by the Joint Revenue Committee directs the governor to negotiate a compact with the Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone tribes to levy the same amount of taxes on tobacco products sold on the reservation.

In exchange, the tribes would keep the revenue from the tax and be able to spend the money as they wish.

The bill will be presented to the full Legislature when it meets in January.