HB 283 amends Wyoming's Second Amendment Protection Act to prohibit state and local governments from using state funds or personnel to enforce federal firearm regulations that infringe on Second Amendment rights. It creates a $50,000 civil penalty per violation for agencies that enforce or assist in enforcing such federal laws, including for employees who knowingly participate in federal firearm enforcement after July 1, 2025. The bill directly affects Wyoming government agencies, law enforcement, and public officers who might enforce federal firearm rules. Key provisions define "this act," establish liability for violations, and allow civil lawsuits by affected citizens with no sovereign immunity defense.
HB 155 requires hospitals, health care clinics, and long-term care facilities receiving state funds to report monthly workplace violence incidents starting August 2025. Facilities must track specific details including the perpetrator's identity (e.g., patient, staff, or visitor), contributing factors (like mental health issues or long wait times), incident types (physical assault, threats, or discrimination), victim job roles, and exact locations. The Department of Workforce Services will compile these reports and submit an annual summary to a legislative committee by October 2026. This bill creates a standardized data collection system to identify patterns and inform future safety measures, without mandating new workplace safety standards.
HB 158 requires Wyoming's legislature to install an electronic voting system in both chambers of the state capitol. It appropriates $250,000 from the general fund specifically for planning, purchasing, and installing devices at each legislator's desk to cast votes electronically, with systems required to display results in chambers and online. The bill mandates security measures to ensure votes are cast by individual legislators and specifies that any additional system functions must fit within the budget. The funds must be spent by June 30, 2026, and unspent money reverts to the state. This bill directly affects Wyoming legislators and their voting process, with no policy changes beyond modernizing the voting mechanism.
HB 58 requires the Wyoming Board of Land Commissioners to provide written notice to county commissioners at least 60 days before approving new mineral leases or lease extensions on state lands or state school lands. County commissioners must then be given an opportunity to submit public comments on the proposed lease in writing or at a meeting. The bill applies only to new leases and extensions starting on its effective date, leaving existing leases unaffected. This change aims to increase local government involvement in mineral leasing decisions.
HB 297 allocates $143.26 million in state funds for wildfire recovery in Wyoming, directly affecting state agencies, private landowners, and communities. It provides $1 million for wildfire suppression contingency, $30 million for emergency fire accounts, and $100 million for restoring vegetation and habitats on private/state lands, plus $10 million for watershed infrastructure repairs. The bill creates a steering committee (with legislative, agency, and industry members) to review grant applications and recommend fund use, bypassing standard grant processes for these wildfire-related projects. All funds are sourced from the general fund, with repayment provisions for prior borrowing and a 2026 termination date for the committee.
HB 145 requires absentee voters in Wyoming to include specific identification information on a designated envelope inside their ballot package. Voters must provide either their Wyoming driver's license number, Wyoming ID card number, or the last four digits of their social security number. This change applies to all absentee ballots and takes effect July 1, 2025. The bill directly affects voters who choose absentee voting by adding a new step for verifying identity when returning ballots.
Wyoming's HB 241, the Telehealth Freedom Act, allows licensed healthcare providers from other states to offer telehealth services to Wyoming residents without needing a Wyoming license. This applies to providers physically located outside Wyoming who notify the relevant licensing board before starting services (unless an established patient relationship exists). The bill defines telehealth as electronic medical communication between a provider and patient in different locations and modifies existing licensing statutes to include this exception. It directly affects out-of-state healthcare professionals seeking to serve Wyoming patients remotely and expands access to telehealth services for residents.
HJ 6 is a proposed constitutional amendment to change Wyoming's judicial selection process. It would replace the current system - where judges are appointed by the governor from a list by a judicial nominating commission and then face retention votes - with direct elections. Under this amendment, justices and judges would run for re-election at general elections (instead of retention votes) to serve new terms, and the judicial nominating commission would be abolished. This change would apply to all Wyoming Supreme Court justices and district court judges, affecting how judicial offices are filled and maintained. The amendment requires voter approval at the next general election to become part of the Wyoming Constitution.
HB 185 requires Wyoming's Legislative Service Office to provide live video broadcasts of specific public legislative meetings, including committee sessions like the joint appropriations committee, and make recordings available on the legislature's website. This applies to meetings staffed by the Legislative Service Office but excludes executive sessions and situations where broadcasting isn't reasonably possible. The bill clarifies that video recordings won't replace official written minutes and won't delay meetings or invalidate actions if broadcasting fails. It takes effect July 1, 2025.
Wyoming's HB 230 creates a task force to study interstate highway traffic and authorizes up to $250 million from the state mineral trust fund to provide loans for highway construction projects. It requires annual $50 million transfers from the legislative stabilization reserve fund starting in 2026 to repay these loans, with interest rates set by the state treasurer. The bill specifically directs funding for adding passing lanes on segments of U.S. Highway 20 (between Casper and Thermopolis) and expanding U.S. Highway 287 near Laramie to four lanes. These provisions directly affect Wyoming's transportation infrastructure and the state's budget allocation for highway projects.
HB 330 raises the estate value threshold for simplified probate procedures in Wyoming from $200,000 to $750,000. This change directly affects Wyoming residents and nonresidents with estates valued under $750,000 (after liens), allowing them to use streamlined processes without full court administration. Key provisions include enabling heirs to file affidavits for asset collection and summary distribution, and simplifying probate for nonresident estates with property in Wyoming under the new limit. The bill also clarifies rules for disclaimers of property interests. It becomes effective July 1, 2025.
Wyoming's HB 99 amends trespass laws to clarify that people do not commit criminal trespass or game/fish trespass when accidentally touching or passing through private land while traveling between two adjacent parcels they're authorized to access - specifically when the parcels share a common corner or are immediately connected. The bill directly affects landowners and individuals traveling across private property for legitimate access to adjacent parcels (e.g., ranchers moving between properties). It creates a clear exception for incidental contact during this specific travel, removing ambiguity about whether such movement violates trespass laws. The change applies only to travel between authorized parcels and does not permit hunting, fishing, or other activities on private land without permission. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.
