This Wyoming bill (SF 84) requires the state superintendent of public instruction to develop model definitions for "unexcused absence," "habitual truant," and "willful absenteeism" for public schools. School districts are not required to adopt these model rules but must define these terms themselves under existing law. The bill specifies that absences due to illness, family health issues, mental health needs, or approved activities (like the state fair) should not count as unexcused. The superintendent must complete the model rules and report them to the education committee by July 1, 2023. The bill directly affects public school districts and their student attendance policies across Wyoming.
Wyoming's SF 40 exempts federal political action committees (PACs) from filing state campaign contribution and spending reports if their activities are exclusively for federal candidates or issues and they already comply with federal election reporting rules. This directly affects federal PACs operating solely at the federal level, removing a state-level reporting requirement they would otherwise face. The bill amends Wyoming law to clarify that such committees are not required to submit duplicate reports to the state when federal law governs their activity. The change takes effect July 1, 2023.
HB 239 repeals Wyoming's requirement that drivers stop a vehicle's engine, lock the ignition, remove the key, and set the brake before leaving a vehicle unattended. This change directly affects drivers in Wyoming who previously could have faced penalties for not following these specific parking procedures. The bill removes these legal requirements, meaning drivers are no longer prohibited from leaving a vehicle running unattended under this statute. The law takes effect immediately upon becoming law, as specified in Section 2.
HB 18 requires Wyoming's Office of Homeland Security and Highway Patrol to coordinate with local, tribal, and federal law enforcement to integrate missing person alert systems into existing emergency networks. It specifically defines "adult at risk" as an adult with developmental disabilities, Alzheimer's/dementia, or cognitive impairments that could prevent them from reaching safety without assistance. The law mandates the Highway Patrol to report annually on alert system usage, including details about missing persons and system effectiveness. This affects law enforcement agencies and vulnerable individuals, ensuring alert systems better address cases outside standard emergency protocols.
HB 13 is a technical correction bill that updates legal references throughout Wyoming law. It changes all instances of "guardian ad litem program" to "office of guardian ad litem" in statutes related to child welfare cases. The bill does not alter any policy, funding mechanisms, or responsibilities - existing rules about who pays guardian ad litem fees (county, agencies, or parents) remain unchanged. It directly affects how the state's legal system references this office in court proceedings but does not create new obligations or impact service delivery. This is purely a terminology update to align statutory language with current administrative structure.
This bill amends Wyoming law to extend the deadline for filling vacancies in chancery court judgeships from January 1, 2024, to January 1, 2025. It modifies the existing requirement in W.S. 5-13-109(b) to delay the effective date of filling these vacancies by one year. The change is procedural, affecting only the timeline for filling judicial positions in Wyoming's chancery courts, with no new eligibility rules or direct impacts on specific groups. The bill became effective July 1, 2023.
HB 142 requires cities and towns in Wyoming to send certified mail notices to specific property owners at least 20 business days before an annexation hearing. It mandates that notices be sent to all landowners in the proposed annexation area, affected public utilities, and adjacent property owners within 550 feet (regardless of whether the adjacent property is inside or outside city limits). The bill also requires including a summary of the annexation report with the notice. This change applies to all annexation proceedings and took effect July 1, 2023.
Wyoming's SF 25 requires all elected or appointed district attorneys and county prosecutors to maintain active membership in the Wyoming State Bar throughout their entire term of office. This applies to current and future officials whose terms begin after July 1, 2023, extending the existing requirement that they be licensed bar members at the time of election. The bill amends statutes to remove any gap in the requirement, ensuring prosecutors remain in good standing with the bar for the full duration of their service. This change directly affects all 23 Wyoming judicial districts' prosecuting attorneys, mandating ongoing compliance with bar membership rules.
HB 15 clarifies that county commissioners cannot dissolve archaeological, geological, and historical museum boards under general authority to dissolve county-created boards. The bill amends Wyoming law (W.S. 18-3-525) to explicitly exclude these specific museum boards from the dissolution authority previously applied to other county boards. This change directly affects county commissioners and the boards of those three types of museums by preventing unilateral dissolution without separate legal authority. The bill takes effect immediately upon becoming law, as specified in its text.
SF 7 amends Wyoming's definition of "opiate antagonist" to explicitly include naloxone hydrochloride (marketed as Narcan) and other FDA-approved medications for treating opioid overdoses. This clarifies which substances qualify under the existing Emergency Administration of Opiate Antagonist Act, ensuring consistency for first responders and healthcare providers. The change takes effect July 1, 2023, and does not create new requirements or funding. The bill solely updates terminology in current law without altering enforcement or access provisions.
HB 20 requires Wyoming's Board of Land Commissioners to provide notice and a public comment period before exchanging state lands, directly affecting leaseholders, adjacent landowners, county officials, and state legislators in the affected area. It directs the board to prioritize exchanges that keep state lands within the same county, improve public access to state lands, consolidate contiguous state land parcels, and gain support from affected stakeholders. The bill also permits a cash payment of up to 25% of the land value (from the permanent land fund) to balance exchanges and prohibits using eminent domain for land purchases under this process.
This bill repeals Wyoming's legal provisions that allowed landowners to sue for trespass or pursue criminal charges against individuals collecting resource data (like geological surveys) on adjacent or nearby land. It removes both the civil liability for damages and the criminal penalties previously tied to this activity. The repeal eliminates a specific legal remedy for landowners who claimed unauthorized data collection occurred on their property. This change took effect July 1, 2023.
