This joint resolution (SJ 3) commemorates the 100th anniversary of Nellie Tayloe Ross becoming the first woman governor of the United States in 1925. It formally recognizes her historic achievement and legacy through a symbolic resolution passed by the Wyoming Legislature. The bill has no policy provisions or direct impact on citizens; it serves only as a ceremonial acknowledgment. Wyoming's legislature will transmit copies of the resolution to federal officials as part of the commemoration. This is a purely symbolic measure with no legislative or financial effects.
This bill requires Wyoming school districts to implement annual reading assessments for kindergarten through third grade students, using state-approved tools to screen for difficulties like dyslexia at least three times yearly. It eliminates the use of "group reading plans" in individualized intervention plans, mandating only individualized, evidence-based interventions for students not meeting reading benchmarks. Districts must report annually on whether 85% of students read at grade level by third grade, including data on students identified with reading challenges and the specific interventions used. Schools failing to meet the 85% goal must submit improvement plans addressing teacher training, student-teacher ratios, and evidence-based instructional strategies for K-3.
HB 17 amends Wyoming's career technical education equipment grant program for K-12 public school districts. It increases the maximum annual grant award from $50,000 to $75,000 and reduces the required timeframe for expending prior-year funds from five years to two years. The bill also adjusts eligibility rules to prioritize districts that haven't received a grant in the past five years. These changes aim to streamline access to funding for schools purchasing career/technical education equipment, effective July 1, 2025.
HB 23 repeals the requirement for drivers to physically surrender their licenses during suspensions, replacing it with a temporary license valid for 30 days that cannot be renewed. It clarifies that peace officers must provide a notice detailing a 20-day window to request a hearing before automatic suspension takes effect, and ensures hearings are scheduled within 45 days of a request. The bill also modifies procedures for under-21 drivers with alcohol concentrations of 0.02% or higher, requiring officers to submit signed statements and issue temporary licenses. These changes apply to all Wyoming drivers facing license suspensions or revocations related to alcohol-related offenses.
HB 189 prohibits adults (18+) from engaging in a "pattern of communication" with minors (under 18) that includes obscene content defined as explicit sexual descriptions, requests for sexual images, or attempts to normalize adult-minor sexual contact. It specifically targets communications intended for personal sexual gratification, requiring two or more instances across any communication method (written, electronic, or verbal). Violations are felonies with penalties up to 20 years in prison and fines up to $20,000, plus social media restrictions and device forfeiture for convicted individuals. The law exempts school, college, or university activities involving sexual education. It directly affects adults communicating with minors in non-educational contexts and provides victims a civil lawsuit option.
HB 221 amends a prior Wyoming law (Chapter 105) related to bighorn and domestic sheep relocation by removing a delayed effective date tied to federal law. It sets the law to take effect on January 1, 2026, instead of requiring federal alignment, and repeals a duplicative provision. This change directly affects Wyoming's wildlife management program by establishing a fixed implementation date for the relocation rules. The bill does not alter the substance of the relocation policy but streamlines its effective date. It is a procedural adjustment to ensure the prior law takes effect without waiting for federal action.
HB 234 prohibits state and local governments from collecting or maintaining lists of privately owned firearms or their owners using specific merchant codes (like "firearms codes") in payment processing. It also bans payment processors from requiring such codes for firearm retailers or discriminating against them by charging higher fees or refusing transactions based on firearm sales. The bill directly affects firearm retailers, payment processors, and state agencies by restricting how firearm-related transaction data can be handled. Violations could lead to civil actions or criminal penalties, including misdemeanor charges for knowingly violating these provisions.
HB 168 prohibits the manufacture, sale, and distribution of cultivated meat in Wyoming. It directly affects businesses producing or selling lab-grown meat products within the state. The bill defines "cultivated meat" as meat grown from cultured animal cells in a lab (not harvested from animals) and bans its sale under state law, with penalties including license suspension for violators. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, except for implementation rules that take effect immediately upon passage.
HB 93, titled "Protect Wyoming's Lands Act," prohibits natural asset companies with conservation interests in *entirely Wyoming-based land* from selling their ecological credits through national securities exchanges (like stock markets). It defines "natural asset companies" as entities managing Wyoming land for conservation, restoration, or sustainable use, whose primary purpose is maintaining natural assets or ecosystem services. The law does not restrict selling credits for land outside Wyoming. This bill regulates the *trading mechanism* of conservation credits, not land use or direct environmental protections. (Bill: HB 93, 2025 Wyoming Legislative Session)
This bill establishes a statewide reading assessment and intervention program for kindergarten through fourth grade in Wyoming. It requires schools to use universal screening three times yearly to identify early reading difficulties (including dyslexia), mandates targeted interventions for students not meeting reading benchmarks, and requires parental notification and involvement in intervention planning. Schools with 60% or more students scoring proficient in grade 3 reading for two consecutive years are exempt from certain requirements. The bill also creates new provisions for student retention in grades 3-4 due to reading inadequacies, sets standards for teacher certification related to reading assessments, and prohibits altering proficiency scores on statewide English language arts tests. It directly affects K-4 students, school districts, teachers, and parents.
SF 189 amends Wyoming's Uniform Commercial Code to clarify rules for investment securities held by intermediaries like banks or brokers. It specifies that when an intermediary cannot cover both client claims and creditor claims, client claims (entitlement holders) take priority over creditor claims. The bill updates sections governing property interests, priority rules, and the governing law for securities accounts, replacing older provisions with clearer standards. These changes apply to securities intermediaries operating in Wyoming and take effect July 1, 2025. The bill focuses on legal clarity for asset protection without altering substantive financial obligations.
SF 156 prohibits Wyoming school districts from using state foundation program funds for capital construction or major facility repairs/replacements. The bill specifically blocks these funds from covering costs for educational buildings, offices, portable classrooms, or "enhancements" (non-essential upgrades), and restricts special reserve funds from being spent on similar projects. It affects all Wyoming public school districts receiving foundation program funds, requiring them to separate these funds from capital improvement budgets. The law amends existing statutes to clarify these spending restrictions and requires districts to report compliance in annual financial reports.
