HB 1011, the "Medical Treatment Opportunity Act-2," aims to expand Wyoming's Medicaid program to cover individuals meeting specific federal eligibility criteria under the Social Security Act. It requires state officials to negotiate with federal authorities to secure Medicaid coverage for these individuals, but only if federal funding rates remain at or above 90% for expanded coverage and 55% for standard Medicaid. The bill repeals a prior 2013 Medicaid authorization and takes effect immediately upon enactment. This bill directly affects low-income residents eligible under the specified federal criteria, with coverage dependent on maintaining minimum federal funding levels.
SF 1013 would amend Wyoming's unemployment benefits law to allow workers to qualify for benefits if they leave their job because their employer failed to follow federal rules about preventing the spread of COVID-19, such as vaccination mandates or safety protocols. The bill adds a new exception to the standard rule that typically disqualifies people who quit without "good cause," explicitly stating that an employer's noncompliance with federal pandemic-related requirements constitutes valid reason for leaving. This change would directly affect workers in Wyoming who face such employer noncompliance and seek unemployment benefits. The bill takes effect immediately upon becoming law.
Wyoming's SF 1018 amends unemployment benefits law to allow workers who voluntarily leave jobs due to employer non-compliance with local COVID-19 prevention measures to qualify for benefits. This directly affects employees who quit because their employer failed to follow health orders from state or local officials, including requirements like vaccinations or safety protocols during the pandemic. The bill creates a new exception (subparagraph E) in the eligibility rules, overriding standard disqualifications for "voluntary quit" without "good cause." It applies specifically to public health orders issued under Wyoming law in response to COVID-19 and takes effect immediately upon becoming law.
HB 1010 (Grace Smith Medical Freedom Act) would require Wyoming county and state health officers to grant written waivers for K-12 students' immunization requirements or mask mandates upon request from parents, guardians, or authorized adults. The bill specifies health officers must process these requests within seven business days, with exemptions allowed for religious objections or medical contraindications. Students with granted waivers would still be excluded from school during vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks, as determined by health authorities. This proposed legislation, introduced in 2021 but never advanced, would directly affect K-12 students and their families seeking exemptions from school health requirements.
HB 1008 prohibits discrimination based on vaccination status in public access, services, and employment. It bans requiring proof of vaccination for entry to public spaces or services, prevents employers from mandating vaccinations, and repeals public health requirements for student COVID-19 vaccinations in public schools. The bill explicitly maintains existing school immunization requirements under W.S. 21-4-309 and child care requirements under W.S. 14-4-116 as exceptions. It takes effect immediately upon becoming law.
HB 1007, a proposed Wyoming bill, would prohibit mandatory COVID-19 or mRNA vaccinations for individuals in employment, public services, or government settings. It bans discrimination based on vaccination status and requires employers, contractors, and government entities to accept religious or medical exemptions for mRNA vaccines. The bill specifies criminal penalties (up to $5,000 fines or 5 years imprisonment) for violations and defines key terms like "mRNA vaccination" and "immunity passport." The bill was introduced in 2021 but never advanced beyond initial committee consideration and did not become law.
HB 1003 prohibits discrimination based on COVID-19 vaccination status in health insurance and public services. It directly affects health insurers, businesses, and individuals by banning insurers from denying coverage, increasing premiums, or limiting benefits based on vaccination status (Section 26-20-901), and preventing businesses from denying services, employment, education, or health care access due to vaccination status or "immunity passports" (Section 35-4-140). Key mechanisms include criminal penalties (up to 6 months jail or $750 fine for violations) and civil remedies for affected individuals. The bill defines "COVID-19 vaccination status" and "immunity passport" to clarify prohibited actions. It was introduced in Wyoming in 2021 but did not advance beyond committee consideration.
HB 1001 prohibits Wyoming employers from requiring COVID-19 vaccinations as a condition of employment, except in limited circumstances. It mandates employers to provide medical and religious exemptions, offer reasonable alternatives (like reassignment or testing), and pay severance to employees who leave due to non-compliant mandates. The law applies broadly but specifically addresses critical staffing shortages in healthcare, requiring employers to document workplace safety justifications for any exceptions. It also creates programs for employer-funded testing and adjusts worker's compensation to cover vaccine-related injuries.
HB 1014 prohibits employers from firing, threatening to fire, or coercing employees based on their COVID-19 vaccination status or related "immunity passport" documentation. It directly protects employees in Wyoming and holds employers liable for violations through remedies like reinstatement, up to $40,000 in damages per violation, and payment of legal fees. The bill amends Wyoming law to define key terms (like "vaccination status" and "immunity passport") and adds penalties for threatening employment to compel vaccination. It took effect immediately upon enactment under Wyoming's constitutional process.
SF 1014 prohibits employers from discharging, threatening to discharge, intimidating, blackmailing, or coercing employees based on their COVID-19 vaccination status or related documentation, such as a digital "immunity passport" showing vaccination or recovery. The bill creates legal remedies for affected employees, including reinstatement, up to $40,000 in damages per violation, and recovery of attorney fees. It also amends Wyoming's blackmail statute to specifically criminalize threatening an employee's job or educational opportunities to compel vaccination. The law would take effect immediately upon enactment.
Wyoming's SF 1015 provides $1,000 incentive payments to state employees who received full COVID-19 vaccination by December 31, 2021. The bill directly affects all full-time state employees (excluding elected officials) across executive, legislative, judicial branches, universities, and community colleges. It is funded with $14.72 million from federal American Rescue Plan Act funds, allocated to specific state entities for distributing the payments. The payment aims to encourage voluntary vaccination during the pandemic, with "fully vaccinated" defined as completing all recommended doses of a vaccine approved to prevent or reduce COVID-19 symptoms.
Wyoming's HB 1017 prohibits school superintendents, school boards, and district trustees from creating rules about movement restrictions, activity limitations, or personal protective equipment to prevent contagious diseases. It repeals mandatory immunization requirements for students attending schools or childcare facilities and shifts authority for disease prevention measures to state or local health officers under existing law. The bill also modifies related statutes to align with these changes and takes effect July 1, 2022. This directly affects school officials who can no longer enforce health mandates and families who are no longer required to provide certain immunization records for school enrollment.
