HB 280 amends Wyoming's anti-discrimination law to establish specific criminal penalties for intentionally causing bodily injury or property damage based on a person's race, color, sex, creed, or national origin. It classifies offenses as misdemeanors (up to 6 months in jail and $750 fine) for lesser harm like minor bodily injury or property damage under $1,000, or felonies (up to 10 years in prison and $10,000 fine) for serious injury or property damage of $1,000 or more. The law directly affects individuals who commit hate-motivated violence or vandalism and applies to anyone acting with the intent to intimidate or harass a victim due to their protected class. It becomes effective immediately upon enactment.
HB 234, the "Medical Ethics Defense Act," allows health care providers (like doctors and nurses), institutions (such as hospitals), and payers (like insurance companies) to refuse to provide or pay for specific health care services based on their ethical, moral, or religious beliefs. It prohibits discrimination against these entities for such refusals and requires institutions to adopt internal policies enabling conscience-based objections. Key provisions include requiring written consent before a provider can be assigned to perform an abortion and ensuring religious organizations can align employment or admission decisions with their beliefs. The law does not override existing obligations for emergency care or other essential services.
HB 129 establishes a Wyoming Private Employees' Retirement Savings Task Force to study creating a retirement savings plan for private-sector workers (not government employees). The task force will examine key features like payroll deduction contributions, automatic enrollment with opt-out options, and how employers could offer the plan without mandatory employer contributions. It must analyze feasibility, legal compliance (including ERISA and IRS rules), employer costs, and potential implementation steps, including possible tax incentives. The task force is required to submit recommendations by September 2024, but the bill itself does not create the retirement plan - it only authorizes the study.
HB 107 would change Wyoming's attorney general from an appointed position to an elected statewide office, starting with the 2026 general election. Currently appointed by the governor, the attorney general would then be elected for a four-year term with requirements including at least four years of legal practice experience and state residency. The bill updates election procedures to include the attorney general on ballots alongside other statewide elected officials like governor and secretary of state, and subjects the office to the same ethics and disclosure laws as other elected state positions.
HB 249 allows Wyoming county treasurers to issue temporary 30-day registration certificates and electronic payment proof when vehicle owners pay registration fees online. This directly affects drivers who pay online, providing immediate proof of valid registration while awaiting official license plates and stickers. The bill amends state law to confirm county treasurers' authority to provide this temporary verification. It does not change registration fees or requirements, only streamlining the process for online payments. The change became effective July 1, 2023.
HB 110 designates June 19 as Juneteenth, a state holiday in Wyoming, to be observed annually on that date. It requires all state agencies, including the University of Wyoming, to update their holiday policies and personnel rules to recognize Juneteenth as a paid day off for employees. The bill repeals prior Juneteenth holiday provisions and takes effect immediately upon enactment.
HB 66 prohibits businesses and organizations from refusing service, goods, or facilities to the public based on a person's vaccination status, use of face coverings (masks), or medical testing results related to infectious diseases like COVID-19. It also bans advertisements or communications requiring masks, vaccines, or testing as a condition for public services. Violations are punishable by a misdemeanor fine of up to $5,000 or one year in jail. The law applies to all public-facing businesses and services, such as restaurants, stores, and venues. It repeals prior immunization requirement laws and takes effect immediately.
This Wyoming bill (SF 183) amends the state's strangulation law to explicitly include intentionally blocking a household member's nose or mouth as a criminal act. It directly affects domestic violence victims and perpetrators by expanding the definition of "strangulation" to cover this specific choking behavior. The key change adds "blocking covering the nose, and mouth or both" to the list of actions that constitute the crime under W.S. 6-2-509. The law defines "household member" using existing statutes (W.S. 35-21-102) and takes effect July 1, 2023. This is a policy change clarifying criminal conduct in domestic violence cases, not a procedural or commemorative measure.
Wyoming's SF 179, the "Anti-Red Flag Gun Seizure Act," prohibits state and local governments from enforcing any law or order that allows firearm confiscation without a criminal conviction. It directly affects Wyoming residents by blocking the state from implementing "red flag" gun seizure orders, which typically require surrendering firearms based on alleged threats before a court conviction. The bill bans using state funds or personnel to enforce such orders and preempts conflicting local laws. Violations could trigger civil lawsuits for damages, with courts authorized to impose penalties up to $50,000 per violation. The law aims to prevent gun seizures that bypass due process, as defined by the bill.
This Wyoming bill (SF 180) amends trespass laws to create an exception for incidental contact when moving between adjacent land parcels. It directly affects landowners and individuals authorized to access two connected parcels of land that share a common corner. The key provision states that a person does not commit criminal trespass or game/fish trespass if they accidentally touch or pass through another person's land while traveling between two parcels they are permitted to access. This change applies to both general trespass and hunting/fishing trespass laws, effective July 1, 2023.
This bill creates a Wyoming Firearms Research Center Oversight Commission to guide the University of Wyoming's firearms research center. The commission, consisting of eight members (including a legislative representative and seven appointed stakeholders like hunting groups, firearms industry workers, law enforcement, and county attorneys), must review the center's mission, facilitate stakeholder agreements, and recommend funding. It allocates $2,500 for the legislative member's travel/salary and $17,500 for nonlegislative members' expenses, both expiring June 2024. The bill directly affects the University of Wyoming center and Wyoming's firearms industry, sportsmen, and law enforcement stakeholders by establishing formal oversight for the center's work.
This Wyoming bill (SF 44) expands how school districts can use major maintenance funds for K-12 buildings. It allows spending on repairs or upgrades that improve a school's functionality to deliver required educational programs, including reconfiguring spaces. The law modifies the definition of "major maintenance" to explicitly cover these improvements, rather than restricting funds to only emergency repairs. The changes take effect July 1, 2023, directly affecting Wyoming public school districts managing facility funding.
