HB 7 imposes a $0.04 per kilowatt-hour tax on electricity used to charge all-electric vehicles at DC fast charging stations and creates annual decal fees: $200 for all-electric vehicles and $100 for plug-in hybrid vehicles. The bill directly affects EV owners (through registration fees) and charging station operators (through the per-kWh tax). Key mechanisms include defining "all-electric vehicle" and "electricity gallon equivalent" for tax calculations, requiring suppliers to report and remit taxes monthly based on electricity used for vehicle charging, and repealing outdated provisions. The tax applies specifically to electricity used for propulsion, not general electricity consumption.
SF 48 requires Wyoming's state superintendent to develop model policies for school discipline, including student suspensions and expulsions, by July 1, 2023. These model policies must include best practices under existing law (W.S. 21-4-305 and 21-4-306) and focus on maximizing student retention and academic success. School districts are not required to adopt any part of these model policies. The superintendent must report the finalized models to the education committee by the same deadline.
Wyoming's SF 51 modifies how school funding is adjusted for regional cost differences. The bill requires school districts to use Wyoming's cost-of-living index (instead of the hedonic wage index) when calculating regional cost adjustments for the education resource block grant model, with a minimum index value of 100. This change directly affects all public school districts in Wyoming by altering how their state funding is calculated based on local cost of living. The adjustment method applies to district salary calculations for all school and district staff categories, effective July 1, 2023.
HB 208 allows Wyoming's school foundation program reserve account to be invested in stocks and other equities, previously restricted to other investments. It changes the rule so that investment earnings from these accounts are deposited back into the reserve account itself, rather than the general state fund. This directly affects Wyoming's K-12 school funding system by potentially growing the reserve through market investments. The bill takes effect July 1, 2023, and requires investments to follow state investment laws focused on safety, liquidity, and balanced returns.
SF 72 prohibits Wyoming employers from requiring or pressuring employees to get microchips implanted in their bodies, including during hiring, and bans punishing employees who refuse. It also bans employers from creating hostile work environments or denying promotions, raises, or job security based on refusal to consent to voluntary implants. For voluntary microchips, employers must obtain written consent, cover all costs (including removal), disclose data usage, and remove chips within 30 days of termination. The law takes effect July 1, 2023, and applies to all employers and employees in Wyoming.
SF 107 establishes rules for Wyoming's Board of Land Commissioners to buy, sell, or exchange state trust lands. It limits net land increases to 10,000 acres above the 1999 total, requires balancing land distribution between counties as of 1999, and allows temporary exceptions with a 24-month correction period. The bill specifically enables farm loans for purchasing small "isolated parcels" (80 acres or less) that are surrounded by non-state land with no access. This directly affects landowners seeking to buy these parcels and the state's management of trust lands held for beneficiaries like schools and public institutions.
This bill requires Wyoming's state treasurer to accept gold or silver coins (called "specie") as legal payment for state and local taxes, subject to authentication. It mandates the treasurer to set and publish real-time exchange rates between precious metal coins and regular currency, and to exchange these coins for other legal tender. The treasurer must also hold and potentially invest in precious metals, with rulemaking authority to implement these changes. This directly affects taxpayers who pay with coins and the treasurer's office, which gains new duties under the Wyoming Legal Tender Act.
SF 181 amends Wyoming's drug-induced homicide law to specifically criminalize unlawfully delivering certain drugs that cause a death. It targets two scenarios: (1) delivering any controlled substance to a minor (who is at least four years younger) resulting in the minor's death, and (2) unlawfully delivering fentanyl, heroin, or methamphetamine to any person causing their death. The law imposes criminal penalties for these acts, defining them as drug-induced homicide under Wyoming statute. This law took effect July 1, 2023, directly affecting individuals who unlawfully provide these drugs when a death occurs.
Wyoming's SF 144 prohibits physicians and health care providers from performing or prescribing certain medical procedures related to gender transition for children under 18. The bill bans surgeries like hysterectomy or orchiectomy, mastectomies, and specific drugs that suppress puberty or alter hormone levels, with an exception for children with certain genetic disorders of sex development. It also prohibits health insurance from covering these procedures for minors and states that violating this law can lead to license suspension or revocation for medical professionals. The law applies to insurance policies issued after July 1, 2023, and takes effect on that date for medical procedures.
HB 190 creates a select committee to coordinate Wyoming's energy and industrial development projects, directly affecting state government (legislature and governor) and future project developers seeking state support. The bill establishes a committee with 6 members (3 from each chamber, including committee chairs) to review project proposals and task force recommendations, requiring a November 2023 report to relevant committees. Key provisions include authorizing task forces to study specific projects like natural gas export facilities, manufacturing plants, and market access strategies for Wyoming's energy resources. The committee may also draft new legislation to advance these projects, focusing on maximizing public benefits through coordinated state efforts.
This bill appropriates $10 million from Wyoming's general fund to the Department of Transportation for school crosswalk improvements and pedestrian bridge projects on state highways and local roads (cities, towns, counties) through June 2028. It requires funds to be used only for specific locations: crosswalks in school zones with reduced speed limits, adjacent to school facilities, or identified in local transportation plans, with improvements covering signage, signals, lighting, or new pedestrian bridges/underpasses. Priority for funding is given to crosswalks where fatalities or injuries occurred within the past two years, followed by other identified needs. Projects must be completed by June 30, 2028, with no more than 2% of funds allowed for administrative costs.
This bill amends Wyoming's Safe School and Climate Act to clarify and update school district requirements for addressing bullying. It requires all public school districts (K-12) to adopt policies prohibiting harassment, intimidation, or bullying by students, staff, or volunteers, including specific provisions for anonymous reporting procedures and consequences. The bill mandates that districts involve parents, students, and staff in policy development, incorporate the policy into staff training, and provide annual reviews. The Department of Education must create model policies and offer training to support districts, with the law effective July 1, 2023.
