HB 101 allows joint powers boards (formed by two or more Wyoming municipalities) to create and operate natural gas systems. It directly affects local governments and joint powers entities that want to provide natural gas service, including extending systems beyond city limits. The bill amends Wyoming law to exempt these municipal or joint powers utility systems from certain public utility regulations outlined in Chapter 37. This change became effective July 1, 2019, enabling collaborative infrastructure development for natural gas service.
This Wyoming bill exempts sales and use taxes on equipment used to build broadband internet infrastructure in unserved areas. It applies to telecom providers, internet access companies, and video programming services constructing networks where high-speed internet isn't currently available (defined as 25 Mbps download/3 Mbps upload for residential areas). The exemption covers infrastructure equipment like routers and cables but excludes items sold directly to end-users. Providers may use reasonable methods to allocate equipment costs across service regions instead of tracking exact geographic locations.
HB 63 requires pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) in Wyoming to stop blocking pharmacies from sharing prescription cost details with patients or offering cheaper drug alternatives. The law directly affects pharmacies and pharmacists, who can now freely disclose cost differences between a patient's insurance coverage and out-of-pocket prices, and suggest more affordable options when available. PBMs cannot penalize or restrict these disclosures through contracts. The bill took effect on July 1, 2019, aiming to increase transparency in prescription drug costs without changing drug pricing itself.
HB 53 creates a standardized system for managing probation and parole supervision in Wyoming. It requires the Department of Corrections to establish graduated responses to both positive behavior (incentives) and violations (sanctions), using validated risk assessments. Key provisions include crediting time spent in custody for violations toward the original sentence, authorizing sanctions like community service or short-term jail stays (up to 90 days), and mandating cognitive-behavioral programming for certain sanctions. The law directly affects probationers, parolees, and conditional releasees, while also requiring training for correctional staff, judges, and attorneys on the new system.
This bill would have required Wyoming's highway patrol to verify "extreme inconvenience" before issuing restricted driver's licenses to minors aged 14-16. It would have limited driving to 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., within 50 miles of home, and only with a parent/guardian present. Qualifying circumstances for "extreme inconvenience" included driving more than 5 miles to school, sports, religious activities, or a job, or working in a parent's business. The bill died in committee in 2019 and never took effect.
This bill (SF 58) proposed extending the schedule for reducing vehicle registration fees in Wyoming, lowering fees for vehicles aged 7-10 years. It would have set new rates: 3% of 14% of the factory price for 7th-year vehicles, decreasing to 3% of 8% for 10th-year vehicles (down from 15% in the 6th year). The change would have directly affected Wyoming vehicle owners paying annual registration fees, making them cheaper for older cars. The bill was introduced in January 2019 but died in committee in February 2019 and never took effect.
This bill (SF 36) amends Wyoming law to adjust how oil and gas drilling operators recover costs from nonconsenting owners in drilling units. It increases the recovery limit for drilling costs from 200% to 300% of the nonconsenting owner's share and raises the equipment cost recovery from 110% to 125%. The change applies to all pooling orders entered on or after July 1, 2019, directly affecting oil and gas owners who choose not to participate in a drilling unit. The amendment clarifies that operators can recover these higher percentages of costs before distributing production revenue.
This bill (SF 12) increases specific business licensing fees in Wyoming for certain entities. It raises the fee for filing a limited partnership certificate or foreign partnership registration from $100 to $125, and increases initial incorporation/qualification fees for corporations from $100 to $125. The bill also adjusts annual fee calculations for limited liability companies and partnerships, maintaining the same rate structure but applying the higher base fees. These changes affect businesses filing formation documents or annual reports with the Wyoming Secretary of State, effective July 1, 2019.
This bill repeals a rule that previously excluded certain noncitizens from eligibility for the Hathaway scholarship program. It directly affects noncitizen students in Wyoming who were previously barred from receiving this state-funded scholarship. The key change removes the specific exclusion provision (W.S. 21-16-1303(e)(i)) from the scholarship law. The bill would have allowed eligible noncitizens to apply for the scholarship, effective immediately upon enactment.
This bill requires multiple employer welfare arrangements (MEWAs) operating in Wyoming to obtain an annual license from the state insurance department and pay a $500 fee. MEWAs are arrangements where two or more employers pool resources to provide benefits like health insurance to their employees. The bill applies most provisions of Wyoming's Small Employer Health Insurance Availability Act to these arrangements, while clarifying that certain specific rules do not apply. It also gives the insurance commissioner authority to suspend or revoke licenses for violations.
Wyoming's SF 158 establishes a Legislative Audit Committee to review state agency finances and improve accountability. The committee, appointed by Senate and House leadership with balanced party representation, will oversee financial audits, conduct post-audits of agency recommendations, and prepare reports for the governor and legislature. It also creates a Legislative Auditor position within the Legislative Service Office to support the committee's work. The bill requires state agencies to provide audit assistance and includes confidentiality rules for audit reports, with exceptions for reporting criminal violations to the Attorney General. Note: This bill died in committee in 2019 and did not become law.
SF 45 amends Wyoming's Emergency Administration of Opiate Antagonist Act by adding two key definitions. It defines "Entity" to include employers whose workers (like first responders or public service staff) may encounter opioid overdose situations, and defines "Opioid" as opium-like compounds binding to opioid receptors. This clarifies who is covered under the existing law allowing emergency administration of naloxone (a medication to reverse overdoses) during suspected opioid overdoses. The bill takes effect July 1, 2019, and does not create new requirements but refines the legal framework for current emergency protocols.
