This bill allows Wyoming county treasurers to accept applications and payments for wildlife conservation license plates, expanding the current process that only involved the state department. Vehicle owners who register non-commercial vehicles can pay a one-time $150 fee plus a $50 annual fee (waived the first year) to receive these plates, with optional voluntary donations for wildlife conservation related to transportation. All fees collected under this bill are directed to a new wildlife conservation account within the state highway fund. It directly affects Wyoming residents who register personal vehicles and wish to support wildlife conservation through their license plate choice.
HB 132 authorizes annual permits for commercial haulers transporting portable building units, building materials, forest products, baled hay, and combine headers in Wyoming. It increases the maximum width allowed for most loads from 150 to 168 inches (while keeping forest products at 112 inches), removes the 102-inch width limit for single load components, and raises annual permit fees from $50 to $200. The bill directly affects commercial trucking companies and construction firms that regularly transport these specific materials. Key provisions include updated definitions for "portable building unit" and "building material," require state rulemaking for implementation, and take effect July 1, 2025.
HB 45 removes otters from Wyoming's list of protected animals under hunting regulations. This change directly affects hunters and wildlife management by allowing regulated hunting of otters, which were previously protected. The bill amends Wyoming Statute 23-1-101(a)(ix) to delete "otter" from the definition of "protected animal," which previously included species like black-footed ferrets and lynx. The law would take effect on July 1, 2025, if enacted. This is a substantive policy change altering hunting permissions, not a procedural or commemorative measure.
HB 86 updates how Wyoming manages public building maintenance and capital construction projects. It requires universities (like the University of Wyoming), school districts, and state agencies to create annual priority lists for major building projects and report on maintenance spending. The bill standardizes definitions for terms like "capital construction" and "major maintenance," and sets new deadlines for submitting these reports to the state construction department. These changes aim to improve planning, transparency, and accountability for public property upkeep across state and educational facilities.
This joint resolution (SJ 3) commemorates the 100th anniversary of Nellie Tayloe Ross becoming the first woman governor of the United States in 1925. It formally recognizes her historic achievement and legacy through a symbolic resolution passed by the Wyoming Legislature. The bill has no policy provisions or direct impact on citizens; it serves only as a ceremonial acknowledgment. Wyoming's legislature will transmit copies of the resolution to federal officials as part of the commemoration. This is a purely symbolic measure with no legislative or financial effects.
This bill requires Wyoming school districts to implement annual reading assessments for kindergarten through third grade students, using state-approved tools to screen for difficulties like dyslexia at least three times yearly. It eliminates the use of "group reading plans" in individualized intervention plans, mandating only individualized, evidence-based interventions for students not meeting reading benchmarks. Districts must report annually on whether 85% of students read at grade level by third grade, including data on students identified with reading challenges and the specific interventions used. Schools failing to meet the 85% goal must submit improvement plans addressing teacher training, student-teacher ratios, and evidence-based instructional strategies for K-3.
HB 17 amends Wyoming's career technical education equipment grant program for K-12 public school districts. It increases the maximum annual grant award from $50,000 to $75,000 and reduces the required timeframe for expending prior-year funds from five years to two years. The bill also adjusts eligibility rules to prioritize districts that haven't received a grant in the past five years. These changes aim to streamline access to funding for schools purchasing career/technical education equipment, effective July 1, 2025.
HB 23 repeals the requirement for drivers to physically surrender their licenses during suspensions, replacing it with a temporary license valid for 30 days that cannot be renewed. It clarifies that peace officers must provide a notice detailing a 20-day window to request a hearing before automatic suspension takes effect, and ensures hearings are scheduled within 45 days of a request. The bill also modifies procedures for under-21 drivers with alcohol concentrations of 0.02% or higher, requiring officers to submit signed statements and issue temporary licenses. These changes apply to all Wyoming drivers facing license suspensions or revocations related to alcohol-related offenses.
HB 189 prohibits adults (18+) from engaging in a "pattern of communication" with minors (under 18) that includes obscene content defined as explicit sexual descriptions, requests for sexual images, or attempts to normalize adult-minor sexual contact. It specifically targets communications intended for personal sexual gratification, requiring two or more instances across any communication method (written, electronic, or verbal). Violations are felonies with penalties up to 20 years in prison and fines up to $20,000, plus social media restrictions and device forfeiture for convicted individuals. The law exempts school, college, or university activities involving sexual education. It directly affects adults communicating with minors in non-educational contexts and provides victims a civil lawsuit option.
HB 221 amends a prior Wyoming law (Chapter 105) related to bighorn and domestic sheep relocation by removing a delayed effective date tied to federal law. It sets the law to take effect on January 1, 2026, instead of requiring federal alignment, and repeals a duplicative provision. This change directly affects Wyoming's wildlife management program by establishing a fixed implementation date for the relocation rules. The bill does not alter the substance of the relocation policy but streamlines its effective date. It is a procedural adjustment to ensure the prior law takes effect without waiting for federal action.
HB 234 prohibits state and local governments from collecting or maintaining lists of privately owned firearms or their owners using specific merchant codes (like "firearms codes") in payment processing. It also bans payment processors from requiring such codes for firearm retailers or discriminating against them by charging higher fees or refusing transactions based on firearm sales. The bill directly affects firearm retailers, payment processors, and state agencies by restricting how firearm-related transaction data can be handled. Violations could lead to civil actions or criminal penalties, including misdemeanor charges for knowingly violating these provisions.
HB 168 prohibits the manufacture, sale, and distribution of cultivated meat in Wyoming. It directly affects businesses producing or selling lab-grown meat products within the state. The bill defines "cultivated meat" as meat grown from cultured animal cells in a lab (not harvested from animals) and bans its sale under state law, with penalties including license suspension for violators. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, except for implementation rules that take effect immediately upon passage.
