HB 63 updates salary structures for Wyoming's district attorneys and county/prosecuting attorneys. Starting in 2023, district attorneys will earn the same as district court judges, while county attorneys must receive at least $35,000 annually but no more than the district court judge's salary. The bill also increases state funding for county attorneys, covering up to $50,000 per year (or 50% of salary, whichever is less) for the main attorney and $30,000 for each assistant. These changes take effect July 1, 2022, with the new salary levels applying from January 2, 2023.
HB 96 increases the annual salaries for five Wyoming state elected officials following the 2022 general election. The governor's salary rises from $105,000 to $140,000, while the secretary of state, state auditor, state treasurer, and superintendent of public instruction each see their salaries increase from $92,000 to $125,000. The bill also establishes a process for future cost-of-living adjustments to these salaries, tied to budget appropriations and requiring specific footnote disclosures in budget bills. These changes took effect July 1, 2022, with funding allocated for the 2023-2024 fiscal period.
2022/Summaries/HB0100.pdf
Wyoming's HB 2 requires landowners subdividing property to provide specific documentation about water rights before subdivision approval. It mandates written proof from the state engineer or board regarding water rights abandonment, transfer to municipal systems, redistribution within the subdivision, or legal detachment. The bill also requires notice to other water users, review by irrigation districts or water conveyance systems, and clear disclaimers about riparian rights on property offers. This directly affects developers, landowners, and local governments handling land subdivisions in Wyoming. The law aims to clarify water rights management during land division while ensuring compliance with existing water regulations.
SF 9 authorizes Wyoming's Business Council to issue revenue bonds up to $50 million per project to fund agricultural processing facilities. These bonds finance projects for international, in-state, and interstate sales of agricultural products, directly affecting farmers and processors seeking capital for new or expanded facilities. Key provisions include securing bonds solely through project revenues (not state funds), tax-exempt status for the bonds, and requiring the council to consult industry groups annually. The bill creates a dedicated funding mechanism for agricultural infrastructure without increasing general state debt.
This bill exempts emergency wildfire suppression activities from Wyoming's Underground Facilities Notification Act, which normally requires utility companies to notify before digging. It directly affects utility workers and emergency responders who need to quickly access underground infrastructure during wildfires. The key provision adds a specific exemption (subsection (k)) to the existing law, removing the notification requirement for wildfire suppression efforts. The exemption took effect on July 1, 2022.
HB 136 clarifies that applicants seeking underground water rights must prove their case in contested hearings, shifting the burden of proof from the state engineer to the applicant. It requires applicants to demonstrate four specific conditions: unappropriated water availability, adequate diversion methods, compliance with well spacing rules, and non-detriment to public interest. This bill directly affects individuals or entities applying for or amending underground water rights in Wyoming, such as agricultural users or land developers. The law applies to all such applications filed on or after July 1, 2022, and modifies existing water rights procedures under Wyoming Statute 41-3-932.
HB 105 reduces Wyoming's severance tax rate for surface coal mining from 7% to 6.5% by lowering the statutory tax portion from 5.5% to 5%, while maintaining the constitutional 1.5% rate. This change directly affects surface coal mining companies operating in Wyoming, reducing their tax burden on coal extracted from the surface. The bill updates tax distribution rules to reflect the new rate, with the constitutional portion (1.5%) continuing to fund Wyoming's permanent mineral trust fund. The reduced rate applies to surface coal produced on or after July 1, 2022.
Wyoming's HB 131 amends laws governing nuclear power facilities, primarily affecting operators of advanced nuclear reactors and waste storage sites. It requires operators to submit detailed pre-construction reports to the state department, including projected job creation, local/state tax revenue, and community impacts from construction, operation, and decommissioning. The bill updates definitions to include "advanced nuclear reactors" (replacing "small modular" terminology), mandates compliance with federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission rules for waste storage, and exempts these reactors from certain utility purchase requirements. These provisions aim to align state regulations with federal oversight while requiring transparency about economic and community effects.
The Second Amendment Protection Act prohibits Wyoming state and local officials from using state funds or personnel to enforce any federal gun regulations that conflict with the Second Amendment. It specifically bans state resources from being used to carry out federal laws, rules, or regulations that the state deems to infringe on the right to keep and bear arms. Public servants who violate this prohibition face penalties under existing state law. The bill took effect on July 1, 2022, and applies directly to Wyoming's government entities and officials.
This Wyoming bill (SF 100) amends the state's stalking law to explicitly prohibit using electronic devices to surveil others without permission. It directly affects individuals who might use GPS, digital tools, or internet tracking to monitor someone's location or online activity without their authorization. The key provision adds a new section banning unauthorized surveillance via electronic devices, including tracking internet/wireless activity, to the existing stalking statute. The law became effective July 1, 2022.
This bill establishes Wyoming's "seal of biliteracy" and "advanced distinction seal of biliteracy" for high school graduates. It allows school districts to award these seals to students who demonstrate proficiency in English plus one or more world languages (including American Sign Language, classical languages, and indigenous languages). The state superintendent designs the program, sets assessment standards, and requires districts to report annually on the number of seals issued, languages used, and seal types. The program applies to all Wyoming high school students meeting the proficiency criteria, with implementation beginning July 1, 2022.
