Wyoming's SF 35 exempts the retail sale of electricity for charging electric vehicles from standard public utility regulations. The bill amends the state's utility law to explicitly exclude this type of electricity sale (by non-utility businesses) from being classified as a "public utility." This change clarifies that businesses operating EV charging stations are not subject to utility oversight, streamlining their operations under existing law.
Wyoming's HB 64 clarifies that dealers' theft protection programs (like those covering stolen vehicles) are **not** considered insurance or service contracts under state law. The bill specifically excludes these programs from insurance regulations and defines "service contracts" to include only repair/maintenance agreements for vehicle issues (e.g., tire damage from potholes or windshield chips), not theft-related coverage. It directly affects vehicle owners who purchase such theft protection add-ons, ensuring they aren’t subject to insurance licensing rules. Key mechanisms include new definitions for terms like "incidental theft protection program payment" and explicit exemptions for tire/lease-related service contracts. The law took effect July 1, 2022.
Wyoming's Tomorrow Scholarship Program provides need-based financial aid to students attending the University of Wyoming or Wyoming community colleges. It covers unmet financial need (cost of attendance minus other aid like federal grants) for eligible students who meet income and residency requirements. The program is funded through a permanent endowment fund, with annual scholarship spending limited to 2.5% of the fund's value in the first year and 5% in subsequent years. This ensures sustainable support while requiring annual reports on fund usage and scholarship distribution.
SF 19 creates a voluntary program allowing Wyoming counties to offer property tax refunds to qualifying homeowners. To qualify, applicants must have lived in Wyoming for at least five years, occupied their primary residence for over nine months in the previous year, and meet county-set income limits (capped at 75% of the county's median household income) and asset limits. Refunds are capped at 50% of the applicant's prior year's property tax or the county's median residential property tax, whichever is lower, and must be issued by September 30. Counties choosing to implement the program fund it through their own revenues and must publicize eligibility requirements annually.
HB 117 creates Wyoming's participation in an occupational therapy licensure compact, allowing licensed occupational therapists and assistants from participating states to practice in Wyoming without obtaining a separate Wyoming license. This directly affects licensed therapists seeking to work across state lines, military spouses relocating with service members, and patients needing therapy in different states. The bill establishes mutual recognition of licenses between member states, requires practice to follow the regulations of the state where the patient is located, and includes provisions for sharing disciplinary information and handling adverse actions. It preserves each state's authority to license practitioners while aiming to improve access to occupational therapy services.
This bill corrects a drafting error in Wyoming's 2021 gaming legislation that accidentally repealed the entire 2020 gaming law instead of just one section. It amends Section 6 of the 2021 law to specify that only Section 1 of the 2020 law is repealed, clarifying the legislature's original intent. Additionally, it retroactively ratifies retirement system participation for Wyoming Gaming Commission law enforcement officers from April 5, 2021, to the bill's effective date. The bill does not create new policies but fixes a technical error in existing law.
This bill, SF 11, directs the Wyoming State Historian to deliver one original Wyoming state flag to the heirs of Mrs. Verna Keyes, who designed the state flag in 1917. It corrects a historical oversight by fulfilling her request that the flag remain in her family's possession, with the condition it may only be publicly displayed if donated to a Wyoming government building. The bill amends a 1945 law to formalize this transfer and requires the Historian to provide a copy of the act to the heirs. It became effective July 1, 2022, and has no broader policy impact beyond this specific flag delivery.
SF 43 adjusts the timing for community college district board elections in Wyoming, requiring the first regular election to occur in May during the first fiscal year a special mill tax is levied, rather than following a previous schedule. It clarifies that the first election will have four members serving four-year terms and three serving two-year terms, with all subsequent elections held on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November. The bill standardizes election dates and term start dates (beginning December 1) for all community college district boards, affecting how these boards are organized and elected across Wyoming. These changes apply directly to community college districts and their voters, streamlining the election process under state law.
Wyoming's SF 38 revises how mineral producers pay ad valorem taxes (property taxes based on mineral value). It waives monthly payments for small producers whose annual severance tax is under $30,000, allowing them to pay annually instead. For 2020-2021 mineral production, the bill creates a deferred payment plan: taxpayers pay 50% of 2020 taxes by December 2021, then make annual 8% installments starting in 2023 until fully paid, with no penalties for on-time payments. The bill also clarifies reporting deadlines, reconciliation processes, and county tracking for these payments.
SF 49 eliminates several state advisory bodies, including the Palliative Care Advisory Council, Governor's Food Safety Council, State Employee Compensation Commission, and Wyoming Public Television Council. The bill repeals specific sections of Wyoming law that established these entities, removing their legal authority and requiring agencies to cease reporting to them. It also directs that funds previously allocated to these bodies revert to the general state fund. This change simplifies state governance by removing oversight structures and their associated administrative requirements.
This bill creates two dedicated accounts for managing state capital construction funds: the Capitol Square Preservation Account (for maintenance of the capitol building and grounds) and the Capitol Building Rehabilitation Account (for approved restoration projects). It specifies that funds in these accounts must be used only for designated projects, cannot lapse, and unspent amounts must transfer to the preservation account annually. The bill also details specific appropriations for projects like the Camp Guernsey barracks ($6 million each for 2022 and 2023) and the Jackson Outreach Center ($31 million total), with funds coming from state sources, federal ARPA funds, or private contributions. It ensures these capital construction funds are strictly allocated to their intended purposes without general budgeting flexibility.
Wyoming's SF 32 establishes a statewide K-3 reading assessment and intervention program requiring all school districts to screen every student quarterly for dyslexia and reading difficulties using approved tools. It mandates schools to notify parents when students show reading challenges, develop individualized reading plans for struggling students, and provide teachers with annual professional development in evidence-based literacy instruction and dyslexia identification. The law also requires the state superintendent to create rules for approved screening tools, collect statewide reading data to predict third-grade proficiency, and report on professional development spending. The program applies directly to K-3 students, their families, school districts, and K-3 teachers across Wyoming, effective for the 2022-2023 school year.
