HB 8, titled "Scratch tickets-outdoor recreation funding," proposes to dedicate 75% of net proceeds from Wyoming's scratch-off lottery tickets to fund outdoor recreation. It creates a new "outdoor recreation office funding account" managed by the state treasurer, requiring annual transfers from lottery proceeds to support recreation areas and facilities. The bill specifies that funds must be used solely for outdoor recreation as defined by the Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources, with no other uses permitted. This policy change would directly affect state budget allocations for recreation infrastructure, beginning January 1, 2023, if enacted.
HB 28 amends Wyoming's Hathaway scholarship program to adjust eligibility timelines and scholarship calculations. It extends the window for students to apply from six to twenty years after high school graduation (with exceptions for military or religious service), changes how "unmet financial need" is calculated, and modifies scholarship amounts based on academic performance tiers (opportunity, performance, honor). The bill directly affects Wyoming students pursuing degrees or certificates at eligible institutions who meet GPA and standardized test score requirements. Key changes include new definitions for "remaining scholarship amount" and "total scholarship amount," allowing summer enrollment without counting toward the maximum term limit. The bill failed introduction in the 2022 legislative session.
HB 93 creates Wyoming's film production incentives program, administered by the Wyoming Tourism Board, to support economic development by attracting film and digital entertainment productions to the state. The program offers monetary rebates of up to 30% on qualified local expenditures for productions filmed in Wyoming, including costs for sets, food, lodging, equipment, and below-the-line salaries for Wyoming residents. To qualify, productions must meet specific criteria like maintaining accurate records, including branded Wyoming recognition, and hiring Wyoming residents. The bill defines "qualified productions" as those meeting tiered criteria (e.g., feature films, documentaries) and limits rebates to available funding. This directly affects film producers filming in Wyoming who meet the program's spending and residency requirements.
SF 5 authorizes Wyoming's Department of State Parks to purchase land and buildings for a state trails program field office, directly affecting the department’s operations for managing snowmobile and off-road vehicle trails. The bill specifies that funding for the building’s operation, maintenance, and leasing comes from existing snowmobile and off-road vehicle trails accounts, with rental income deposited back into those accounts. It also allows the department to lease portions of the building to third parties and sell the property if needed, with proceeds returning to the same trail accounts. This is an administrative measure focused on managing office space, not creating new trail policies or funding.
HB 1002 prohibits Wyoming public entities from enforcing federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates for employers with 100+ employees or healthcare providers in Medicare/Medicaid programs. It creates a new state law (W.S. 9-14-103) making it a misdemeanor (up to 6 months jail or $750 fine) for public entities to comply with such federal rules until federal court challenges are resolved. The bill authorizes Wyoming’s attorney general to sue federal agencies over these mandates and appropriates $1 million for legal action. It directly affects Wyoming state agencies, local governments, and employers subject to federal vaccine requirements.
This bill corrects a drafting error in a 2021 law that accidentally repealed Wyoming’s entire 2020 gaming commission law instead of just one section. It specifically amends the 2021 law to clarify that only Section 1 of the 2020 law was intended to be repealed. The bill also retroactively ensures Wyoming Gaming Commission law enforcement officers are covered under the state retirement system from April 5, 2021, including all contributions made during that period. It directly affects Gaming Commission personnel by fixing the legal error and securing their retirement benefits.
HB 1013 modifies Wyoming's unemployment benefits law to allow workers who voluntarily leave jobs due to an employer's failure to comply with federal COVID-19 prevention requirements (such as vaccination mandates or safety protocols) to qualify for benefits. This applies when the employer violates specific federal laws or policies related to pandemic response. The bill adds this scenario as "good cause" for leaving employment without disqualifying workers from benefits, ensuring they remain eligible even if they leave voluntarily. Benefits awarded under this provision are noncharged, meaning they won’t affect the employer’s experience rating account. The law takes effect immediately upon becoming law.
HB 1021 creates Wyoming's Individual and Family COVID-19 Impact Support Program, providing temporary financial assistance to residents affected by the pandemic. The program offers money for essentials like food, medicine, childcare, mental health support, and lost wages, funded by $20 million in unused federal American Rescue Plan Act funds. County commissioners can request support for eligible individuals/families, with benefits distributed through community organizations meeting state standards. The program must be fully implemented by October 1, 2024, using funds specifically designated for pandemic-related hardship relief.
HB 1005 requires Wyoming employers who mandate COVID-19 vaccines to grant exemptions for employees with religious objections, medical reasons preventing vaccination, or who have fully recovered from COVID-19. Employers must accept written evidence of these exemptions and cannot terminate an employee for seeking one. If an employer denies a valid exemption and terminates the employee, they face liability for $5,000 in damages or actual losses, whichever is greater. This bill directly affects employers in Wyoming with vaccine mandates and employees seeking exemption from those requirements.
HB 1009 requires employers to pay 50% of a terminated employee's wages for 13 weeks if the employee is fired or quits due to a COVID-19 vaccination mandate, with specific exceptions (e.g., mandates in place before October 31, 2021). It establishes liability for employers who terminate workers over vaccine refusal and creates a legal cause of action for damages. The bill also mandates employers to provide 90 days' notice before vaccine requirements, offer reasonable alternatives (like reassignment or testing), and accept religious/medical exemptions. Additionally, it presumes vaccine-related injuries are compensable under worker's compensation.
HB 1006 requires health care facilities, public services, and essential businesses (like pharmacies, grocery stores, and hospitals) to provide reasonable accommodations - such as virtual visits or alternative access - when people cannot or will not show vaccination proof. It also creates a new personal exemption for schoolchildren (beyond religious or medical reasons) and prohibits employers from requiring vaccination as a condition of employment. The bill defines "reasonable accommodation" as changes to policy or location that don’t create health risks, and specifies that schools must allow unvaccinated students during outbreaks without counting them as absent. It applies directly to health facilities, schools, and employers offering essential services in Wyoming.
HB 1016 would amend Wyoming's firemen's pension law to stop automatic annual 3% benefit increases after January 1, 2022, requiring future legislative approval for any raises. It also mandates the retirement board to adjust pension fund investments to align with other state retirement programs, moving away from fixed-income portfolios. The bill directly affects firefighters receiving pensions under Wyoming's Fire A retirement program. If enacted, it would change how pension increases are authorized and how funds are invested, with no automatic raises after 2022 without new legislation.
