HB 110 designates June 19 as Juneteenth, a state holiday in Wyoming, to be observed annually on that date. It requires all state agencies, including the University of Wyoming, to update their holiday policies and personnel rules to recognize Juneteenth as a paid day off for employees. The bill repeals prior Juneteenth holiday provisions and takes effect immediately upon enactment.
This Wyoming bill (SF 183) amends the state's strangulation law to explicitly include intentionally blocking a household member's nose or mouth as a criminal act. It directly affects domestic violence victims and perpetrators by expanding the definition of "strangulation" to cover this specific choking behavior. The key change adds "blocking covering the nose, and mouth or both" to the list of actions that constitute the crime under W.S. 6-2-509. The law defines "household member" using existing statutes (W.S. 35-21-102) and takes effect July 1, 2023. This is a policy change clarifying criminal conduct in domestic violence cases, not a procedural or commemorative measure.
Wyoming's SF 179, the "Anti-Red Flag Gun Seizure Act," prohibits state and local governments from enforcing any law or order that allows firearm confiscation without a criminal conviction. It directly affects Wyoming residents by blocking the state from implementing "red flag" gun seizure orders, which typically require surrendering firearms based on alleged threats before a court conviction. The bill bans using state funds or personnel to enforce such orders and preempts conflicting local laws. Violations could trigger civil lawsuits for damages, with courts authorized to impose penalties up to $50,000 per violation. The law aims to prevent gun seizures that bypass due process, as defined by the bill.
This Wyoming bill (SF 180) amends trespass laws to create an exception for incidental contact when moving between adjacent land parcels. It directly affects landowners and individuals authorized to access two connected parcels of land that share a common corner. The key provision states that a person does not commit criminal trespass or game/fish trespass if they accidentally touch or pass through another person's land while traveling between two parcels they are permitted to access. This change applies to both general trespass and hunting/fishing trespass laws, effective July 1, 2023.
This bill creates a Wyoming Firearms Research Center Oversight Commission to guide the University of Wyoming's firearms research center. The commission, consisting of eight members (including a legislative representative and seven appointed stakeholders like hunting groups, firearms industry workers, law enforcement, and county attorneys), must review the center's mission, facilitate stakeholder agreements, and recommend funding. It allocates $2,500 for the legislative member's travel/salary and $17,500 for nonlegislative members' expenses, both expiring June 2024. The bill directly affects the University of Wyoming center and Wyoming's firearms industry, sportsmen, and law enforcement stakeholders by establishing formal oversight for the center's work.
This Wyoming bill (SF 44) expands how school districts can use major maintenance funds for K-12 buildings. It allows spending on repairs or upgrades that improve a school's functionality to deliver required educational programs, including reconfiguring spaces. The law modifies the definition of "major maintenance" to explicitly cover these improvements, rather than restricting funds to only emergency repairs. The changes take effect July 1, 2023, directly affecting Wyoming public school districts managing facility funding.
This bill (SF 45) directs Wyoming state agencies to help Natrona County School District #1 acquire the former School for the Deaf building in Casper for educational use. It exempts the sale of this specific state-owned property from the usual requirement to sell at fair market value (typically mandated for property over $15,000). The state construction department and building commission must report on this assistance to the school facilities committee by September 1, 2023. The bill applies only to this one facility and aims to facilitate the district’s use of the building for required educational programs.
Wyoming's SF 91, the "Massage Therapy Practice Act," proposes creating a regulatory framework for massage therapists in the state. It establishes a five-member Board of Massage Therapy within the Department of Health to oversee licensing, set professional standards, conduct background checks for applicants, and enforce rules. The bill defines "massage therapy" as manual soft tissue manipulation for therapeutic purposes (excluding medical diagnosis) and authorizes the board to collect fees to fund its operations. This bill directly affects massage therapists seeking or renewing licenses in Wyoming and would create new licensing requirements and oversight mechanisms. (Note: This is a proposed bill introduced in 2022 but not advanced beyond initial filing.)
HB 102 requires oil and gas applicants seeking a "pooling order" (which forces combined development of adjacent mineral rights) to first make good-faith lease offers to unleased mineral owners within the proposed area. It mandates that applicants provide evidence of these offers to Wyoming's Oil and Gas Conservation Commission before a pooling order can be approved. The law applies to all applications filed after its effective date (July 1, 2022), and pooling orders must expire after 12 months if drilling doesn't begin. This directly affects mineral owners who may now receive lease offers and oil/gas operators who must negotiate before forced pooling.
HB 69 allows Wyoming to use funds from its broadband development subaccount to match federal grants for broadband projects. It specifically authorizes up to $1.5 million annually (or 15% of the subaccount balance) to cover the state's share for federal grants aimed at expanding broadband access, improving internet opportunities, or supporting telehealth services for Wyoming residents and businesses. The bill also creates two temporary positions at the Wyoming Business Council to help secure federal grants and coordinate with broadband providers. These provisions affect residents seeking better internet access, businesses relying on connectivity, and the Wyoming Business Council through new grant application responsibilities. The bill does not create new taxes or spending but reallocates existing subaccount funds for matching grant purposes.
HB 116, "The People's House Endowment Act," creates a permanent trust fund for Wyoming's capitol complex. It establishes the "People's House Endowment Account," which can receive donations and federal grants, with 75% of investment earnings remaining in the endowment and 25% annually distributed to the Capitol Square Preservation Account. The bill appropriates $15 million from the general fund to the endowment, $10 million to the preservation account, and $200,000 specifically for matching private gifts to the endowment if requested. This act directly affects state treasury operations and Capitol Square maintenance funding.
HB 75 requires Wyoming's political subdivisions (like cities, counties, and school districts) to hold bond elections only on days when a primary or general election is scheduled, aligning bond votes with existing statewide election cycles. Exceptions allow bond elections on specific dates in May or August for natural disasters or emergencies, with the secretary of state mandated to create emergency rules by July 1, 2022. The bill also requires local governments to provide 110 days' written notice of bond elections to the county clerk, detailing bond purposes and terms. This change directly affects how local entities schedule and conduct bond elections for projects like infrastructure or public facilities.
