HB 275 amends Wyoming's felony animal cruelty law to specifically address wildlife. It makes it a felony to intentionally torture, torment, or mutilate wildlife *after* it has been captured ("reduced to possession"), while allowing immediate killing of captured wildlife without violation. The bill adds penalties including license revocation for hunters or trappers convicted under this provision and clarifies that trap owners aren't required to check traps before the time mandated by wildlife regulations. It also removes a reporting requirement for wildlife taken by animal damage control agents.
HB 331 restricts how people can hunt or kill wildlife on public lands in Wyoming. It prohibits using vehicles (like cars or snowmobiles) to hunt, shoot, or kill any wildlife except predatory animals (such as coyotes or wolves) on public lands. On private lands, the bill allows vehicle use to hunt predatory animals only. The law also bans harassing, injuring, or killing wildlife with vehicles on public lands and requires the Game and Fish Commission to create implementing rules. It does not affect government agency operations or handicapped hunters under specific exemptions.
Wyoming's HB 305 allows counties to impose an optional tax on solar electricity production. The tax, capped at $5 per megawatt-hour or 5% of annual gross earnings (whichever is higher), applies to solar electricity sold or traded, but exempts government-owned facilities and personal use. Counties collect the tax from producers and distribute all revenue to their general fund, with 50% shared if production occurs within city boundaries. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, though it died in committee in March 2025.
HB 311 modifies Wyoming's sales tax exemption for power and fuel used in transportation. It clarifies that companies transporting goods via pipeline or railroad can claim the tax exemption for power/fuel consumed directly in moving those goods, regardless of who owns the transported items. The bill also specifies that the exemption does not apply to gasoline, gasohol, or diesel fuel used on public highways. The Department of Revenue must create rules to implement this change, with the main provision taking effect on July 1, 2025.
HB 129 changes the schedule for distributing school funds in Wyoming counties. It removes the requirement for county treasurers to distribute funds on June 20 (or the last business day before) each year, leaving only the regular monthly distributions. This directly affects county treasurers and school districts, as they will no longer process this specific annual transfer. The bill amends existing law to streamline fund transfers, with immediate effective date upon enactment.
HB 310 allows owners of commercial trailers (defined as part of a commercial vehicle under Wyoming law) to permanently register their trailers for a one-time $350 fee instead of paying annual registration fees. This applies to trailers qualifying as commercial vehicles under existing statutes, directly affecting commercial trailer owners and operators. The bill creates a permanent registration option with fee exemptions for these trailers, while directing 50% of the $350 fee to county treasurers and 50% to the highway fund. It amends several statutes to establish this process and clarifies that permanent registration does not transfer to new owners upon sale.
HB 90 requires Wyoming's Livestock Board to create a standard notification protocol for confirmed anthrax outbreaks. It mandates that the board inform livestock producers, veterinarians, and animal health agencies within six square miles of a confirmed anthrax test in a county. The protocol must be developed through rulemaking, with a report to the Agriculture Committee due by September 30, 2025. The law takes effect on January 1, 2026, for most provisions, though reporting and rulemaking requirements begin immediately upon enactment.
HB 147 prohibits all Wyoming state and local government entities - including state agencies, schools, universities, counties, and cities - from implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, activities, or policies. It defines "institutional discrimination" as concepts like claiming inherent superiority based on race or requiring individuals to acknowledge guilt based on their race, and bans governmental entities from requiring attendance at related trainings. The bill mandates that all affected entities comply by July 1, 2025, including creating necessary rules. It directly affects all public institutions in Wyoming that receive state funding or operate under state authority.
HB 327 would change who appoints Wyoming's attorney general, shifting authority from the governor to a majority of the state loan and investment board (an elected body). The bill requires this board's approval for the attorney general to settle lawsuits or take certain legal actions on behalf of the state. It also specifies that vacancies would be filled by the board, not the governor. This bill focuses solely on the appointment process and oversight structure, not the attorney general's duties or legal authority. The bill died in committee in March 2025.
HB 125 repeals Wyoming’s existing law (W.S. 31-11-102) that defined "unauthorized use of a vehicle" as a crime. This bill directly affects the state’s criminal code by removing this specific offense, meaning the unauthorized use of a vehicle will no longer be prosecuted under this statute. The repeal takes effect on July 1, 2025, and does not create new penalties or alter other vehicle-related laws. The bill is procedural, with no additional mechanisms or provisions beyond the repeal.
SF 69 creates a 25% property tax exemption on the first $2 million of value for qualifying single-family homes (including houses, mobile homes, and townhouses) owned by Wyoming homeowners. This reduces their tax bill but applies only to the first $2 million in home value, not the entire property. The exemption is temporary, ending after the 2026 tax year, and includes $125 million in state funding to reimburse counties and school districts for lost tax revenue caused by the exemption. Compensation for affected governments is capped at $100 million from a special fund and must be distributed by June 30, 2027.
HB 291 would require Wyoming to maintain a "Restricted Financial Institution List" of banks that boycott energy companies without a valid business reason. It defines a boycott as refusing to do business with fossil fuel-related entities (including exploration, production, or transportation) unless the bank can demonstrate a legitimate financial, legal, or risk-mitigation purpose. The state treasurer and auditor would be barred from entering into banking contracts with institutions listed on this public register, after the Secretary of State provides 45 days' notice and a 30-day correction period. The list would be updated annually and published online, with clear disclaimers that inclusion does not indicate financial instability or consumer risk.
