Wyoming's SF 77 reduces the residency requirement for filing a name change petition. It changes the rule from requiring 2 years of county residency to just 60 days immediately before filing. This directly affects individuals seeking to legally change their names in Wyoming county courts. The bill amends Wyoming Statute 1-25-102 and takes effect immediately upon becoming law. The change simplifies the process for residents who have lived in a county for a shorter period.
SF 48 authorizes $400,000 from Wyoming's Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust Income Account to fund five specific conservation projects in 2022. The bill directly affects five project sponsors: Crook County Conservation District (forest health), Wyoming DOT (deer crossings), Green River Greenbelt Task Force (wetlands), Wyoming Game and Fish (aspen restoration), and Trout Unlimited (fish passage). Key mechanisms include setting conditions for funding, requiring recipient certifications, and specifying that grants cover portions of each project's total budget (ranging from $350,000 to $1.385 million). These projects aim to improve wildlife habitats, reduce wildfire risks, prevent vehicle collisions, and enhance water systems across Crook, Weston, Johnson, Sweetwater, and Fremont counties. The bill repeals prior statutes for completed projects and sets an effective date for implementation.
SF 92 authorizes Wyoming's Department of Transportation to renew or extend the validity of driver's licenses and ID cards for government employees required to work outside Wyoming (including federal, state, or local government roles), active-duty military members, and their spouses or dependent children living with them. The department can extend these licenses for up to five years at a time, subject to its established terms and conditions. This change specifically helps individuals who cannot renew licenses in Wyoming due to work or military service commitments. It does not alter standard renewal requirements for other license holders.
This bill removes the December 31, 2022 expiration date for certifications allowing businesses to operate greater sage grouse game bird farms in Wyoming. It directly affects owners of these farms by making their certifications permanent, eliminating the need for renewal. The bill maintains existing rules requiring forfeiting birds if certification is revoked and prohibits reimbursement claims for birds held at expiration (which no longer occurs under this change). The policy change became effective July 1, 2022.
Wyoming's SF 40 authorizes the military department to access criminal history records for specific purposes, directly affecting prospective employees, volunteers, and active-duty or Wyoming National Guard military members. The bill requires these individuals to undergo fingerprinting as a condition for employment, training, deployment, mobilization, or security clearance decisions. It specifies that criminal history information may only be disclosed when required by the military department for those defined purposes. The law became effective July 1, 2022, and amends existing statutes to clarify these procedures.
This bill amends Wyoming's local government self-insurance program to clarify liability payment limits for claims against participating local governments and their employees. It sets a $1 million cap for claims under W.S. 1-39-110(b) (related to healthcare provider liability) and a $500,000 cap for other claims under the Wyoming Governmental Claims Act, with local governments responsible for costs exceeding these amounts. The changes apply to all claims occurring on or after July 1, 2022, directly affecting local governments and their public employees (excluding peace officers) facing lawsuits. The bill streamlines payment rules without altering the program's core structure.
Wyoming's SF 3 increases the emergency response fee for transporting radioactive materials from $200 to $450 per package moved through the state. This directly affects commercial transporters of radioactive materials who must pay the fee when obtaining a state permit. The bill requires the Department of Transportation to collect the fee, deposit it into a dedicated account, and use the funds solely for training and conducting emergency response procedures related to radioactive material transport. The fee increase and dedicated funding mechanism aim to cover costs associated with emergency preparedness for this specific transportation activity.
Wyoming's SF 82 allocates tens of millions of dollars from the state general fund to specific water development projects and accounts. It transfers $7 million to Water Development Account II, appropriates $25 million for Fontenelle reservoir storage capacity, $21.8 million for Goshen irrigation tunnels, $30 million for LaPrele dam rehabilitation, and smaller amounts for groundwater studies and contingency funds. The bill requires legislative approval before spending on certain projects and specifies that unspent funds must revert to the relevant water development accounts by 2026-2032. These funds directly support water infrastructure projects serving agricultural districts, reservoir operations, and groundwater exploration programs across Wyoming. The bill updates existing funding rules to ensure transparency and accountability in water development spending.
This Wyoming bill (SF 73) creates a dedicated "institutional land revenue fund" to manage money from sales or leases of state-owned land used by institutions like universities or hospitals, where no other law specifies how to handle the funds. It requires funds to stay separate by department (not mixed together), tracks them via the state auditor, and limits spending to maintenance, construction, or administrative costs for the specific institution that generated the revenue. The legislature must approve any spending from the fund, and investment earnings must go to the general state fund. The bill codifies an existing practice into law and repeals a prior statute.
This bill exempts certain after-school programs in Wyoming from requiring full child care facility certification. It applies to programs operating primarily when school is out (before/after school, summer), exclusively serving school-aged children, and focused on educational/recreational activities - while still following local health and safety codes. The exemption became effective July 1, 2022, and directly affects qualifying after-school programs that meet all four specified criteria. It simplifies regulatory requirements for these specific programs without altering broader child care standards.
Wyoming's SF 101 expands access to emergency treatments for severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) and opioid overdoses. It allows healthcare providers to prescribe epinephrine auto-injectors (like EpiPens) and opioid antagonists (such as naloxone) without a direct patient relationship, specifically enabling standing orders for schools, universities, and other organizations. The bill requires organizations to create treatment policies, train staff, and report incidents to the health department, while granting immunity from liability for good-faith administration. It directly affects staff in educational institutions and public settings who may encounter these medical emergencies. The law applies to all Wyoming community colleges and the University of Wyoming, as clarified in the bill.
This bill authorizes additional district court judges in Wyoming's 3rd, 6th, and 7th judicial districts. It provides $1.1176 million for the 3rd and 7th districts (2022-2024 biennium) to cover salaries, equipment, and facilities for new judges, including courtrooms for 12-person juries. The 6th district's additional judge position requires prior certification of completed facilities and legislative action. These changes directly affect court operations in Sweetwater County (3rd district), the 7th district, and the 6th district once conditions are met. The bill focuses on staffing and resource allocation for district courts, not substantive legal changes.
