HB 134 requires Wyoming livestock brand owners to rerecord their brand every ten years. If a brand is not rerecorded by its expiration date, owners must pay a delinquent fee (capped at $150) within three years to avoid abandonment, and may use the brand for one livestock sale before paying. The bill mandates the Livestock Board to send multiple notices to owners about rerecording deadlines and abandonment timelines, including a notice at least six months before declaring a brand abandoned. This directly affects ranchers and livestock owners who register brands for their animals.
HB 169 authorizes Wyoming's Game and Fish Commission to issue free, lifetime fishing licenses and conservation stamps to residents who are permanently and totally disabled. It directly affects eligible disabled residents by eliminating annual license fees and the requirement to purchase conservation stamps. The bill amends existing statutes to create a process for issuing these complimentary licenses, requiring the Commission to establish rules by July 1, 2019. The policy change takes effect July 1, 2019, providing permanent cost savings for this specific group of residents.
HB 253 exempts small water systems from public utility regulation by Wyoming's Public Service Commission. It applies specifically to metered water sales by providers with fewer than 15 potential connections that aren’t owned by larger utilities, aren’t part of a subdivision’s water system, and aren’t located within municipal service areas. This removes regulatory oversight for these small-scale operations, such as rural homeowners or small community providers. The exemption became effective July 1, 2019.
HB 179 establishes a statewide licensing system for food trucks in Wyoming, replacing local permitting requirements. Food truck operators must obtain a $100 annual state license, carry $1 million in general liability insurance, and comply with food safety and fire safety standards. The law prevents cities and counties from imposing additional fees or stricter rules than those set by the state. It directly affects food truck businesses and local governments, excluding ice cream trucks and pushcarts from the definition of "food truck."
HB 18 clarifies the hiring authority and budget process for Wyoming's state board that licenses water well drillers and pump installers. It specifies that the board must approve the budget prepared by the board's secretary (previously unclear), and clarifies the board can hire an executive director and set employment terms. The bill directly affects the state board, its staff, and licensed water well contractors by streamlining internal operations. It takes effect July 1, 2019, and does not change licensing requirements or continuing education rules for well drillers.
Wyoming's HB 188 would have changed zoning protest rules by lowering the threshold for property owners to block zoning changes. Specifically, it would have required only 10% of affected property owners (down from 20%) to protest a proposed change, and reduced the required governing body vote to approve changes from 75% to 66.7%. This bill directly affected residents and property owners in cities/towns where zoning regulations or district boundaries were being modified. The bill died in committee in February 2019 and never became law.
HB 307 requires a study to develop a process for state and local governments to recover infrastructure costs (such as roads, water, and sewage systems) when power plants are decommissioned earlier than planned. The industrial siting division and council must review how to let governments recoup these expenses from utilities, consulting with local entities about impacts on communities and infrastructure. A report on the study is due by September 1, 2019, to a legislative committee that may propose new laws in 2020 to address cost recovery. The bill also allocates $25,000 for public hearings and committee meetings related to the study.
HB 238 would have required Wyoming's Department of Transportation to create an online platform by January 1, 2020, for commercial vehicle permit applications, payments, and renewals. This bill directly affected commercial vehicle operators and businesses needing permits under Wyoming law. The key provision mandated the department to replace paper-based processes with a digital system for permit transactions. The bill was procedural (not substantive policy change) and did not become law, as it died in committee in 2019.
HB 215 proposes to increase penalties for parents, guardians, or custodians who endanger children and cause specific severe harm, including sexual assault (as defined in Wyoming law) or certain child abuse (under W.S. 6-2-503). It creates new felony penalties: up to 5 years in prison and $5,000 fines for a first offense resulting in such harm, and up to 10 years in prison with $10,000 fines for second or subsequent offenses. The bill specifically targets cases where endangerment directly leads to these aggravated outcomes, not general child endangerment violations. It was introduced in 2019 but died in committee and never became law.
HB 176 requires Wyoming's Department of Health to develop science-based tobacco prevention, cessation, and treatment programs using CDC best practices and peer-reviewed materials. It mandates that these programs address the comparative risks of all nicotine products (including vaping, smokeless tobacco, and cigarettes) and prioritize cost-effective strategies based on annual funding. The bill, introduced in 2019 but not passed, aimed to standardize how tobacco settlement funds are used to reduce tobacco-related health issues. It does not create new funding but sets implementation guidelines for existing settlement dollars.
HB 184 creates a new legal process for landowners in Wyoming who lack access to public roads to establish private road easements over neighboring properties. It requires applicants to prove they’ve exhausted other access options and pay a bond to cover costs, while courts must appoint neutral viewers to determine the most reasonable route (max 30 feet wide), minimize land damage, and set fair compensation for affected neighbors. The law prioritizes historical access paths when agreed upon and mandates compensation for land value loss, improvements, and income impacts. This directly affects isolated rural landowners and their neighbors in disputes over access rights.
HB 296 increases Wyoming's cigarette tax rate from $0.024 to $0.049 per cigarette. It requires wholesalers to pay tax on existing cigarette inventory (floor stock) at the new rate, with payments due in three installments over two months. The bill's effective date depends on either a tribal tax agreement with the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes or July 1, 2021, whichever occurs first. This directly affects cigarette wholesalers who must adjust to the higher tax on both new and existing stock.
