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    Statewide CARES Act expenditure information released

    (Cheyenne, WY) – Wyoming State Auditor Kristi Racines announced today, February 12th the release of comprehensive CARES Act expenditure information which can be found on the Auditor’s transparency website, WyOpen.gov.

    On March 27, 2020, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Through this federal legislation, the State of Wyoming received $1.25 billion.

    The CARES Act required that these funds be used to cover expenses necessary or incurred due to the public health emergency with respect to COVID-19. In May 2020, the Wyoming legislature enacted emergency legislation directing CARES Act spending and program development. Over the last eleven months, the State of Wyoming has deployed the funds through the creation of various programs and distributions to local governments and communities.

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    WyOpen was developed internally by the Wyoming State Auditor’s Office and includes payments made by the State of Wyoming through the Wyoming Online Financial System (WOLFS) to vendors for the purchase of goods and services.

    The site, originally released in July 2019, allows users to search, view and download expenditure data by state agency, vendor name, vendor location and expenditure category.

    WyOpen now displays expenditure information specific to the CARES Act $1.25 billion, including detailed transaction information and actual expenditures by category. The site currently displays CARES Act spending through January 31, 2021 and will be updated as previously-obligated funds continue to be disbursed.

    Governor Mark Gordon welcomed the release of the data, stressing that the funding has been critical to helping the state weather the pandemic.

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    “These federal dollars helped address critical needs that arose during this pandemic, including small businesses, our communities, our nonprofits and our neighbors,” Governor Gordon said. “The Auditor’s office is to be commended on their continued commitment to transparency.”

    “We have continued to improve and evolve WyOpen based on user feedback,” said Racines. “Knowing how these critical aid dollars have been spent is a priority and a right of Wyoming citizens. I am committed to furthering transparency efforts as we navigate this challenging environment.”

    CARES Act expenditures can be found at WyOpen.gov. A description of CARES Act programs and a breakdown of funding allocations can be found at wyomingsense.gov/cares-act.

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    For questions or help navigating WyOpen, please call (307) 777-5258 or email [email protected]

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