This Wyoming bill (SF 40) sets specific blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limits for operating watercraft. It establishes a 0.08% BAC limit for motorboats and a 0.10% limit for all other watercraft, aligning motorboats with standard DUI limits while setting a slightly higher threshold for other watercraft. The law clarifies that evidence of BAC levels measured within three hours of operation can be used in prosecutions, and it specifies that operating with a BAC between 0.05% and 0.08% for motorboats (or 0.10% for other watercraft) does not automatically imply impairment. This directly affects anyone operating watercraft in Wyoming, including recreational boaters and commercial operators.
SF 99 (Wyoming) allows counties to count election ballots at a central location instead of individual polling places, and gives county clerks discretion to use alternative accessible voting methods beyond electronic machines. It requires the Secretary of State to create rules ensuring compliance with federal disability laws (ADA, Help America Vote Act) and specifies procedures for sealing ballots and records. The bill directly affects county election officials and voters, particularly those needing accessible voting options. It became effective July 1, 2019, with rulemaking required by that date.
This bill continues Wyoming's Educational Attainment Executive Council, established by executive order in 2018, through December 31, 2022. The 15-member council - including university leaders, community college representatives, state education officials, and tribal advisors - must develop 5- and 10-year strategic plans to achieve specific education goals: 67% of working adults (25-64) with postsecondary credentials by 2025 and 82% by 2040. The council reports quarterly to the governor and annually to legislative committees, with recommendations for related legislation. It is funded with $115,000 total (from the general fund) for staff and member expenses during its temporary existence.
Wyoming's SF 120 updates hearing requirements for student suspensions and expulsions. It specifies that schools must provide students facing short-term suspensions (10 days or less) with a hearing within 72 hours of removal, and those facing longer suspensions or expulsions must have a hearing within 10 days of the recommendation. The bill also requires written notice to parents within 24 hours of any suspension or expulsion decision. These changes apply directly to school administrators, boards of trustees, and students subject to disciplinary action under Wyoming law.
This bill (SF 115) modifies Wyoming law to automatically pause the expiration date of an order of protection when the person subject to the order is imprisoned. It directly affects victims seeking protection and individuals who are incarcerated under such orders. The key provision states that the order’s effective period stops running during the person’s imprisonment, resuming upon release. This ensures the protection order remains in effect without requiring court action during incarceration. The change applies to orders granted or modified on or after July 1, 2019.
SF 46 limits opioid prescriptions for acute pain in Wyoming. It prohibits doctors from prescribing more than a 14-day supply of opioids to patients who haven't used opioids in the past 45 days (defined as "opioid naive"). The law allows exceptions for chronic pain, cancer treatment, and palliative care through board rules. This law took effect on July 1, 2019, directly affecting prescribers and patients seeking initial opioid treatment for short-term pain.
This bill (SF 107) redirects 1% of fees from historic pari-mutuel wagering events in Converse County to the state fair account instead of splitting them between the county and local municipality. It amends Wyoming law to require the commission to transfer these fees directly to the state fair fund when events are approved in Converse County under specific provisions. The change applies to all reported pari-mutuel events in Converse County, ensuring the revenue supports the state fair. The bill took effect July 1, 2019.
This bill prohibits Wyoming counties from eliminating livestock grazing on state-owned land without first following specific procedures. It requires counties to comply with the zoning article and their comprehensive plan before restricting grazing. The law directly affects counties managing land use and livestock operations using state lands. It became effective July 1, 2019, ensuring existing grazing uses on state land cannot be unilaterally ended by county action.
This Wyoming bill (SF 134) provides temporary severance tax exemptions for oil and gas producers under specific conditions. It exempts new wells (after July 2019), wells undergoing workovers/recompletions, and tertiary recovery projects from severance taxes for 24 months. Exemptions are reduced or eliminated if oil prices exceed $80/WTI for sweet crude, $60/WCS for sour crude, or $6.00/MCF for natural gas at the time of production. The exemptions directly affect Wyoming oil and gas producers meeting these criteria, with partial exemptions applying during price ranges between $60-$80/WTI for sweet crude, $40-$60/WCS for sour crude, and $5-$6.00/MCF for natural gas.
This Wyoming joint resolution (HJ 10) designates seven cities (Casper, Greybull, Cheyenne, Laramie, Powder River, Rock Springs) and three unincorporated areas (Platte River, Elkhorn Creek, Bluff Station) as "Medal of Honor cities." It encourages the placement of public markers in these locations to honor Wyoming residents who received the Medal of Honor for military valor. The resolution specifically recognizes 17 Medal of Honor recipients connected to these communities, who served from the Civil War through Vietnam. The measure does not create new legal requirements but formally recognizes these locations for commemorative purposes.
HB 204 establishes a standardized course numbering and transcript system for Wyoming's community colleges and the University of Wyoming. It requires common course numbers, electronic course catalogs, and shared transfer software to simplify credit transfers between institutions and support student program planning. The system mandates that all community colleges and UW use consistent course numbering to automatically transfer credits for students moving between schools, particularly for those with articulation agreements. This directly affects students transferring between institutions, faculty developing curricula, and administrators managing course equivalencies and data systems.
HB 98 streamlines the process for communications companies (including internet and VoIP providers) to install equipment like fiber optic cables along public roads in Wyoming. It requires companies to first get permission from local authorities (city councils for city roads or state/county officials for highways) before installing infrastructure. The bill defines "communications company" to cover internet-based services and voice over internet protocol (VoIP), clarifying which providers the rule applies to. This change, effective July 1, 2019, updates existing statutes to standardize rights-of-way access without creating new fees or restrictions.
