This Wyoming bill (SF 40) changes the zoning protest process for cities and towns. It requires property owners to demonstrate specific harm and gather support from either 50% of owners within 500 feet of the proposed change or 50% of owners covering the affected area - raising the threshold from the previous 20% requirement. The change applies only to protests filed on or after July 1, 2025, and prevents zoning changes from taking effect without a 3/4 majority vote of the governing body. This directly affects property owners seeking to block local zoning modifications.
This bill establishes a uniform 9.5% property tax rate for all residential real property in Wyoming, including owner-occupied primary residences, single-family homes, condos, mobile homes, and related land (up to 35 acres). It defines "owner occupied primary residence" as property where the owner lives at least six months annually and clarifies "residential real property" to include dwellings for up to four families. The change applies to all residential property classes, replacing prior differentiated rates, and takes effect for tax year 2025. It directly affects Wyoming homeowners and property assessors by standardizing the tax calculation method.
Wyoming's HB 154 clarifies that voting more than once in the same federal election - including voting in another state and then voting in Wyoming - is considered illegal "false voting." It directly affects voters who attempt to cast multiple ballots across states for the same election and election officials responsible for enforcement. The bill adds specific language to the false voting statute and authorizes the Secretary of State to request investigations into such cases, requiring county sheriffs to investigate when requested and refer cases to prosecutors if warranted. The law takes effect on July 1, 2025.
This is a symbolic joint resolution (HJ 3), not a binding law. It formally recognizes Wyoming's constitutional obligation to provide equal access to free public education for all students, including those in rural areas, and acknowledges the importance of small rural schools serving 102 students across 12 districts. The resolution makes no new funding or policy changes; it simply states the legislature's position and directs the Secretary of State to share it with the Department of Education for distribution to school districts. It does not require any action from schools or the state government.
HB 259 allocates $29.8 million in supplemental funding for 15 specific K-12 school projects across Wyoming school districts (like Sublette High School and Sheridan Elementary) to address facility needs during the 2024-2026 fiscal biennium. It also provides $1.8 million for unanticipated project costs and reappropriates $13.4 million from prior unspent funds to cover inflationary costs on existing projects without altering their original scope. Funds must be spent according to a schedule set by the school facilities commission, with monthly progress reports required for transparency. Any unspent funds after project completion revert to the public school foundation account, ensuring accountability for taxpayer dollars.
HB 83 creates a legal presumption that parents required to register as sex offenders (under Wyoming law) cannot have unsupervised visitation with children. It also requires courts to specifically consider any parent's sex-related conviction when determining child custody in divorce cases. The bill amends Wyoming statutes to add this factor to custody decisions and establishes the visitation presumption, effective July 1, 2025. This directly affects parents with sex offense convictions and family courts handling custody disputes.
This Wyoming bill prohibits foreign nationals from controlling or influencing groups collecting signatures for statewide ballot initiatives or referendums. It requires these groups to certify they receive no foreign funding, verify donors aren't foreign nationals, and maintain financial records for five years. Violations trigger civil penalties of up to twice the prohibited amount, with enforcement by the Secretary of State. The law directly affects organizations seeking to place statewide votes on the ballot.
SF 100 allows children under 16 who are victims of incest, sexual assault, human trafficking, or certain violent crimes to testify remotely in court to reduce emotional distress. The court must hold a hearing and find that in-person testimony would cause more than minimal distress before permitting remote testimony, which uses closed-circuit technology to let the child testify separately from the defendant and jury. The bill also requires courts to provide accommodations like breaks, a supportive adult present (not a witness), or a therapeutic dog to help the child feel comfortable during testimony. It ensures defendants maintain real-time communication with their attorney during the child’s testimony and may exclude the jury from the child’s testimony room if needed. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.
The Wyoming Religious Freedom Restoration Act (HB 207) protects individuals and religious organizations from government actions that interfere with their religious practices, unless the government proves it has a compelling reason and uses the least restrictive approach possible. It defines government interference as denying benefits, imposing penalties, excluding from programs, or blocking access to facilities, and requires strict justification for such actions. People affected by these government actions can challenge them in court to seek remedies like injunctions, compensation, or other relief. The law applies to all state and local laws, rules, and policies, effective July 1, 2025.
HB 192 requires Wyoming electric utilities (excluding city or town-owned systems) to create and submit detailed wildfire mitigation plans to the Public Service Commission. These plans must cover risk areas, infrastructure inspections, vegetation management, facility upgrades, de-energization procedures, community outreach, and cost estimates for regulated utilities. The Commission must review and approve plans within 120 days, and utilities must update plans every five years with annual compliance reports. The bill also allows regulated utilities to seek cost recovery for approved mitigation measures, though plan approval does not automatically grant this right.
Wyoming's SF 74 provides legal immunity from prosecution for two specific drug offenses - possession (W.S. 35-7-1031(c)) and use (W.S. 35-7-1039) - when a person reports or seeks medical help for a suspected overdose. To qualify, individuals must stay at the scene until help arrives, provide location details, cooperate with responders, and reasonably believe a drug overdose is occurring. The immunity applies only to the overdose event itself and limits eligibility to two incidents per person annually. This bill directly affects people experiencing overdoses and those reporting emergencies, aiming to encourage life-saving medical assistance without fear of criminal charges for minor drug offenses.
HB 94 removes a limit on the number of charter schools the Wyoming Charter School Authorizing Board can approve, effective March 15, 2025. Previously, the board could authorize no more than three (later amended to four) charter schools operated by entities other than school districts before July 1, 2026. The bill eliminates this cap, allowing the board to authorize any number of charter schools meeting statutory requirements. It directly affects the authorizing board and organizations seeking to establish new charter schools outside school district management.
