SF 173, the "Educational Bankruptcy Act," proposes a process for declaring Wyoming school districts "educationally bankrupt" based on standardized test performance. It would allow the state superintendent or parents/guardians (with 12.5%+ signatures) to petition a court if a district meets specific academic criteria for two of the last three years (for larger districts) or three of the last four years (for smaller districts), such as 60%+ 3rd graders scoring below basic in English or 25%+ 10th graders scoring below basic in all three subjects. If declared bankrupt, the court would appoint trustees to oversee district restructuring, with modifications to teacher certification and potential dismissal of the case. The bill, which died in committee in March 2025, has not become law and remains a proposed framework.
SF 140 would require any Wyoming resident born on or after January 1, 2000, to complete a trapping education course and hold a certificate to trap wildlife on non-family land. Exceptions allow individuals to trap under a qualified mentor’s supervision (a person with a certificate, hunting license, and age of majority) for up to one year. The bill updates trapping licensing rules and directs the Game and Fish Commission to create implementing rules by January 2026. This bill is currently inactive after dying in committee in March 2025 and has not become law.
This bill (SF 36) establishes legal protection for the title "music therapist" in Wyoming. It defines "music therapist" as someone holding a specific board certification and prohibits anyone from using the title, "MT-BC," or related terms without that credential. The law allows professionals to use music in their existing work (e.g., as a teacher or counselor) without claiming to be a music therapist. It takes effect July 1, 2025, and directly affects individuals seeking to practice as music therapists or use the title.
Wyoming's SF 186 establishes rules for storing spent nuclear fuel used in reactors manufactured and deployed within the state. It requires advanced nuclear reactor manufacturers (companies operating in Wyoming) to use temporary dry cask storage (special containers designed for safe storage), submit detailed applications to the state environmental department, and provide binding timeframes for moving fuel to permanent storage or reprocessing. The bill mandates reporting to state and local emergency authorities, exempts these facilities from other siting laws, and allows fees to be charged if fuel remains stored beyond agreed timelines. This directly affects Wyoming-based reactor manufacturers and their fuel storage operations, with no broader public impact specified.
HB 222 (Medical Ethics Defense Act-2) protects healthcare workers, hospitals, insurers, and other healthcare entities in Wyoming from being forced to provide or pay for specific health services that conflict with their ethical, moral, or religious beliefs. It allows them to refuse participation in or payment for such services without facing discrimination, job loss, license penalties, or other adverse actions. The law explicitly states this protection does not override duties to provide emergency care or other non-conflicting services, and it defines key terms like "conscience" and "health care service" to clarify coverage. The bill creates new legal safeguards for conscience-based decisions within healthcare delivery.
SF 112 creates a licensing system for anesthesiologist assistants in Wyoming. It directly affects these professionals and the supervising anesthesiologists who must be physically present ("on-site") in medical facilities to oversee their work. The bill requires assistants to complete approved education programs, pass national certification exams, and work under a supervising anesthesiologist who co-signs patient notes within 24 hours. Key provisions define their scope of practice - including performing preoperative evaluations, airway management, general anesthesia, and administering medications - while specifying that supervision must occur in facilities like operating rooms or emergency departments. The law also establishes licensing fees, disciplinary procedures, and board oversight for the Wyoming Board of Medicine.
SF 193 requires Wyoming electric utilities to negotiate formal service agreements with customers who have projected electricity usage exceeding 100 megawatts. This applies specifically to new service requests or requests for additional service (with a 100 MW incremental increase) starting July 1, 2025. The bill directly affects large commercial or industrial customers, such as major factories or data centers, that meet this high usage threshold. It does not apply to smaller customers with usage under 5 megawatts. The law mandates these agreements but does not specify their content, only requiring the utility to enter negotiations upon qualifying request.
SF 83 requires legislative approval before state funds can be used for large energy projects exceeding $400,000. It mandates that state agencies, universities, cities, and counties (awarding entities) report annual project details to the legislature and seek new approval for any project funding beyond $200,000 after initial authorization. The bill defines "large energy projects" broadly to include carbon capture, hydrogen production, solar, wind, and other energy infrastructure. It applies to all state-funded projects starting July 1, 2025, shifting approval authority from agencies to the legislature for significant energy investments.
This bill exempts most real property owned by the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission from regular property taxes, but requires a special tax calculation for land used specifically for wildlife management. The special tax equals the ad valorem tax that would apply to agricultural land of similar value. It repeals an existing special tax on Game and Fish property used for non-wildlife purposes. The changes take effect January 1, 2026, and do not impact tax assessments before that date. The bill directly affects the Game and Fish Commission's property tax obligations.
This bill amends Wyoming's confidentiality laws to allow the Department of Family Services (DFS) to share certain data for specific purposes. It creates a new exception permitting DFS to share information across agencies (like health, education, and workforce services) for referrals, service provision, and bona fide research, while still complying with federal law. The bill requires DFS to develop rules for data sharing and report to the legislature by October 2025 on shared data types and privacy safeguards. It directly affects DFS and the agencies receiving shared data, without creating new programs or altering eligibility for services. The main provisions take effect July 1, 2025.
Wyoming's SF 30 creates a loan repayment program for veterans pursuing mental health degrees at the University of Wyoming. Veterans enrolled in master's or doctorate programs in social work, counseling, or psychology can receive loans covering education costs (tuition, fees, etc.) but must repay by working 25% of their time providing mental health services to veterans within Wyoming for a period equal to the loan term plus three years. The program, administered by the University of Wyoming, requires applicants to be veterans with honorable discharges and prioritizes existing grants before issuing loans. It expires on June 30, 2035, and mandates annual reporting to the legislature on program outcomes.
This Wyoming bill (SF 176) sets a hard cap on employer contributions to the state's unemployment compensation fund, limiting payments to no more than $1 per employee annually. It directly affects all employers in Wyoming who pay into the unemployment insurance system. The key mechanism establishes that even when combined with base rates (8.5%) and other adjustment factors, total annual employer contributions cannot exceed $1 per employee. The bill takes effect January 1, 2026, and amends existing law to enforce this cap across all employer contribution calculations.
