HB 292, the Wyoming Health Care Pricing Transparency Act, requires health insurers to provide aggregated claims data to large group purchasers of private health insurance plans (like employers with 50+ employees or multi-employer groups) twice yearly. This data includes costs for drugs, services, provider charges, and patient demographics, in searchable electronic format compliant with federal privacy laws. Insurers face $10,000 quarterly penalties for failing to provide the data, and strict rules prevent misuse or unauthorized disclosure of the information. The bill directly affects insurers, large employers buying group health plans, and healthcare providers whose costs are included in the data. It does not apply to government health programs like Medicaid or certain federally regulated employee benefit plans.
This bill changes how Wyoming's Children's Trust Fund can spend money. Until the fund's total assets reach $5 million, the board may spend up to 90% of annual contributions plus prior year's interest. Once the fund exceeds $5 million, only interest income and specific other funds (like those from certain state fees) can be used. The rules took effect July 1, 2019.
HB 83 requires the Wyoming Department of Transportation to maintain the existing system for tracking motor vehicle revenue (such as registration fees) until a new system is implemented. The bill directs the department, in collaboration with the state chief information officer, to standardize data and operations across counties, review current processes, and plan for a new integrated system that can adapt to local needs. It appropriates $910,000 for system maintenance and replacement, with funds restricted to these purposes and unspent money reverting by June 30, 2020. The legislation focuses solely on the technical management of the revenue records system, without altering fee structures or collection methods.
HB 80 is a supplemental budget bill that allocates additional state funds for school facility construction and safety improvements across Wyoming. It directly affects public school districts by providing $26.89 million transferred from the general fund to the school capital construction account, plus specific allocations for projects like a Sweetwater County satellite high school ($17.98 million), Sheridan County alternative high school ($8.82 million), and school safety/security upgrades ($4.95 million). Key provisions include allowing districts to use up to 10% of their existing facility funds for safety needs (with state approval) and requiring the School Facilities Commission to approve safety project spending through a coordinated process. The bill also reappropriates prior-year funds for specific school projects, including charter school leases and modular building replacements in Converse County.
HB 67 (2019) would have imposed Wyoming’s sales tax on specific services previously exempt, including beauty shops, gym memberships, landscaping, and professional services like accounting. It repealed the sales tax exemption for food purchased for home use and adjusted tax rates to increase the total sales tax from 3% to 3.5% (effective July 1, 2019), with revenue distributed as existing sales tax. The bill directly affected businesses providing these services and consumers purchasing them, while removing prior exemptions. Although introduced in January 2019, it died in committee in February 2019 and did not become law.
HB 270 would remove a legal shield that currently prevents lawsuits against Wyoming's Transportation Commission for issues arising from its contracts. If passed, the bill would amend state law to eliminate the Commission's ability to claim immunity under the Wyoming Governmental Claims Act when defending contract-related lawsuits. This change would directly affect the Transportation Commission and individuals or entities seeking legal recourse over contractual disputes with the Commission. The bill, introduced in 2019 but never enacted, was intended to take effect July 1, 2019.
Wyoming's HB 191 allows residents to request a medical alert designation on their driver's license or state ID card, indicating they have a medical condition requiring special attention during emergencies. The bill does not require disclosure of specific medical details - only a standardized alert marker will appear on the card. It affects all Wyoming drivers and ID cardholders who choose to request this designation during application or renewal. The law amends licensing procedures to include a checkbox for this request and provides mechanisms to add or remove the alert on replacement cards. This is a procedural change that went into effect July 1, 2019.
HB 150 modifies primary election rules for specific county offices in Wyoming, including sheriff, clerk, treasurer, and others, when more than two candidates run. It requires that the two candidates receiving the most votes in the primary - regardless of political party - advance to the general election ballot. In case of a tie for the top two spots, the county canvassing board resolves it by drawing lots. Additionally, if a candidate who qualified for the general election withdraws, dies, or becomes ineligible before ballots are printed, the remaining top candidate (with tie-breaking by lot if needed) replaces them.
HB 112, introduced in Wyoming in 2019, proposed a change to how electric utilities' service areas are defined. The bill would have amended state law to specify that an electric utility's certificated service area is determined at the point where electricity is delivered to a customer, rather than at another location. This change would directly affect electric utilities and the Public Service Commission, which oversees utility service areas. The bill was introduced but died in committee in February 2019 and never became law.
HB 144 would allow Wyoming peace officers to issue a citation (instead of making an arrest) for certain misdemeanors punishable by imprisonment if the person poses a danger to themselves or others, might damage property, might skip court, or refuses to accept the citation. For misdemeanors without imprisonment as a possible penalty, the bill would require officers to issue a citation rather than make an arrest unless the same four conditions are met. This change would directly affect how police handle minor criminal charges in Wyoming, reducing unnecessary arrests for low-level offenses. The key mechanism is expanding the circumstances under which a citation can replace an arrest, focusing on public safety and court appearance.
HB 233 establishes Wyoming's first state income tax system. It imposes a 0% tax on the first $200,000 of taxable income and a 4% tax on amounts above that threshold. The bill creates administrative rules for the Department of Revenue to collect the tax, requiring taxpayers with over $200,000 in income to file annual returns (matching federal filing deadlines), while exempting those with $200,000 or less. Key provisions include confidentiality protections for tax returns, apportionment rules for multi-state income, and enforcement mechanisms for non-compliance. This bill, which died in committee in 2019, would have directly affected Wyoming residents and businesses earning taxable income.
Wyoming's HB 224 clarifies that existing oil and gas regulations apply to land where the surface owner does not own the mineral rights (a "split estate"). It directly affects landowners and oil/gas operators in these situations, requiring them to follow statutory requirements before operations begin. The bill explicitly excludes public utilities regulated by Wyoming's Public Service Commission and federally regulated natural gas pipelines from these rules. The bill was proposed to take effect July 1, 2019, but died in committee and was never enacted.
