HB 56 requires special districts (like recreation boards) and certain other local entities in Wyoming to submit annual financial reports to the state audit department by September 30 each year. The law establishes different oversight levels based on an entity's annual revenue or spending, and allows the audit department to accept reports from certified public accountants. Entities failing to file reports face consequences including public notices, cost assessments by counties, and potential dissolution by county commissioners. This applies to recreation districts, counties, cities/towns under 4,000 population, and other entities specified in Wyoming law.
HB 55 exempts airports in Wyoming counties outside incorporated cities or towns from a rule limiting retail liquor licenses within five miles of city limits. Normally, such counties could issue no more than three retail liquor licenses in that 5-mile zone, but airports are now allowed to operate liquor sales without counting toward that cap. The bill directly affects airports seeking liquor licenses in rural or unincorporated areas, removing a barrier to serving alcohol on-site. It became effective July 1, 2022, and makes no other changes to liquor licensing rules.
HB 53 establishes a formal process for Wyoming National Guard members and military department employees to report discrimination or harassment. It requires the Wyoming Military Department and the Department of Workforce Services to coordinate on counseling, mediation, and investigations for such claims, aligning with federal anti-discrimination laws. The bill appropriates $201,188 for the Department of Workforce Services to implement this program, including authorizing one full-time position through 2024. This directly affects military personnel and employees who can now file formal complaints under this new system.
HB 49 requires organizations spending over $1,000 on political activities to file a "statement of formation" detailing their name, addresses, formation date, and purpose. This applies to groups making independent expenditures (like ads supporting/opposing candidates) or electioneering communications (ads targeting voters within specific timeframes before elections). Organizations must file within 10 days of spending funds for these activities, or within 24 hours if acting last-minute before an election. The bill also increases penalties for failing to file and adds a perjury penalty for false statements. This directly affects political groups, nonprofits, and advocacy organizations operating in Wyoming elections.
HB 72 allows unsuccessful hunting license applicants in Wyoming to choose whether to donate a portion of their refund to specific wildlife funds. Applicants can elect at the time of application to have their refund deposited into either the Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust Income Account or the Game and Fish Access Account. The bill requires the department to provide this option on the application form and specifies that administrative costs for these donations will be covered by the trust account. This policy change directly affects hunters who apply for licenses but do not receive them, offering them a voluntary contribution mechanism for conservation funding. The bill became effective July 1, 2022.
HB 71 amends Wyoming law to increase penalties for driving with a suspended, revoked, or canceled license by including violations of similar laws in other states as "subsequent" offenses. It directly affects drivers who operate vehicles while their license is suspended, particularly those with prior suspensions in other jurisdictions. The key provision requires a minimum 7-day jail sentence (instead of probation) and a $200-$750 fine for such violations, with no eligibility for early release. This change expands the scope of prior offenses considered for enhanced penalties beyond Wyoming's own laws. The bill became effective July 1, 2022.
HB 73 allocates $5.2 million for water planning studies across Wyoming, including $1.1 million for Level I reconnaissance studies (like the Clarks Fork Watershed Study in Park County) and $3.4 million for Level II feasibility studies (such as the Fontenelle Reservoir Storage project in Lincoln County). The bill allows unused funds to be redirected to other listed projects with committee approval, requires reports to the legislature before the 2024 session, and sets July 1, 2025, as the deadline for fund expiration. It directly affects the Water Development Commission, local counties involved in projects, and the Office of Water Programs (which receives $175,000 for operations). The bill focuses on funding specific water infrastructure planning, not implementation or policy changes.
HB 92 would ban most abortions in Wyoming, allowing them only when necessary to prevent a serious risk of death or permanent injury to the mother (excluding psychological conditions). The law would take effect five days after Wyoming's Attorney General certifies that the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in a way that allows this ban to be enforced - specifically, after the Court overruled *Roe v. Wade* or issued a final decision enabling such restrictions. It also prohibits using state funds for abortions except under the same limited circumstances. The bill remains inactive until the Attorney General's certification, with no immediate effect.
This Wyoming bill (SF 10) clarifies coordination for predator control services to protect livestock, crops, and human health. It requires the Department of Agriculture to coordinate efforts and allows local predator management boards to directly contract with counties, federal agencies, or other entities for control services - removing previous barriers to direct agreements. Key provisions streamline how ranchers and farmers affected by predators (like coyotes harming livestock) access control programs. The law becomes effective July 1, 2022, focusing on operational efficiency without altering funding or new requirements.
HB 107 amends Wyoming's water pollution control and drinking water revolving loan accounts to adjust funding sources and reimbursement rules. It specifies that state matching funds for federal loans can now come from the corrective action account, mineral royalty capital construction account, or water development accounts, with required reimbursement from program funds. The bill authorizes the state loan board to make grants and set-asides, and clarifies how funds flow between accounts. These changes directly affect state agencies managing water infrastructure financing, such as the Department of Environmental Quality, but do not alter project eligibility or funding amounts for municipalities. The bill focuses on procedural adjustments to existing revolving loan programs.
This bill (SF 18) changes how Wyoming counties manage road construction and maintenance funds. It raises the competitive bidding threshold for road work from $50,000 to $75,000, meaning smaller projects no longer require public bidding. The bill also updates committee membership rules for the Wyoming County Road Standards Committee and requires counties to notify the legislature of fund misuse. Additionally, it limits annual spending on motor graders to $100,000 from road funds. These changes directly affect county governments managing road budgets and their contractors.
HB 89 amends Wyoming law to strengthen enforcement of unpaid mineral production taxes. It allows the Oil and Gas Conservation Commission to order wells to be plugged or halt production if a mineral producer owes over $2 million in ad valorem taxes that are more than 90 days overdue. Once taxes are paid, the commission must lift these restrictions. The bill directly affects mineral producers with significant delinquent tax payments and takes effect July 1, 2022.
