HB 57 creates the "Hathaway private post secondary institution scholarship" to help Wyoming students attend private colleges or universities. It provides up to $500 per semester for tuition and fees at state-accredited private institutions offering certificates or degrees, with eligibility requiring a 3.5 high school GPA, standardized test scores at the 79th percentile, and meeting specific academic requirements. The program limits funding to 200 students total, covering up to eight full-time semesters per student, and requires the state education department to administer applications and verify eligibility through school transcripts. This scholarship directly affects qualifying Wyoming students seeking private post-secondary education, separate from public university funding.
Wyoming's HB 65 requires all public K-12 school districts to adopt new discipline policies that ban corporal punishment and mandate written notice to parents/guardians for student discipline actions. The bill establishes specific consequences like in-school suspension, exclusion from activities, or removal from classrooms (with teacher consent for return), while requiring schools to report discipline data and provide staff with professional development on behavior management. It also mandates that school employees report violent threats and ensures safety protocols for students and staff on school property. The policy directly affects all Wyoming public school staff, students, and parents/guardians through standardized discipline procedures and transparency requirements.
This bill creates transferable hunting licenses for Wyoming landowners who operate qualifying farming or ranching operations. To qualify, landowners must have agricultural land classified by their county assessor, earn at least $10,000 annually from selling agricultural products, and may use or transfer up to two licenses per hunting species yearly. Licenses can be transferred to any person eligible for standard hunting licenses under Wyoming law. The program expires on June 30, 2031, and requires the Game and Fish Commission to create implementing rules.
This bill revises Wyoming's Public Records Act to clarify and strengthen access to government documents. It requires government entities to acknowledge requests within 3 business days and release records within 30 calendar days (with possible 30-day extensions authorized by the ombudsman for valid reasons). The bill standardizes fees for copies, increases penalties for violations from $750 to $2,000, and allows attorney fees when enforcing compliance. It directly affects all state and local government entities handling public records and citizens making requests. The changes take effect July 1, 2026.
HB 73 establishes a new method for calculating property taxes on residential real estate in Wyoming, effective January 1, 2028. It sets a "base year value" for residential properties based on acquisition dates: properties bought before 2020 use their 2019 value, those acquired 2020-2027 use their purchase year value, and properties bought in 2028 or later presume the purchase price equals fair market value (unless challenged with evidence of unfair transactions). Annual adjustments will apply using a state index (capped at 2% or CPI) or for major renovations, with actual construction costs used where available. This directly affects all residential property owners subject to ad valorem taxation in Wyoming.
Wyoming's HB 7 requires the Department of Family Services to request a federal waiver by July 1, 2026, to exclude "accessory foods" (like chips, candy, soda, coffee, and desserts) from SNAP eligibility under federal rules. If approved, Wyoming would prohibit SNAP benefits from purchasing these items; if denied, the request must be repeated annually until granted. The bill directly affects SNAP recipients in Wyoming by potentially restricting their ability to use benefits for certain food items. It defines "accessory foods" in detail but does not change current SNAP rules until the waiver is approved. The bill takes effect immediately upon becoming law.
This Wyoming bill (SF 3) makes trespassing at commercial nuclear facilities a felony punishable by up to five years in prison or a $1,000 fine. It creates legal protections for security guards at these facilities, allowing them to use defensive force - including deadly force - to prevent specific crimes like burglary, radiological sabotage, or assaults within protected areas. Guards may also detain suspected violators for law enforcement. The law applies to licensed nuclear facilities (like power plants) and their security personnel, defining "protected areas" as zones within physical barriers posted as restricted. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.
HB 6 reduces the maximum weekly unemployment benefits for eligible claimants in Wyoming. It amends the benefit calculation to cap payments at 20 times a person's weekly benefit amount (down from 26 times) or 30% of their base-period wages, whichever is lower. The bill affects individuals filing unemployment claims on or after January 1, 2027, and renames the oversight body to the "unemployment reemployment insurance commission." It also allocates $18,000 for system updates through June 2027, with all provisions effective January 1, 2027, except the funding section, which takes effect immediately.
This Wyoming legislative resolution requests Congress prohibit unauthorized atmospheric geoengineering (such as weather modification using chemicals or solar radiation management) without state consent. It would ban the release of substances for weather control, unmarked aircraft conducting such activities over Wyoming, and classify violations as felonies with fines. The resolution explicitly excludes ground-based cloud seeding from these restrictions and urges federal action to protect Wyoming's airspace and public health. As a request to Congress, it does not create new state law.
This bill allows Wyoming's Game and Fish Commission to limit the number of hunting licenses issued to landowners in specific "limited quota hunt areas," ensuring at least 40% of licenses in those areas remain available for landowners. The remaining licenses (over 60%) would revert to the public for purchase, preserving public hunting opportunities. Landowners hunting on their own property would pay the same fees as standard licenses for the species they hunt. The bill directly affects Wyoming landowners seeking hunting access on their land and the public purchasing licenses in designated areas. It takes effect July 1, 2026.
HB 21 directs that 10% of monthly online sports wagering revenue be paid to the state commission. The first $300,000 of this revenue annually funds county health programs addressing gambling addiction, while half of the remaining funds go to Wyoming's outdoor recreation and tourism trust fund and the other half to the state general fund. The bill affects sports wagering operators (who pay the fee) and directly provides funding for public health services and outdoor recreation infrastructure. It takes effect on July 1, 2026.
Wyoming's HB 20 establishes a permit system for nonmotorized recreational trail use (like bicycles) in state parks and historic sites. It allows the Department of State Parks to require permits with annual fees up to $10 for residents and $20 for nonresidents, or daily fees up to $5. Fees collected fund trail maintenance, signage, safety programs, and related infrastructure within state parks. Minors under 18 are exempt from the permit requirement. The bill creates a dedicated account for these funds, ensuring they supplement existing park funding for trail-related purposes.
