HB 279 clarifies the order in which multiple property tax exemptions apply to a single property in Wyoming. It requires the Department of Revenue to apply exemptions sequentially: percentage-based exemptions (like senior citizen discounts) must be applied from smallest to largest percentage, while non-percentage exemptions (like homestead exclusions) come after. This affects property owners who qualify for more than one exemption, ensuring consistent application without conflicting reductions. The bill does not change existing exemptions but mandates a specific, transparent process for their combined use. It takes effect immediately upon becoming law.
This bill amends how investment performance is calculated for performance compensation paid to state investment staff. It changes the method used starting in fiscal year 2026: payments will now be based on the geometric average of annual investment performance for the current year and the two immediately preceding years (instead of the arithmetic average used for 2022-2025). The change directly affects state investment staff who receive performance-based compensation tied to investment returns. The amendment takes effect July 1, 2025.
This bill modifies Wyoming's Cultural Trust Fund by removing its "inviolable" status to allow more flexible investment strategies. It establishes a new spending rule: annual grants will be limited to 3% of the fund's five-year average market value, calculated progressively over time. Investment earnings from the fund must now be redirected back into the fund's principal (corpus), rather than being spent immediately. The bill primarily affects the Cultural Trust Fund, which supports grants for nonprofit and governmental organizations promoting Wyoming's cultural, historical, and arts heritage.
This Wyoming bill (SF 125) defines "health care" in state law to clarify what legal actions qualify as health care. It specifies that medical procedures causing harm to body systems (like heart, brain, or organs) are *not* considered health care unless documented as medically necessary to save a pregnant woman’s life or for patients with no chance of meaningful recovery. The definition applies broadly to all Wyoming statutes and constitutional interpretations but excludes the Wyoming Health Care Decisions Act. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, aiming to protect public health and welfare through clear legal standards.
HB 32, titled "What is a Woman Act," defines "sex" as biological sex at birth for all state laws, rules, and regulations. It requires state agencies, schools, and public facilities to distinguish between males and females based on biological sex (e.g., XX chromosomes for females, XY for males) and mandates separate accommodations in settings like restrooms, prisons, shelters, and sports. The bill also requires collecting vital statistics identifying individuals as male or female at birth and states that sex-based distinctions are permitted when related to safety, privacy, or health objectives. It explicitly states that "woman" refers only to biological females and includes protections for intersex individuals under disability laws.
SF 44 requires the University of Wyoming and Wyoming community colleges to have students compete in intercollegiate athletics based on their biological sex as recorded on their official birth certificate. The bill prohibits male students from competing in women's sports teams and female students from competing in men's sports teams, except when no equivalent team exists for their sex. It defines "biological sex" using the sex listed on a student's birth certificate (or a government record correcting a clerical error), and includes protections against retaliation for reporting violations. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, and allows students to sue institutions for violations.
Wyoming's HB 43 requires commercial websites that profit from content harmful to minors (such as obscene material or child pornography) to verify users' ages before allowing access. Covered platforms must use specific, accepted methods like driver's licenses, passports, or credit cards (excluding those not requiring users to be 18+) to confirm users are not under 18. The law creates legal liability for platforms that fail to verify ages, imposing penalties of up to $5,000 per violation, and allows parents or minors to sue for damages. It directly affects commercial online platforms hosting such content, not general websites or non-profit services.
Wyoming's HB 316 creates a 12-member select committee (6 Senate, 6 House members with minority representation) to study and update the state's school funding formula. The committee will examine Wyoming's current education resource block grant model, research virtual school funding approaches in other states, and analyze charter school funding models to recommend fair and consistent formulas. The bill appropriates $800,000 for consultant services and $120,000 for committee operations, with a February 2026 deadline to submit recommendations to the legislature. This process directly affects school districts, the Department of Education, and state agencies required to provide data for the study.
HB 280 modifies Wyoming's sex offender registration requirements for specific offenders. It mandates that people convicted of certain crimes involving minors (e.g., offenses with victims under 13 years old) must verify their address in person every 3 months with local sheriffs, instead of every 6 months for other offenses. The bill also prohibits these individuals from petitioning to be removed from the sex offender registry. These changes apply only to convictions occurring on or after July 1, 2025.
This Wyoming bill (SF 22) amends state law to allow a child's parental rights to be terminated if the child has been under a relative's guardianship for over 24 months *and* the parent is found unfit. It specifically adds this scenario as a legal ground for termination, requiring clear evidence of both the extended relative guardianship and parental unfitness. The change directly affects parents whose children are in long-term relative care and have been deemed unfit by a court. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.
This bill creates a new alternative teaching certification pathway for K-12 teachers in Wyoming. It requires alternative certification programs to meet specific criteria: operating in at least five states, having run for 10+ years, requiring subject and teaching methods exams, and having certified 10,000+ teachers. The certification would be limited to the exact subject areas and grade levels the applicant completed through the program. This directly affects new teachers seeking certification through approved alternative programs, not current certified educators.
This bill increases the allowable square footage used to calculate K-12 school district maintenance funding from 115% to 135% of statewide building standards. It adjusts how maintenance payments are computed by expanding the space counted for major repairs ($38.1 million) and routine maintenance ($5.5 million) starting July 2025. The changes directly affect all Wyoming public school districts by increasing their potential funding based on building size relative to student enrollment. The funding is tied to the updated square footage thresholds and must be spent solely on school facility maintenance during the 2025-2026 school year.
