HB 56 designates Wyoming public schools as "Purple Star Schools" if they meet specific requirements to support military-connected students - defined as children of active or former military members (including National Guard/Reserve) or those who lost a parent in service. To qualify, schools must appoint a military liaison to identify these students and coordinate services, maintain a dedicated website with relocation, academic, and support resources, implement student transition programs, and provide staff training. Schools must also complete at least one community action, such as hosting military family events or partnering with local military installations. The law takes effect July 1, 2023, and applies to all qualifying Wyoming public schools seeking the designation.
This bill establishes a legal process for water users to gain a prescriptive easement (a legal right to use) for water conveyances like canals or ditches after using them openly, continuously, and without permission for 10 years. It directly affects current water users who meet this 10-year standard and future property buyers, as real estate transactions involving properties with water conveyances must now include notice about this law. The bill requires the state engineer's office to maintain and post an online informational document about water conveyance easements, and it specifies that the law does not change existing water rights or easements. The law takes effect July 1, 2023.
HB 41 creates a permanent registration option for qualifying lightweight trailers in Wyoming. Owners of trailers meeting specific weight limits (under W.S. 31-3-101), at least six years old, and subject to standard registration fees can pay a one-time fee ($50 plus five times annual fees) to avoid future annual registration costs. The permanent registration plate must stay on the trailer and cannot transfer to a new owner; if sold, the new owner must pay full registration fees. This applies only to trailers meeting the defined criteria, not all trailers.
Wyoming's HB 5 updates the official voter registry list to include each registered voter's unique state-generated identification number and details about absentee ballot requests and returns. This change affects all registered voters in Wyoming by expanding the information maintained in the official election records. The bill amends existing election code definitions to specify that the registry list must now contain these two new elements, while clarifying that other personal details like Social Security numbers remain confidential. The law takes effect July 1, 2023.
Wyoming's SF 40 exempts federal political action committees (PACs) from filing state campaign contribution and spending reports if their activities are exclusively for federal candidates or issues and they already comply with federal election reporting rules. This directly affects federal PACs operating solely at the federal level, removing a state-level reporting requirement they would otherwise face. The bill amends Wyoming law to clarify that such committees are not required to submit duplicate reports to the state when federal law governs their activity. The change takes effect July 1, 2023.
HB 239 repeals Wyoming's requirement that drivers stop a vehicle's engine, lock the ignition, remove the key, and set the brake before leaving a vehicle unattended. This change directly affects drivers in Wyoming who previously could have faced penalties for not following these specific parking procedures. The bill removes these legal requirements, meaning drivers are no longer prohibited from leaving a vehicle running unattended under this statute. The law takes effect immediately upon becoming law, as specified in Section 2.
HB 18 requires Wyoming's Office of Homeland Security and Highway Patrol to coordinate with local, tribal, and federal law enforcement to integrate missing person alert systems into existing emergency networks. It specifically defines "adult at risk" as an adult with developmental disabilities, Alzheimer's/dementia, or cognitive impairments that could prevent them from reaching safety without assistance. The law mandates the Highway Patrol to report annually on alert system usage, including details about missing persons and system effectiveness. This affects law enforcement agencies and vulnerable individuals, ensuring alert systems better address cases outside standard emergency protocols.
HB 13 is a technical correction bill that updates legal references throughout Wyoming law. It changes all instances of "guardian ad litem program" to "office of guardian ad litem" in statutes related to child welfare cases. The bill does not alter any policy, funding mechanisms, or responsibilities - existing rules about who pays guardian ad litem fees (county, agencies, or parents) remain unchanged. It directly affects how the state's legal system references this office in court proceedings but does not create new obligations or impact service delivery. This is purely a terminology update to align statutory language with current administrative structure.
This bill amends Wyoming law to extend the deadline for filling vacancies in chancery court judgeships from January 1, 2024, to January 1, 2025. It modifies the existing requirement in W.S. 5-13-109(b) to delay the effective date of filling these vacancies by one year. The change is procedural, affecting only the timeline for filling judicial positions in Wyoming's chancery courts, with no new eligibility rules or direct impacts on specific groups. The bill became effective July 1, 2023.
HB 142 requires cities and towns in Wyoming to send certified mail notices to specific property owners at least 20 business days before an annexation hearing. It mandates that notices be sent to all landowners in the proposed annexation area, affected public utilities, and adjacent property owners within 550 feet (regardless of whether the adjacent property is inside or outside city limits). The bill also requires including a summary of the annexation report with the notice. This change applies to all annexation proceedings and took effect July 1, 2023.
Wyoming's SF 25 requires all elected or appointed district attorneys and county prosecutors to maintain active membership in the Wyoming State Bar throughout their entire term of office. This applies to current and future officials whose terms begin after July 1, 2023, extending the existing requirement that they be licensed bar members at the time of election. The bill amends statutes to remove any gap in the requirement, ensuring prosecutors remain in good standing with the bar for the full duration of their service. This change directly affects all 23 Wyoming judicial districts' prosecuting attorneys, mandating ongoing compliance with bar membership rules.
HB 15 clarifies that county commissioners cannot dissolve archaeological, geological, and historical museum boards under general authority to dissolve county-created boards. The bill amends Wyoming law (W.S. 18-3-525) to explicitly exclude these specific museum boards from the dissolution authority previously applied to other county boards. This change directly affects county commissioners and the boards of those three types of museums by preventing unilateral dissolution without separate legal authority. The bill takes effect immediately upon becoming law, as specified in its text.
