HB 18 changes the registration fee for off-road recreational vehicles in Wyoming to match the rate for motorcycles and requires annual registration that expires upon vehicle ownership transfer. It directly affects owners of off-road vehicles defined under Wyoming law (W.S. 31-1-101(a)(xv)(K)(II)). The bill also allows vehicles registered between July 1, 2021, and its effective date to keep their existing registration until ownership changes. The law takes effect immediately upon becoming law, as specified in Section 3.
Wyoming's HB 15 allows local governments (like counties or cities) that own golf courses with liquor licenses to contract out golf course operations to private companies without transferring the liquor license. The bill amends state law to clarify that political subdivisions may subcontract food and beverage services at these courses while retaining their existing liquor licenses, maintaining the limit of two such licenses per local government. This change directly affects local governments operating golf courses with club liquor licenses, ensuring they can partner with private operators without losing their license rights. The law took effect on July 1, 2022.
This Wyoming bill (HB 4) requires water permits for livestock watering on federal grazing allotments to be issued jointly with the federal agency managing the land, rather than solely to individuals. It ties these permits directly to grazing permits, meaning they cannot be changed or transferred without the grazing permit holder's consent. The bill also prevents these permits from being abandoned if nonuse results from federal reductions in grazing capacity or if a rancher voluntarily stops grazing (for up to five years). It applies to ranchers and grazing associations using federal land for livestock and takes effect July 1, 2022, without affecting existing water rights held by federal agencies before that date.
HB 16 expands Wyoming's Military Assistance Trust Fund to cover dependent care costs for Wyoming National Guard members. The bill specifically adds eligible members who need assistance meeting dependent care responsibilities directly tied to their National Guard service, preventing financial hardship that might limit their participation. This new provision (added as subsection (v)) applies to members and their immediate families, as defined in the law. The fund remains a last-resort resource, only to be used when other private or public funds aren't available to address hardship from military duty. The change took effect July 1, 2022.
HB 17 creates grazing-only buffer zones around three specific Wyoming veterans' facilities: the Oregon Trail State Veterans' Cemetery, the Wyoming Veterans' Home, and the Wyoming Veterans' Skilled Nursing Facility. The bill authorizes the state land board to lease adjacent state lands exclusively for grazing, prohibiting other uses like development or recreation. These buffer zones are permanently restricted to grazing purposes as long as the facilities remain operational, with specific land descriptions provided for each location. The law prevents the state from selling or otherwise disposing of these designated lands, ensuring they remain protected for grazing adjacent to the facilities. The bill took effect on July 1, 2022.
HB 39 creates a process allowing applicants with prior criminal convictions to seek a pre-application determination from professional licensing boards before formally applying for a license. The bill permits boards to access criminal history background information for this review and establish a fee to cover administrative costs (capped at actual expenses). This determination is not binding on the licensing board, meaning it does not guarantee license approval. The bill directly affects individuals seeking licenses in professions regulated under Wyoming law, such as healthcare or trades.
This Wyoming bill (HB 33) modifies definitions and delays implementation of community health services redesign for mental health and substance use disorder treatment. It directly affects individuals with mental illness or substance use disorders, including those recently involved with the justice system (e.g., court-ordered treatment), indigent patients without insurance, and families referred for youth mental health crises. Key provisions include amending definitions of "high-risk families," "indigent clients," and "justice-involved" populations, delaying the effective date from 2022 to 2024, and requiring the Department of Health to submit annual progress reports to the legislature. The bill also directs the state to seek federal funding to support infrastructure changes needed for the redesign.
HB 45 creates a voluntary trust fund option for mining operators (coal, bentonite, trona, and uranium) to meet reclamation bonding requirements instead of traditional bonds. Operators can choose to set up a trust managed by the state treasurer, making annual payments of at least 5% of their reclamation obligation until fully funded. If payments are missed, interest earned is forfeited to a state reclamation fund, and trust assets can only be used by the state to cover reclamation costs if the operator fails to comply. The program requires state rulemaking to detail payment terms, investment rules (preserving 100% principal), and fund release procedures after reclamation is complete.
HB 43 modifies Wyoming's hunting license system for grizzly bears, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, wild bison, and moose. It creates a competitive raffle system for issuing licenses (limiting applicants to two licenses per species), removes lifetime restrictions for licenses obtained through this raffle, and adjusts preference point calculations for other license types. The bill directly affects hunters seeking these specific licenses by changing how they can obtain them - through raffles or modified point-based systems - while maintaining existing quotas. It also requires the wildlife commission to establish rules for the new raffle process and effective dates.
Wyoming's HB 52 allows county clerks to prepare and process absentee ballots on the Thursday or Friday before an election, rather than only on election day. It requires clerks to notify the Secretary of State and political parties about the timing and location of this work, while restricting observers to precinct committee members. The bill prohibits releasing or using any absentee ballot results before polls close on election day, and establishes a misdemeanor penalty for violating this rule. These changes aim to streamline ballot processing while maintaining security and transparency in absentee voting procedures.
HB 60 requires public officers (like county and city officials) to complete minimum fiscal training within one year of taking office. It enforces compliance with financial reporting rules by directing state agencies to withhold grants and loans to local governments that fail to file required reports. The state auditor must notify agencies when local entities are noncompliant, triggering automatic withholding of payments until reports are submitted. This directly affects counties, cities, and special districts receiving state funds, with withheld payments held until compliance is verified.
HB 47 creates a system for counties, cities, and towns near new industrial facilities to receive impact assistance payments. The Industrial Siting Council determines payments based on the facility's estimated material costs, with caps of up to 2.76% (lower rates apply for smaller projects under $350 million). Payments stop after 12 months of no construction activity and require counties to maintain specific tax rates (1% property tax or 2% combined sales/use tax). The council distributes funds to affected local governments using a ratio based on unmitigated impacts and community needs.
