HB 324 makes employees of Wyoming's secretary of state, state auditor, state treasurer, and superintendent of public instruction "at-will" employees, meaning these officials can terminate them at any time without cause (except for illegal reasons). It exempts these employees from standard executive branch personnel rules, including compensation plans, job classifications, and discipline procedures. The bill does not affect existing employment contracts signed before July 1, 2025, and specifically states it won't override contracts that already specify employment terms. The law would take effect on July 1, 2025, if passed.
HB 238 prohibits individuals from delivering another voter's ballot to a county clerk, except for immediate family members or ballots mailed directly to the clerk. It directly affects voters who might collect others' ballots and election officials who process them, requiring ballots delivered in violation to be excluded from tabulation. The bill creates a felony penalty for knowingly violating this provision, punishable by up to five years in prison or a $10,000 fine. It amends Wyoming election law to clarify ballot delivery rules and takes effect July 1, 2025.
This bill allocates over $143 million in state funds to address wildfire impacts in Wyoming from 2024. It provides $1 million for wildfire suppression coordination, $30 million to the state fire suppression account, and $100 million for restoring vegetation, habitats, and public infrastructure on both private and state lands, plus $10 million for water system repairs. A steering committee - including state agency representatives, legislators, and agricultural experts - will review grant applications and recommend fund distribution, with annual reports due until December 2026. The bill directly affects landowners, communities, state agencies, and wildfire-impacted areas by funding immediate restoration and prevention efforts.
HB 31 requires all Wyoming school districts to adopt formal safety and security policies, including threat assessment procedures, by their boards of trustees. These policies and drafts must remain confidential and not be public records, allowing school boards to discuss them in closed sessions. The bill also limits the state fire marshal's authority by prohibiting bans on door securement devices used under these policies, though the marshal may create rules for their proper use during threats or drills. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, directly affecting school districts and the state fire marshal's regulatory role.
This bill amends Wyoming's sex offender registration law for individuals convicted of certain voyeurism crimes involving minors. It requires these offenders to report their current address in person to their county sheriff annually, instead of just mailing updates. During each annual visit, the sheriff must photograph the offender and send the photo and verification to the state within three days. The law applies specifically to those convicted under Wyoming statutes related to voyeurism with minor victims (e.g., W.S. 6-2-316(a)(i) and (iv)), and takes effect July 1, 2025.
SF 65 requires Wyoming state and local government entities (excluding judicial branch and law enforcement) to adopt policies governing the collection, security, and use of personal data. It prohibits selling or transferring personal data without resident consent, allows residents to request copies of their data or object to inaccuracies, and limits data collection to what’s necessary for government functions with a maximum 3-year retention period (unless justified by law). The bill defines key terms like "personal data" and "deidentified data," and mandates policy development by state agencies by January 2026, with local governments required to comply by July 2027. This directly affects all state agencies, counties, cities, and towns handling resident data.
This bill creates the Wyoming Generational Investment Account (WGIA), a permanent trust fund for state investments. Starting July 1, 2025, it requires annual transfers of $100 million from the legislative stabilization reserve into the WGIA. Funds must be invested to mirror an 85% private equity/15% private credit portfolio, with earnings from each transfer locked in for 30 years. After 30 years, 37.5% of investment earnings from each transfer must be deposited into the state's general fund, while the remainder stays invested in the WGIA. (SF 197)
This bill creates a new felony offense for intentionally using false documents (like fake deeds or leases) to wrongfully gain or keep a home or residence. It directly affects individuals who misuse fraudulent paperwork to claim or occupy residential property they don't legally own. The law defines "property" as residential real estate with a dwelling and specifies penalties of up to 10 years in prison or a $10,000 fine. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025.
HB 299 amends Wyoming's gaming laws to allow the Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone tribes (on the Wind River Reservation) to operate online sports betting as "qualified gaming entities," directly affecting these tribes. It modifies geolocation requirements by exempting tribal operators from needing to verify a patron's physical location within Wyoming for wagers made on tribal lands. The bill also adds tribes to the definition of eligible operators and specifies that tribal online betting is not subject to the same location restrictions as other operators. The changes take effect July 1, 2025.
This joint resolution proposes amending Wyoming's constitution to prohibit "foreign adversaries of the United States that pose a threat to national security" from owning real property in the state. It would specifically bar these entities from possessing, taxing, enjoying, or inheriting real estate, including surface, subsurface, airspace, or mineral interests. The amendment, if approved by voters, would require constitutional change rather than a new law. This affects only foreign entities designated as national security threats by U.S. standards, not all foreign property owners.
This bill (SF 139) updates Wyoming's trapping regulations for furbearing and predatory animals. It requires trappers to mark traps permanently with owner details (not publicly accessible), maintain a 30-foot setback from exposed bait or carcasses over 5 pounds, and equip snares with breakaway devices. Traps must be checked every 72 hours (or weekly for snares), and wildlife caught must be removed immediately. The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission must create implementing rules by 2026, directly affecting licensed trappers.
HB 85 requires local government approval for simulcasting permits (broadcasting horse races to locations like bars or racetracks) in Wyoming. It directly affects businesses seeking to operate simulcasting (e.g., racetracks, bars with betting machines) and local governments (cities, towns, or counties), which must now approve or deny permits. Key provisions include: requiring public notice and hearings for applications, allowing local authorities to set reasonable conditions (like operating hours matching alcohol sales rules), and permitting revocation only for specific violations like unaddressed permit breaches. The bill ensures local input while keeping final permit issuance under the state commission's authority.
