HB 36 amends Wyoming's Hathaway scholarship program to clarify that "certificate" includes trade programs (like welder or commercial driver training). It requires students receiving the scholarship after July 1, 2025, to either work in Wyoming for one year or attend graduate school at the University of Wyoming for one year for every four academic semesters of scholarship funding. The bill also mandates the Wyoming Department of Education to adopt implementing rules by July 2025. This directly affects new scholarship recipients pursuing certificates or degrees at eligible Wyoming institutions. The changes take effect July 1, 2025, for new awards.
HB 64 requires healthcare providers to offer an ultrasound to women seeking a chemical abortion (using drugs) at least 48 hours before dispensing the medication. The ultrasound must show the fetus and, if audible, the heartbeat, and providers must document details like the date, physician, and fetal age. Before providing the abortion drugs, the physician or pharmacist must verify the ultrasound occurred. The law excludes exceptions for life-saving care, ectopic pregnancy, or medical treatments where the fetus may be harmed, and penalties for non-compliance apply only to providers (not patients). This directly affects women seeking medication abortions and the healthcare facilities providing them in Wyoming.
HB 121, the "Hospital Price Transparency Act," requires Wyoming hospitals to publicly list detailed pricing for all services and items they provide. Specifically, hospitals must display a machine-readable online list showing standard charges - including gross charges, negotiated rates with insurers, and discounted cash prices - for every service, plus a simplified consumer-friendly list for common "shoppable" services like routine procedures. This applies to all licensed Wyoming hospitals and must be posted on their websites free of charge, without requiring login or personal information. The law also prohibits debt collection actions against patients from facilities that fail to comply and directs the Department of Health to monitor enforcement.
HB 183 amends Wyoming's net metering rules by setting a 25-kilowatt maximum per meter for residential systems and 200 kilowatts per meter for nonresidential systems. It allows customer-generators to combine multiple meters on their property under specific conditions, such as being physically located on the same premises, using the same electricity rate, and served by the same power line. Electric utilities must report annually by July 1 on the total installed capacity and peak demand of net metering systems, with additional reporting to a legislative committee when systems reach 5% of an utility's peak demand. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2025.
HB 144 clarifies the membership requirements for Wyoming county canvassing boards that certify election results. It specifies that boards must include the county clerk plus two voters from different political parties, appointed by the county clerk if major party committees fail to select members. The bill updates election code sections to require this bipartisan composition, sets compensation equal to election judges, and mandates that canvassing for special district elections be completed within seven business days. This affects county clerks, election boards, and voters in all counties conducting elections.
SF 132 prohibits operating drones over critical infrastructure (including power plants, water facilities, hospitals, prisons, and military sites) for intentional photography, loitering, or criminal activity. Exceptions allow federal-authorized drone use, government operations, infrastructure owners, model aircraft in parks, and emergency services like police or disaster response teams. Violations face misdemeanor penalties ($2,500 fine or 6 months jail) for first offenses, escalating to felony charges ($5,000 fine or 2 years jail) for repeat violations. Law enforcement may disable violating drones, and the Wyoming National Guard can assist with enforcement, effective July 1, 2025.
SF 158 regulates dental insurance networks in Wyoming by requiring dental carriers (insurance companies offering dental plans) to allow third-party processors access to network contracts under specific conditions. It mandates that dental carriers must provide written notice to providers 30 days before adding new third parties, maintain updated website lists of all third parties, and require third parties to identify discount sources in payment remittances. The bill also defines "virtual credit card payments" as single-use electronic payments for dental services, replacing physical cards. These changes directly affect dental providers, insurance carriers, and third-party payment processors by standardizing access to network pricing and payment methods.
Wyoming's SF 97 revises the state's uniform trust code to clarify key rules for trust management. It defines "qualified trustee" to include regulated financial institutions while restricting non-residents or unlicensed individuals from serving in this role. The bill removes time limits (perpetuities) for noncharitable purpose trusts, allows trustees to reimburse trust owners for tax costs attributable to the trust, and specifies who must receive court notice for trust-related cases. These changes apply to all trusts governed by Wyoming law created or subject to the code on or after July 1, 2025.
This bill provides a property tax exemption for surviving parents of veterans who died while serving honorably in a war, conflict, or specified period (a "gold star veteran"), if there is no surviving spouse. To qualify, surviving parents must be Wyoming residents for at least three years and file a sworn claim with their county assessor by the fourth Monday in May, covering property they own or hold in a trust for their benefit. Divorced parents living separately may each claim the exemption in their respective counties. The Department of Revenue must create implementing rules, and the exemption takes effect July 1, 2025.
SF 52 amends Wyoming's insurance code to update requirements for insurers operating in the state. It expands the definition of "insurance transaction," requires insurers to update contact information with the insurance commissioner within 30 days of any change, and clarifies rules for reporting administrative actions. The bill repeals outdated requirements, including the need to deliver certificates of authority to the commissioner upon expiration and specific disclosure rules about disability insurance coverage of wellness benefits. These changes apply directly to all insurers holding licenses in Wyoming. The bill is currently in committee with a recommendation to pass.
Wyoming's SF 50 amends insurance holding company regulations to restrict how insurers and others can publicly discuss key financial metrics. It prohibits using group capital calculations, liquidity stress test results, or related information to rank insurers or make misleading statements about them. The bill also creates new definitions for terms like "group capital ratio" and clarifies that certain small financial transactions (under 0.5% of assets) don't require disclosure. This directly affects insurance companies and holding groups that must file these calculations with regulators. The law aims to prevent public confusion while allowing insurers to rebut false statements about their financial data.
HB 79 requires local governments in Wyoming to meet two conditions for bond elections held on days other than general elections: (1) a majority of voters must support the bond, and (2) at least 50% plus one of the qualified voters who participated in the previous general election must cast ballots. This directly affects cities, school districts, and other political subdivisions seeking to issue bonds for projects like infrastructure or facilities. The bill does not change rules for bond elections held on general election days, and applies only to elections starting July 1, 2025. It aims to ensure broader voter participation for non-general election bond measures.
