HB 106 allows Wyoming voters to change their political party affiliation on election day at polling places, rather than requiring advance filings. It amends election code sections to permit voters to update their affiliation when requesting a partisan ballot, with changes recorded directly on poll lists by election judges. This applies to both primary and general elections, eliminating the previous 14- or 30-day advance filing deadlines for affiliation changes. The law took effect July 1, 2019.
HB 127 raises income thresholds for Wyoming's tax refund program for elderly and disabled residents. It increases the income limit for single individuals (65+ or totally disabled) from $13,500 to $17,500 annually, and for married couples (with one spouse 65+ or disabled) from $22,000 to $28,500. The refund amount for singles is $800 (reduced if income exceeds $10,000), and for married couples it is $900 (reduced if income exceeds $16,000). The bill appropriates $2.5 million to fund these refunds, effective July 1, 2019.
This bill clarifies the definition of "substantial contribution" in child support cases, specifying it means a material, valuable contribution toward a child's immediate needs - not nominal, redundant, or existing court-ordered expenses. It allows courts to order parents who intentionally lie about such contributions or related facts to pay the other parent's reasonable attorney fees and court costs. The law applies to all new or modified child support cases filed after July 1, 2019, directly affecting parents and custodians involved in disputes over support calculations.
HB 108 modifies payment procedures for contractors working on public construction projects in Wyoming. It requires contractors to submit a sworn statement confirming all subcontractor and material supplier payments before final payment can be made, and mandates a 40-day public notice period (via newspaper and website) before final settlement. Disputed claims must be directed to the prime contractor's surety bond, with disputed amounts withheld from final payment until resolved. This affects contractors, subcontractors, material suppliers, and state/local governments awarding public works contracts over $7,500. The bill updates existing bond and payment rules to clarify dispute resolution and payment timelines.
Wyoming's SF 108 exempts public utilities (like electricity, gas, or water providers) from civil liability for property damage caused by wildfires or other natural disasters ("acts of God"), unless the utility was negligent, reckless, or intentionally caused the event. The bill specifically covers economic losses, such as disruptions to essential services, but excludes cases where the utility's negligence directly caused the damage. It clarifies that this exemption overrides conflicting parts of Wyoming's existing Governmental Claims Act. The law, effective July 1, 2019, codifies pre-existing common law regarding utility liability for natural disaster-related damages.
This Wyoming bill (SF 101) allows employers to deduct money from an employee's final paycheck to cover theft or damage caused by the employee. It applies to most employees but excludes commission-based sales agents with custody of company funds. Employers may only deduct if the employee admits the theft or a court determines it, and they cannot withhold wages for more than three months while pursuing legal action. The law modifies existing wage payment rules to clarify this deduction process.
This bill creates a new misdemeanor offense in Wyoming called "burglary for minor theft." It applies to individuals who enter a building, structure, or vehicle without permission to commit theft of property valued at less than $1,000, provided the building was unoccupied, not locked, and not designed for overnight use. The law specifies that the person must not have entered to commit a felony and must not commit a felony during the act. Violating this offense carries penalties of up to one year in jail, a $1,000 fine, or both. The bill took effect on July 1, 2019.
This bill appropriates $1 million annually from the general fund to Wyoming's emergency fire suppression account starting July 1, 2020, with a cap preventing transfers if the account balance reaches $25 million by June 30. It also adds a one-time $20 million appropriation to the same account. These funds directly support state fire suppression efforts by ensuring dedicated resources for wildfire response. The bill creates no new policy or procedures - it solely allocates existing state funds to an established account. The funding becomes effective immediately upon the bill's enactment.
This bill (SF 117) allows University of Wyoming (UW) license plates to be issued for both passenger cars and trucks using the same distinctive number, with a symbol or letter (like "C" or "T") to differentiate vehicle types. It directly affects UW license plate holders who own both a car and a truck, enabling them to use the same plate number for both vehicles. The key provision modifies existing law to permit this shared numbering system starting July 1, 2019, while requiring the Department of Transportation to reimburse the University of Wyoming for implementation costs up to $76,200. The bill does not change the $100 fee or plate design requirements.
Wyoming's SF 148 creates a legal framework allowing the state to temporarily seize and operate federal facilities like national parks or wildlife refuges if the federal government cannot do so effectively. During seizure, the governor must maintain public access, protect natural/cultural resources, and allow concessionaires to continue operating, while charging fees to cover costs. The state must return the facility to federal control once the federal government can manage it, and repay any fees collected or profits earned. The bill also establishes a $1 million contingency fund for planning and exempts certain operational plans from public records disclosure.
This bill (SF 35) allows certain landfill operators to expand their existing facilities onto adjacent land they owned as of July 1, 2019, without needing special permission (a "variance") from regulators. It directly affects landfill operators who owned contiguous land by that date and operate non-industrial landfills. To qualify, they must demonstrate that the expansion won’t harm public health or safety and cannot expand if the land borders a city, town, school, highway, or water well existing before July 1, 2019. The law took effect on July 1, 2019.
This bill (SF 147) requires Wyoming's Department of Health to propose budget changes that reduce full-time and part-time staff at five specific state facilities - Wyoming Life Resource Center, Wyoming State Hospital, Wyoming Pioneer Home, Veterans' Home of Wyoming, and Wyoming Retirement Center - and increase the use of temporary contract employees instead. It mandates that the Department of Administration's budget division must base the health department's 2021-2022 budget on these recommendations. The policy directly affects staffing models at these facilities, shifting toward more flexible, short-term contracts for operational roles.
