This Wyoming bill requires law enforcement to preserve biological evidence from sexual assault cases for up to 50 years or until all applicable legal deadlines pass, whichever comes first. It also mandates that evidence from violent crime convictions be kept for five years or until the convicted person's release, whichever is longer, with a 180-day notice period before disposal allowing incarcerated individuals to request DNA testing. The law directly affects law enforcement agencies (who must implement preservation), convicted individuals (who may seek DNA testing), and sexual assault victims (whose evidence remains available). Key provisions include requiring agencies to save representative portions of evidence for future DNA analysis before disposal and ensuring compatibility with state DNA databases. The bill does not change current practices for non-sexual assault evidence.
HB 161 requires financial institutions to provide a separate written disclosure to guarantors or co-signers when a loan involves property as collateral. This disclosure must clearly state that agreeing to guarantee or co-sign a loan does not grant any ownership rights or interest in the property securing the loan. The bill directly affects individuals who co-sign or guarantee loans for property purchases or collateralized loans, ensuring they understand their limited legal position. It does not change existing property rights but mandates transparency about the lack of ownership interests from co-signing. The law takes effect July 1, 2023.
This Wyoming joint resolution requests Congress to change federal policy by allowing the slaughter and processing of wild horses and burros for meat sale, both domestically and internationally. It specifically asks for legislation to remove the current funding ban that prevents USDA meat inspection for equine slaughter facilities, which has been in place since 2007. The resolution argues that current management is unsustainable, citing the Bureau of Land Management's $77.7 million annual cost for holding excess animals and the inability to control rapidly growing populations. The bill seeks to enable a new management tool - facilitating meat sales - to address overpopulation and reduce costs, as federal agencies struggle to maintain balanced wild horse and burro populations on public lands.
Wyoming's HB 154 creates a permanent vehicle registration option for non-commercial vehicles that are 11 years old or older. Owners pay a one-time fee (including an $87.50 state administration charge plus five times the standard annual registration fee) instead of renewing annually. The permanent registration cannot be transferred to a new owner; if sold, the new owner must pay full standard registration fees. This change took effect July 1, 2023, and applies only to qualifying non-commercial vehicles.
Wyoming's SF 134 requires sellers of vacant or subdivided land (under 140 acres) to provide written disclosure to prospective buyers about farm and ranch operations within one mile of the property. The disclosure notice explains that normal agricultural activities - like noise, odors, machinery use, and pesticide application - may occur at any time and are protected under Wyoming's Right to Farm law (11-44-101-104). It clarifies buyers cannot seek legal remedies for these standard practices if conducted properly. The bill directly affects rural homebuyers and sellers in areas near active farms, with the requirement taking effect July 1, 2023.
HB 73 requires two-thirds of landowners owning a majority of the land (excluding public streets and tax-exempt property) in an area seeking annexation to provide written approval before a city or town can proceed. This applies to all annexation proposals initiated on or after July 1, 2023, and modifies notice requirements to include details about infrastructure costs and public hearings. The bill directly affects landowners in proposed annexation zones by adding a mandatory approval step, replacing the previous process. It does not change annexation eligibility criteria but adds a new landowner consent requirement before a city can move forward.
HB 98 creates a new property tax exemption for Wyoming homeowners who live in their primary residence. It allows eligible owners to reduce their taxable property value by up to $50,000 (capped at 25% of the home's total fair market value), directly lowering their annual property tax bill. To qualify, residents must have lived in Wyoming for at least five years and in the home for six months prior to claiming the exemption, with an annual claim required by May 4th. False claims carry penalties under existing law, and counties will receive redistributed funds from the state's legislative stabilization reserve to offset revenue losses from the exemption. The bill takes effect July 1, 2023.
This bill requires Wyoming school districts to separately account for and spend all funds allocated for teachers under the education resource block grant model exclusively on teacher salaries, health insurance, and benefits starting in the 2023-2024 school year. It exempts charter schools, certain alternative schools, and very small districts (under 49 students or 243 total students). School districts must report annual spending data to the Department of Education, which then reports to the education committee by October 1 each year. The bill also mandates a study by June 2024 to refine how these funds are allocated.
This bill reduces Wyoming's maximum unemployment benefit period from 26 weeks to 13 weeks for claims filed on or after July 1, 2023. It directly affects workers who file for unemployment benefits after that date, limiting their total benefit duration. Key provisions amend sections of the unemployment law to change the maximum payment calculation (from 26 to 13 weeks) and update the commission name to "unemployment re-employment insurance commission." The law takes effect July 1, 2023, with no retroactive application.
HB 90 amends Wyoming's sex offender registration law to prohibit certain offenders from petitioning for relief from registration requirements. It removes the ability for individuals convicted of specific offenses (including those under W.S. 6-2-302, 6-2-303, 6-2-314, or 6-2-315) to petition for relief after 10 years of registration. For other offenders, it increases the required registration period from 10 to 25 years before petitioning is allowed. The bill directly affects sex offenders who previously could seek relief after a decade of compliance but now face permanent registration requirements for certain offenses.
HB 94 requires that any person appointed to Wyoming's state board of parole must have lived in Wyoming for at least one year before their appointment and must continue residing in the state throughout their entire six-year term. This rule applies to all members appointed or reappointed on or after July 1, 2023, directly affecting the governor (who appoints members), the state senate (which provides advice and consent), and potential parole board members. The bill amends existing law to add this residency requirement, ensuring board members maintain a connection to Wyoming during their service. It takes effect on July 1, 2023, with no changes to other existing board appointment rules.
HB 25 (School capital construction-transfers and distributions) directs state funds to support school infrastructure. It requires annual transfers from two existing accounts - the school major maintenance subaccount and the school lands mineral royalties account - to the school capital construction account starting July 1, 2024. These transfers, managed by the state auditor to optimize cash flow, will fund school building repairs and construction projects. The bill directly affects Wyoming public schools by channeling dedicated funds for capital improvements.
