HB 249 requires runoff elections for Wyoming's governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, state auditor, state superintendent of public instruction, and federal offices when no primary candidate receives over 50% of the vote. If a runoff is needed, the top two candidates from the primary advance to a runoff held on the first Tuesday after the second Monday in August, with ballot rules specifying how voters mark choices for candidates or write-ins. The bill creates a runoff election account funded by the state to cover costs, including reimbursement to counties for runoff administration. It directly affects voters and candidates in primary elections for these specific statewide and federal offices by changing nomination procedures when no majority is achieved.
HB 331 restricts how people can hunt or kill wildlife on public lands in Wyoming. It prohibits using vehicles (like cars or snowmobiles) to hunt, shoot, or kill any wildlife except predatory animals (such as coyotes or wolves) on public lands. On private lands, the bill allows vehicle use to hunt predatory animals only. The law also bans harassing, injuring, or killing wildlife with vehicles on public lands and requires the Game and Fish Commission to create implementing rules. It does not affect government agency operations or handicapped hunters under specific exemptions.
Wyoming's HB 305 allows counties to impose an optional tax on solar electricity production. The tax, capped at $5 per megawatt-hour or 5% of annual gross earnings (whichever is higher), applies to solar electricity sold or traded, but exempts government-owned facilities and personal use. Counties collect the tax from producers and distribute all revenue to their general fund, with 50% shared if production occurs within city boundaries. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, though it died in committee in March 2025.
HB 310 allows owners of commercial trailers (defined as part of a commercial vehicle under Wyoming law) to permanently register their trailers for a one-time $350 fee instead of paying annual registration fees. This applies to trailers qualifying as commercial vehicles under existing statutes, directly affecting commercial trailer owners and operators. The bill creates a permanent registration option with fee exemptions for these trailers, while directing 50% of the $350 fee to county treasurers and 50% to the highway fund. It amends several statutes to establish this process and clarifies that permanent registration does not transfer to new owners upon sale.
HB 327 would change who appoints Wyoming's attorney general, shifting authority from the governor to a majority of the state loan and investment board (an elected body). The bill requires this board's approval for the attorney general to settle lawsuits or take certain legal actions on behalf of the state. It also specifies that vacancies would be filled by the board, not the governor. This bill focuses solely on the appointment process and oversight structure, not the attorney general's duties or legal authority. The bill died in committee in March 2025.
HB 291 would require Wyoming to maintain a "Restricted Financial Institution List" of banks that boycott energy companies without a valid business reason. It defines a boycott as refusing to do business with fossil fuel-related entities (including exploration, production, or transportation) unless the bank can demonstrate a legitimate financial, legal, or risk-mitigation purpose. The state treasurer and auditor would be barred from entering into banking contracts with institutions listed on this public register, after the Secretary of State provides 45 days' notice and a 30-day correction period. The list would be updated annually and published online, with clear disclaimers that inclusion does not indicate financial instability or consumer risk.
HB 285 requires pesticide manufacturers and sellers in Wyoming to use warning labels approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under federal law to meet their legal duty to warn consumers about risks. This creates a legal presumption that warnings are sufficient if based on EPA-approved labels and federal registration, shifting the burden to challenge this if scientific evidence shows the warning wasn't supported by peer-reviewed research. To rebut the presumption, challengers must provide academically peer-reviewed, published evidence demonstrating the warning lacked scientific support at the time of sale. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, directly affecting pesticide manufacturers, sellers, and consumers relying on label warnings.
Wyoming's HB 313 modifies how counties can lower speed limits on non-interstate highways and local streets. It requires county commissioners to submit proposed speed limit decreases to the Transportation Commission within 60 days, giving the Commission 60 days to override the proposal with a majority vote. The bill applies to state highways and county roads (excluding interstates) and takes effect July 1, 2025. This change streamlines the approval process by centralizing authority with the Transportation Commission for speed limit adjustments.
HB 300 imposes a 3.5% tax on electricity producers in Wyoming, effective January 1, 2026, based on their annual gross energy earnings from electricity generated within the state. It directly affects utility companies and power generators, while exempting electricity produced by the federal or state government and small personal use (under 500 kWh daily). Producers must report annual revenue by February 1 and pay the tax by the same deadline, with penalties of 5% per 30 days for late filing. The tax revenue will be collected by the Wyoming Department of Revenue and distributed per the bill’s provisions.
This bill (SF 19) allows Wyoming's Industrial Siting Council to increase impact assistance payments to counties affected by industrial projects beyond current maximum percentages (2.25%, 2%, or 1.5% of project costs) if they document that existing rates are insufficient to cover identified impacts. The council must specify in its order why higher payments are needed and submit a report to legislative committees within 10 business days of approving an increase. These payments, distributed to counties and local governments, directly affect communities near new industrial facilities (like oil, gas, or manufacturing projects) with estimated construction costs over $350 million. The key mechanism sets a new 2.76% cap for projects under $850 million, requiring the council to justify increases using evidence of unmitigated impacts.
SF 89 repeals Wyoming's bed expansion limitations for hospitals and nursing care facilities, removing the requirement for state approval before adding beds. It modifies health facility regulations so the Department of Health can only review plans for health and life safety compliance, not bed count increases. The bill requires the Department of Health to report to the legislature by September 2029 on how the change affects facility construction and operations. This law takes effect July 1, 2025. (Bill SF 89, Certificate of Need Repeal-2)
Wyoming's SJ 5 is a state resolution requesting Congress to call a constitutional convention to propose term limits for U.S. Congress members. It seeks to limit representatives to a set number of terms in both the House and Senate, following Wyoming's joining of 21 other states that previously passed similar state-level term limit laws (overturned by the Supreme Court). The resolution specifies that any convention would be limited to this single topic, operate on a one-state-one-vote basis, and exclude changes to the Bill of Rights. As a procedural state application under Article V of the Constitution, it does not impose term limits itself but aims to initiate the constitutional amendment process.
