Wyoming's SF 153 strengthens election security by requiring counties to audit up to 5% of ballots after each election to verify results. It changes absentee ballot distribution timelines (45 days before election for military voters, 28 days for others) and mandates that electronic voting systems maintain an "air gap" (physical isolation from networks/internet). The bill also requires election records and ballots to be transported in sealed, locked containers with unique numbered seals. A $100,000 appropriation funds county training and consultant services for implementation. These changes directly affect county clerks, election administrators, and electronic voting systems statewide.
SF 48 requires Wyoming's state superintendent to develop model policies for school discipline, including student suspensions and expulsions, by July 1, 2023. These model policies must include best practices under existing law (W.S. 21-4-305 and 21-4-306) and focus on maximizing student retention and academic success. School districts are not required to adopt any part of these model policies. The superintendent must report the finalized models to the education committee by the same deadline.
Wyoming's SF 51 modifies how school funding is adjusted for regional cost differences. The bill requires school districts to use Wyoming's cost-of-living index (instead of the hedonic wage index) when calculating regional cost adjustments for the education resource block grant model, with a minimum index value of 100. This change directly affects all public school districts in Wyoming by altering how their state funding is calculated based on local cost of living. The adjustment method applies to district salary calculations for all school and district staff categories, effective July 1, 2023.
HB 208 allows Wyoming's school foundation program reserve account to be invested in stocks and other equities, previously restricted to other investments. It changes the rule so that investment earnings from these accounts are deposited back into the reserve account itself, rather than the general state fund. This directly affects Wyoming's K-12 school funding system by potentially growing the reserve through market investments. The bill takes effect July 1, 2023, and requires investments to follow state investment laws focused on safety, liquidity, and balanced returns.
HB 4 extends Medicaid health coverage for pregnant women in Wyoming from the standard 60-day postpartum period to 12 months. This applies to individuals enrolled in Wyoming Medicaid or the Child Health Insurance Program (CHIP), directly affecting low-income pregnant women and new mothers. The bill appropriates $3.8 million in state funds and $3.8 million in federal funds for the 2023-2024 fiscal year to cover this extended eligibility, with funding limited to July 1, 2023-June 30, 2024. Coverage ends on March 31, 2027, as specified in the bill’s temporary provisions.
This joint resolution proposes amending the Wyoming Constitution to authorize the legislature to create a property tax exemption for residential homes owned by elderly or infirm residents. The exemption would aim to preserve homeownership for these groups, particularly if deemed necessary for supporting the poor, but the legislature would determine specific eligibility and implementation. As a constitutional amendment, it requires voter approval at the next general election to take effect, and it does not automatically create the exemption.
Wyoming's HB 200 increases application fees for nonresident hunters seeking licenses to hunt elk, deer, antelope, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, moose, grizzly bear, and wild bison. The bill adds specific supplemental fees to existing license costs (e.g., $576 for elk, $288 for deer/antelope) and updates base license fees for all listed species. These changes directly affect nonresidents who apply for big-game hunting licenses in Wyoming. The bill takes effect January 1, 2024, with all new fees applied to nonresident applications.
This bill makes shed antlers and horns from big game animals found on Wyoming public lands the property of the state, not private individuals. It requires the Game and Fish Commission to establish specific collection seasons, with residents allowed to begin collecting three days before nonresidents. The rules must minimize disturbance to big game populations in areas west of I-90 (from Montana to Buffalo) and west of I-25 (from Buffalo to Colorado). This directly affects hunters and outdoor enthusiasts who collect shed antlers on public lands.
Wyoming's HB 276 states that all shed antlers and horns found on public land belong to the state, not individuals. It requires anyone collecting these items on public land (specifically west of I-90 from the Montana border to Buffalo and west of I-25 from Buffalo to Colorado) to obtain a permit. Residents may collect without charge, while nonresidents must pay a $20 fee. The Game and Fish Commission will create rules to implement the permit system, effective immediately upon enactment. This law directly affects hunters, collectors, and outdoor enthusiasts who gather shed antlers on public lands.
Wyoming's SF 169 creates a 12-member task force to plan a state shooting complex. The task force includes state agency directors, two firearm industry representatives, a shooting sports organization member, a hunting conservation group representative, and legislative members appointed by leadership. It must develop location criteria, review existing facilities, create a request for proposals, and make recommendations by October 1 each year until June 2026. The bill appropriates $8.125 million from existing state funds (including $5 million from American Rescue Plan funds) specifically for the complex's siting and construction, with all funds required to be spent by the 2026 deadline.
HB 99 amends Wyoming's property tax refund program to adjust eligibility requirements for homeowners. It sets income limits (capped at 125% of median household income in the applicant's county or state) and asset limits ($100,000-$150,000 per adult, adjusted annually for inflation) for the state-level refund program. The bill also allows counties to create optional property tax refund programs with similar income thresholds but county-determined limits. Refunds are capped at 50% of the applicant's prior year's property tax or the county's median residential tax, whichever is lower. The changes apply to homeowners occupying their primary residence for at least 9 months and meeting residency requirements.
SF 79 requires healthcare providers in Wyoming to create "plans of safe care" for infants born with prenatal exposure to drugs or alcohol. These plans must address the infant's safety and health needs, connect families to substance use treatment and early intervention services, and be developed with parents or guardians. Hospitals must report the number of infants covered by these plans to the Department of Family Services and share the plans with child protective agencies if safety concerns arise. The bill applies directly to newborns affected by prenatal substance exposure and their families, with requirements effective January 1, 2024.
