HB 8 authorizes Wyoming's Department of Health to create a supplemental payment program for psychiatric residential treatment facilities (PRTFs) enrolled in state Medicaid. The program uses existing state funds from the Private Hospital Assessment Act to secure federal matching funds, aiming to increase payments to these facilities. It appropriates $3.85 million in state funds and $3.85 million in federal funds for the 2023-2024 fiscal year, with strict rules requiring unspent funds to revert by June 30, 2024. The bill does not alter Medicaid eligibility but modifies how payments are structured for PRTFs.
HB 275 creates a new tax on electricity used to power electric vehicles (EVs) in Wyoming, measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh), and increases annual registration fees for all-electric vehicles while adding a new fee for plug-in hybrid vehicles. The bill directly affects EV owners and commercial charging facilities, requiring the Department of Transportation to collect these taxes and fees to fund highway maintenance. Key provisions include defining terms like "all-electric vehicle" and "electric vehicle energy," establishing reporting requirements for electricity providers, and allowing cooperative agreements with other states for tax administration. The bill does not change road usage taxes for conventional vehicles but aims to adjust funding mechanisms to account for EVs' reduced fuel tax contributions.
This constitutional amendment shifts responsibility for school facility construction from the state to local school districts, requiring districts to secure voter approval for capital projects via bonds or other means. The state would provide mandatory equalization funding to ensure no district's local property tax burden exceeds what a statewide average would require, calculated using per-person assessed valuation. It also allows optional state funds to address financial hardships for districts pursuing capital projects. The amendment directly affects school districts (as primary builders) and the state (as funder of equalization).
SF 124, a proposed Wyoming bill, restricts foreign governments and businesses from purchasing or owning agricultural land in the state. It prohibits new foreign ownership after July 1, 2023, requires existing foreign-owned land to be registered with the secretary of state, and mandates selling or converting the land within two years if ownership becomes foreign. Violations could trigger daily civil penalties up to $5,000. The bill directly affects foreign-owned companies, governments, or their agents seeking to hold Wyoming farmland, with exceptions for land owned as of July 1, 2023.
HB 257 requires written consent from surface landowners (who are not the mining operator or mineral owner) before any revisions to mining permits or reclamation plans can be approved by Wyoming's environmental agencies. The bill specifically applies to all mining permits except surface coal mining permits and affects landowners who lease or own land where mining occurs but do not operate the mine. Key provisions mandate that operators must obtain this written landowner approval for any permit or reclamation plan changes, including boundary adjustments or operational modifications. The law became effective July 1, 2023, for all applications submitted after that date.
HB 233 allows emergency medical services providers to transport and treat injured police dogs during emergencies when no human patients require immediate ambulance transport. The bill specifies that providers may administer care like controlling bleeding, opening airways, or giving oxygen, and requires a law enforcement officer to accompany the dog during transport. It also grants immunity to EMS providers who act in good faith to aid police dogs, protecting them from civil liability for such actions. The law applies to police dogs owned or employed by law enforcement or corrections agencies (including search and rescue and fire dogs) and takes effect July 1, 2023.
Wyoming's HB 120 prohibits police from asking drivers or passengers to exit a vehicle during a traffic stop unless they have reasonable suspicion of a serious crime (punishable by jail), a search warrant, notification of an out-of-state crime, or immediate danger of bodily harm. The law directly affects drivers, passengers, and law enforcement officers during routine traffic stops. If officers violate this rule, any evidence found as a result cannot be used in court. The bill, which died in committee in 2023, would have taken effect July 1, 2023.
HB 243 simplifies how creditors (like banks) establish legal claims on vehicles financed through loans. It removes the requirement to use a security agreement to "perfect" (officially record) a security interest, instead allowing a financing statement or a new "transitional ownership document" to be submitted to the county clerk. This affects creditors and vehicle owners involved in secured loans, making the process faster and less paperwork-heavy. The bill, which died in committee in 2023, would have required filing the actual title within 90 days of using the transitional document to maintain validity.
HB 143 prohibits the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) from having jurisdiction in Wyoming. It explicitly states that requirements, mandates, or guidance from these organizations - such as mask, vaccine, or testing rules - cannot be enforced in the state or used to justify such mandates. The law takes effect July 1, 2023, and directly affects Wyoming residents and state/local authorities by blocking the use of federal or international health directives for public health enforcement. The bill creates a new statutory provision (W.S. 35-4-1001) to nullify CDC and WHO mandates within Wyoming's borders.
The Grace Smith Medical Freedom Act requires Wyoming health officials to grant waivers for K-12 students to skip school immunization requirements and mask mandates upon written request by a parent, guardian, or authorized adult. For immunizations, waivers must be approved within seven business days for religious or medical reasons (consistent with existing law), while mask mandate waivers must be granted within the same timeframe for any written request. The law applies to all public and private K-12 schools in Wyoming and becomes effective immediately upon enactment.
Wyoming's HB 210 creates a "restricted financial institution list" for banks that discriminate against energy companies without a valid business reason. It requires the state treasurer to maintain this list after board approval, providing 45 days' notice to institutions before listing them and allowing removal if they stop discriminatory practices. The state must then refuse to enter into banking contracts with institutions on the list, affecting state and local government financial relationships. This bill directly impacts financial institutions that target fossil fuel companies, with definitions clarifying "discrimination" includes refusing service based on energy sector activities. The policy change focuses on state contracting practices, not altering banking regulations for institutions.
This bill (SF 30) clarifies that beekeeping (apiculture) is explicitly considered an "agricultural purpose" for Wyoming property tax classification. It directly affects landowners and beekeepers who use land for beekeeping operations, ensuring such land qualifies for agricultural tax treatment. The bill amends Wyoming's tax code by adding "apiculture" to the list of defined agricultural land uses under Section 39-13-101. This change took effect July 1, 2023, aligning tax treatment with the agricultural use of beekeeping.
