HB 67 allocates $150 million in unspent federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to expand broadband internet access in Wyoming. It directs the state's Connect Wyoming program to fund terrestrial broadband projects exclusively in underserved areas (lacking 100 Mbps download/20 Mbps upload service) or unserved areas (lacking even basic 25/3 Mbps service), with projects required to deliver at least 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload speeds upon completion. The bill mandates that funds be used only as matching funds for federal grants under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, prohibits spending after December 31, 2024 (or later federal deadlines), and requires the Governor and Wyoming Business Council to establish rules for implementation. This directly affects rural Wyoming residents lacking reliable high-speed internet and state agencies managing broadband infrastructure development.
HB 145 allows hunters and anglers in Wyoming to voluntarily add a $2 or more donation when buying hunting or fishing licenses to support public schools. The bill amends license fee statutes to provide this option on application forms, with funds deposited into the state's common school account within the permanent land fund. It does not require any fee increase but gives license purchasers a choice to contribute directly to school funding. The provision applies to all license buyers (including nonresidents) purchasing licenses through the state's game and fish department. The bill was scheduled to take effect July 1, 2022, but was introduced in February 2022 without further action noted.
HB 121 prohibits requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination status (a "vaccine passport") for access to health insurance, public services, businesses, or educational opportunities in Wyoming. It bans health insurers from using vaccination status to deny coverage, increase premiums, or limit benefits, and prohibits businesses from refusing service or asking about vaccination status for public accommodations. The bill defines "COVID-19 immunity passport" as any document or digital record showing vaccination or recovery, and makes it illegal to deny services based on this status. Violations could result in civil lawsuits or misdemeanor penalties, but the bill does not ban vaccines or require vaccination.
HB 68 allocates $7 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to the Wyoming Business Council for broadband projects and $2 million to the Department of Health for telehealth grants. It directs the council to provide grants to local governments (cities, towns, counties) to establish public wireless internet access points in underserved areas, prioritizing projects serving unserved households or economically disadvantaged communities. The health department program funds healthcare providers to purchase telehealth equipment, provide related education, and obtain technical support. The bill specifies that grants cannot exceed $20,000 per local entity for broadband projects and are limited to one grant per healthcare provider for telehealth. All funding must be used within federal guidelines for these specific purposes.
HB 118 prohibits businesses, schools, and other public accommodations from denying services or access based on whether someone wears a face covering for COVID-19 prevention. It bans refusing service to customers or posting advertisements requiring masks as a condition for receiving goods, services, or educational access. Violations carry misdemeanor penalties of up to six months in jail or a $750 fine. The law applies to all public accommodations, including schools and colleges, and took effect July 1, 2022.
HB 66, the Working Animal Protection Act, prohibits Wyoming cities, towns, and counties from creating or enforcing local ordinances that ban or restrict the use of "working animals" in lawful commerce or animal enterprises. It directly affects local governments and businesses using animals for work (such as ranching, transportation, or tourism), while exempting zoning laws and public health/safety regulations. The bill defines "working animals" broadly to include animals used for specific duties (e.g., service, agriculture, or tourism), but explicitly excludes food/fiber animals like cattle, sheep, or poultry. It became effective July 1, 2022, and overrides conflicting local policies enacted before that date.
This joint resolution proposes removing a constitutional requirement that bills other than the budget need a two-thirds vote to be introduced during Wyoming's budget sessions. Currently, such non-budget bills cannot be considered without this supermajority vote. The amendment would eliminate this rule and remove outdated language about introducing reapportionment bills during budget sessions. If approved by voters, it would change how the legislature operates during budget sessions by allowing standard introduction procedures for all bills.
This bill designates Wyoming State Highway 258 as the "President Donald J. Trump Highway" and requires the state Department of Transportation to install signage identifying the route. The signage must be installed with consultation from the city of Casper, and the department may accept donations to cover costs (reducing the state appropriation by the donation amount). The bill appropriates $2,800 from the general fund for signage installation, with unspent funds reverting by June 30, 2024. It affects state highway naming procedures and signage costs, directly impacting the Department of Transportation and local officials in Casper.
HB 61 requires the University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources to conduct a feasibility study on using carbon dioxide (CO₂) captured from power plants in public works projects. The study must examine potential costs, benefits, project types (like highways and state buildings), CO₂ capture capacity in Wyoming, infrastructure needs, and impacts on other industries, with a December 1, 2022 deadline. The bill appropriates $300,000 from the general fund to fund the study and consultant services, explicitly prohibiting use for university overhead costs. It does not mandate CO₂ use in projects but aims to determine if such a requirement would be feasible before any policy changes. The report will inform future legislative decisions on this potential policy.
HB 25 exempts certain lodging services provided by licensed guides and outfitters from Wyoming's sales tax. Specifically, it removes the tax on temporary accommodations like tents, snow shelters, base camps, and other temporary shelters used by these licensed businesses. The exemption applies to services distributed through existing tax codes (W.S. 39-15-211(a)(ii)) and covers all forms of temporary lodging they provide. This change directly affects Wyoming-based guide and outfitter businesses operating under W.S. 23-2-407. The bill took effect July 1, 2022.
This bill (HB 112) limits how Wyoming cities and towns can collect past-due payments for trash, recycling, water, or sewer services. It states that municipalities may only recover such payments if a property owner has a specific written contract for that service. The law does not change existing contracts signed before the bill's effective date (July 1, 2022). It directly affects property owners who use municipal services and the cities/towns providing those services.
HB 155 prohibits the State of Wyoming and its agencies from sharing information collected by automated traffic enforcement systems (like red light or speed cameras) with other states or entities to impose or collect traffic fines. It defines such systems as devices capturing violations without an officer present, including cameras that send violation notices to vehicle owners. The law bans sharing this data for fines under existing or new interstate agreements after July 1, 2022. This bill directly affects Wyoming's ability to collaborate with other jurisdictions on traffic enforcement data sharing.
