This bill amends Wyoming statutes to allow the Wyoming Game and Fish Fund's trust account (created under W.S. 23-1-501(f)) to be invested in the state's "Pool A investment account," alongside other state funds. It directs the Game and Fish Commission to designate monies from the fund for this investment, following existing state investment rules for Pool A. The change affects how the fund's earnings are managed but does not alter the fund's purpose or authorized expenditures for wildlife conservation. The bill was effective July 1, 2022, and has no provisions for new spending or program changes.
This bill amends Wyoming's rules for filling chancery court judge vacancies. It adds special masters and magistrates as eligible temporary appointees (previously only retired district judges could fill vacancies), while maintaining the requirement that temporary assignments follow specific qualifications. Starting January 1, 2024, vacancies will be filled through the standard appointment process under state law (W.S. 5-13-107), replacing prior temporary assignment mechanisms. This directly affects chancery court judgeships, the Wyoming Supreme Court (which makes assignments), and qualified temporary appointees like special masters and magistrates.
This bill requires Wyoming's adjutant general to submit an annual report to the governor and the joint transportation, highways and military affairs committee by October 31 each year. The report must include specific data on military department demographics (such as employee types and gender breakdowns), trends and details of all reported incidents of sexual harassment, discrimination, or assault (while protecting individual privacy), and updates on policies, training, and assessment results related to these issues. It directly affects the Wyoming National Guard and military personnel by mandating transparency in reporting and addressing sensitive workplace incidents. The bill does not create new laws but establishes a formal reporting mechanism to track and improve military department practices. It became effective July 1, 2022.
HJ 1 proposes to amend the Wyoming Constitution by raising the mandatory retirement age for Supreme Court justices and district court judges from 70 to 75 years. It also removes an obsolete exception that previously allowed judges with less than six years of service as of December 12, 1972, to delay retirement. If approved by voters, this change would apply to all future judges and eliminate the historical six-year service requirement. The amendment must be ratified by a majority of voters in the next general election to become part of the Wyoming Constitution.
HB 9 clarifies that the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes can directly participate in Wyoming’s economic development programs without needing separate agreements. The bill amends existing laws (like the Wyoming Business Ready Community Program and Community Facilities Program) to explicitly include tribes as eligible applicants alongside cities, towns, and counties. It defines the "cooperative tribal governing body" as the joint council of these tribes, ensuring tribal participation continues in existing agreements. This change streamlines tribal access to grants and loans for projects like infrastructure, economic development, and community facilities, directly affecting tribal governments and their ability to apply for state funding.
HB 46 amends Wyoming's Partnership Challenge Loan Program to add new financing options for businesses. It creates "succession financing" (up to $500,000) to help businesses with ownership transitions after at least seven years of operation, and establishes "contract financing" (up to $200,000) using business contracts as collateral. The bill increases the bridge financing loan limit from $1 million to $2.5 million (or 50% of project cost, whichever is less) and prohibits new loan guarantees or guarantee participations after July 1, 2022. These changes directly affect Wyoming businesses seeking loans for succession planning, project financing, or contract-based liquidity, while updating program rules and reporting requirements.
SF 23 amends Wyoming’s nursing home administrator licensure laws to enhance oversight and safety standards. It requires criminal background checks for all applicants (via fingerprinting under W.S. 7-19-201), removes the ex officio health director position from the licensing board, and clarifies board membership to include specific professional backgrounds (e.g., licensed nurses, consumer representatives, nursing home operators). The bill authorizes the board to establish continuing education requirements for license renewal and sets July 1, 2022, as the effective date for most provisions. These changes directly affect nursing home administrators seeking or renewing their licenses in Wyoming.
This bill clarifies that Wyoming's Governmental Claims Act applies to government healthcare providers (like contract physicians, nurses, and dentists working in state institutions or county jails) only for claims of medical malpractice, not general negligence. It specifically amends statutes to replace "negligence" with "medical malpractice" in liability standards and ensures volunteer healthcare providers delivering services under state contracts are treated as public employees for liability purposes. The law applies to all cases occurring on or after July 1, 2022, and requires the state to defend providers against malpractice claims when they cooperate with specified procedures. This change narrows the scope of liability for government healthcare providers while maintaining existing claim processes.
SF 24 allows pharmacy technicians and interns in Wyoming to administer vaccines without requiring a licensed pharmacist to be physically present (removing the prior "direct supervision" requirement). The bill also requires these technicians to register with the state board if they administer vaccines, while explicitly stating they are not obligated to vaccinate children under 13 years old. Employers cannot discriminate against technicians who choose not to administer vaccines to minors. The Wyoming State Board of Pharmacy must create implementing rules by July 1, 2022, for this change to take effect.
HB 21 removes a sales tax exemption for one-way paging services in Wyoming. It specifically ends the tax exemption for businesses that transmit radio waves to one-way paging units, meaning these services will now be subject to sales tax. This change directly affects providers of one-way paging services, requiring them to collect sales tax on their offerings starting July 1, 2022. The bill makes no other changes to tax law or policy.
This bill appropriates $22,095,434 from Wyoming's general fund to cover the 2022-2024 operating costs of the state legislature. It funds salaries for legislative staff and lawmakers, travel expenses (both in-state and out-of-state), technology systems, administrative support, and membership dues for legislative organizations. The budget also includes specific allocations for new legislators' training compensation ($34,000) and reappropriates unspent funds from prior years for technology development ($125,000) and K-12 education-related legislative work. This is a standard budget bill that provides funding for legislative operations without creating new policies or affecting external entities.
This Wyoming bill (SF 39) reduces future cost-of-living adjustments for retired firemen and their dependents under the "Fire A" pension plan, directly affecting approximately 266 retirees and surviving spouses. It requires employers to make new contributions (previously halted since 1997) and creates a dedicated account funded by fire insurance premium taxes to address the plan's projected exhaustion by 2026. The bill also specifies that employer loan repayments must be withheld if funds aren't repaid, while maintaining existing benefit formulas except for the reduced COLA. These changes aim to stabilize the underfunded pension system without eliminating current benefits.
