HB 82 creates a Wyoming veterans' skilled nursing facility to provide care for honorably discharged veterans, National Guard members disabled on duty, and their spouses, with these groups receiving admission preference. It also allows admission for "gold star" families (dependents of service members who died in action) under specific conditions. The bill establishes a special revenue account to accept federal funding, donations, and loans for the facility’s design, construction, and operation, while requiring compliance with U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs rules and payment rates aligned with VA grant-in-aid standards. All operations must follow federal and state regulations for skilled nursing care.
HB 243 changes Wyoming driver's license expiration rules by extending the validity period from four to five years. Specifically, licenses now expire on the holder's birthday in the fifth year after issuance (previously the fourth year), and drivers may receive a five-year renewal extension without a test (previously listed as a choice between four or five years) if their license hasn't been suspended in the past five years. These changes apply to licenses issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2019, affecting all Wyoming drivers with new or renewed licenses after that date.
HB 29 requires Wyoming life insurance companies and annuity providers to check their records against a death master file (like the Social Security Death Master File) at least twice yearly to identify deceased policyholders. Insurers must then confirm deaths using other records, determine if benefits are due, and make good-faith efforts to locate beneficiaries - without charging fees - for claims processing. If beneficiaries cannot be found, the benefits (including accrued interest) become unclaimed property and are transferred to the state under Wyoming's Unclaimed Property Act. The bill excludes certain group policies, such as those under federal employee benefit plans or ERISA-covered plans.
This bill amends Wyoming's state audit standards to require state agencies to follow federal "Generally Accepted Governmental Auditing Standards" (set by the U.S. Comptroller General) for audits, subject to approval by the management audit committee and council. It directly affects state agencies conducting audits by mandating adherence to these specific federal standards. The bill is procedural, focusing solely on standardizing the audit process without creating new programs or affecting citizens or businesses. It became effective July 1, 2019.
HB 113 establishes rules for electric utilities to enter special service agreements with large commercial or industrial customers using over 10 megawatts of electricity. The bill requires that such agreements must generate revenue exceeding the utility's cost to serve the customer, and must not shift related costs (like power supply or grid investments) to other ratepayers. Any profits or losses from these agreements remain with the utility company, not shared with other customers. The law applies only to agreements under tariffs approved by Wyoming's utility commission and takes effect immediately upon enactment.
HB 143 gives judges more discretion in sentencing by allowing them to skip or limit presentence investigation reports for felony defendants. The bill amends Wyoming law to state that courts may dispense with the report requirement or restrict its scope to factors relevant to sentencing, instead of mandating full reports in all felony cases. It specifically maintains the requirement for substance abuse assessments in certain felony cases (like third misdemeanors or felonies) and keeps the cost assessed to the offender. This directly affects felony defendants and courts by changing when detailed pre-sentence reports are needed before sentencing.
This bill designates the third week of September as "Wyoming Cowboy Legacy Week" to honor the cultural and historical significance of cowboys and cowgirls to Wyoming. It encourages schools to incorporate lessons about cowboy/cowgirl heritage and values into their curriculum, and asks the University of Wyoming to promote these symbols. The bill has no funding or regulatory changes - it is purely a symbolic recognition to foster community reflection on these traditions.
Wyoming's HB 62, the Wyoming Utility Token Act, reclassifies certain digital tokens used for specific services or goods (like loyalty points) as "intangible personal property" rather than securities. This means developers and sellers of these tokens - such as those redeemable for content, services, or physical items - must file a $200 notice with the Secretary of State before sale and cannot market them as financial investments. The bill prohibits these tokens from being sold as securities, removes previous exemptions, and treats violations as unlawful trade practices. It directly affects token developers, sellers, and platforms reselling these tokens, while clarifying they do not require securities regulation.
This Wyoming bill (SF 47) requires healthcare practitioners who prescribe or dispense controlled substances - including podiatrists, optometrists, pharmacists, and others - to complete three hours of annual training on responsible prescribing every two years. It also mandates electronic prescriptions for controlled substances and requires practitioners to check the state’s prescription tracking database before prescribing. The law affects licensed medical professionals by adding these specific continuing education and technology requirements to their renewal processes. The bill amends multiple statutes to implement these provisions, focusing on reducing misuse through standardized training and digital oversight.
SF 161 amends Wyoming's legislative management council membership rules. It specifies that two senators and two representatives are selected at large by each chamber's party caucuses, with strict limits on party representation (no more than one from the same party as the chamber's presiding officer). The bill also establishes a two-year rotation of the council chairmanship between the House and Senate and clarifies that the council directs the legislature's day-to-day operations. This procedural bill affects only the internal organization of the Wyoming Legislature, not public policy.
SF 67 requires the Wyoming governor to conduct a comprehensive study on high hospital costs in the state. The study examines Medicare reimbursement practices, compares Wyoming's healthcare costs to neighboring states, analyzes out-of-state medical service use, and investigates factors like hospital volume, staffing challenges, and state support levels. It does not change healthcare policy or provide funding, but mandates a report detailing cost drivers and potential impacts on medical services availability. This bill directly affects Wyoming hospitals and residents by gathering data to inform future decisions about healthcare costs and access. The study was introduced in 2019 but did not become law.
This bill modifies Wyoming's Firemen's Pension Account contribution rules by changing the amortization period for pension liabilities from 40 years to 30 years. It requires employers (primarily municipal governments) to calculate monthly contributions based on a 30-year repayment schedule for actuarial liabilities, rather than the previous 40-year period. The change affects how much fire departments and their employers must contribute monthly to the pension fund. The amendment became effective July 1, 2019, as specified in the bill. This is a technical adjustment to the pension funding formula, not a new benefit or program.
