HB 211 limits who can return absentee ballots for others in Wyoming elections. It restricts designated returners to handling no more than two ballots per election, unless the ballots belong to immediate family members (defined as spouses, parents, siblings, children, or blood relatives living in the same household). The bill requires designated returners to notify the county clerk using a state-prescribed form. This directly affects voters who ask others to submit their absentee ballots, particularly those who might have used ballot harvesting services. The law takes effect July 1, 2023.
HB 109 modifies Wyoming's Tomorrow Scholarship program to prioritize students in workforce-focused education. It adds a third preference for students enrolled in credential programs approved under the Wyoming Works program (which connects training to local job needs) and a fourth preference for teacher preparation students. The bill also changes how the scholarship fund's value is calculated, using longer historical averages starting in 2027, and transfers $75 million to the scholarship fund while directing $20 million to workforce programs. This directly affects students pursuing vocational credentials, teaching degrees, or other in-demand fields through Wyoming community colleges.
This bill (SJ 9) proposes adding a constitutional amendment to Wyoming's Constitution that would establish a fundamental right to privacy for all residents. It would create a new Section 40 in Article 1 stating: "The right of individual privacy is essential to the well-being of a free society and shall not be infringed." The amendment requires voter approval at the next general election to become part of the state Constitution. As a proposed constitutional change, it does not take effect immediately but would directly affect all Wyoming citizens if approved by voters.
HB 46 creates a permanent Wyoming Public Safety Communications System Trust Fund to support the state's WyoLink emergency communications network. It establishes a $100 million seed fund from the general budget, which the state treasurer will invest to generate earnings. Ninety percent of these investment earnings will be distributed semiannually to the Wyoming Department of Transportation specifically for WyoLink operations, equipment, infrastructure, and other system needs, following a strict spending priority order. The fund's principal remains protected, with 10% of earnings returned to the fund corpus annually. This bill directly affects the WyoLink system and its management by the Wyoming Department of Transportation.
This bill establishes a tolling program for Wyoming's Interstate 80 highway. It authorizes the Transportation Commission to collect tolls from drivers using I-80 to fund the highway's construction, maintenance, and improvements. The bill creates a dedicated "special toll revenue account" to hold all toll payments, which can only be used for repaying project debt or approved highway-related expenses. The goal is to reduce traffic congestion, delays, and accidents on I-80 through this toll-financed approach.
Wyoming's SF 166 appropriates $3 million to Texas and $2 million to Arizona for constructing border walls along the U.S.-Mexico border and transporting non-citizens to sanctuary cities in other states. The bill specifies that up to $250,000 from each state's allocation may fund transportation to sanctuary cities, requiring detailed spending reports. It mandates these funds be used only for border wall construction and non-citizen transport, with all unspent funds reverting by June 30, 2026. The bill directly affects Wyoming (as the funding state), Texas and Arizona (as recipient states), and sanctuary cities receiving transported individuals.
HB 63 changes Wyoming's rules for filling vacancies in elected state and federal offices. It requires a special election to fill a vacancy if more than half the term remains when the vacancy occurs, raising the trigger point from 60 to 110 days before the next election. The bill specifies that vacancies must be filled by special election (held on existing election dates like primaries or general elections) rather than appointment, and sets clear timelines for county clerks to publish election notices 90-70 days before May/November elections or 101-91 days before August elections. This directly affects offices like governor, state legislators, district attorneys, and county commissioners.
HB 260 creates the Wyoming Firearms Research Center Oversight Commission to guide the University of Wyoming's planned firearms research center. The commission, with eight members (including a legislative appointee and seven from gun-related groups, industry, law enforcement, and county attorneys), reviews the center's mission and recommends how it should focus on firearms culture and traditions in Wyoming. It also facilitates agreements between the university center and Wyoming stakeholders and advises the legislature on funding. The bill appropriates $2,500 for the legislative member's expenses and $17,500 for other members, with funds expiring June 30, 2024. The commission must meet annually but has no compensation beyond travel reimbursement.
HB 114 amends Wyoming's state land leasing rules to make them more flexible and clear. It increases the amount lessees can spend on improvements without permission from $2,000 to $4,000 per land section, extends maximum lease terms from 75 to 99 years, and explicitly allows residential leases for the first time. The bill also requires all leases to follow minimum state standards for safety and land use, and clarifies that lessees must get approval for improvements exceeding $4,000. This directly affects individuals and businesses leasing Wyoming state lands for farming, ranching, or residential development.
This proposed constitutional amendment would modernize Wyoming's common school fund management. It requires all earnings from the fund - including investment gains (not just interest) - to be transferred to a separate earnings fund, rather than being used directly for school operations. The amendment also mandates that the legislature create a process to cover any investment losses to the fund, ensuring the principal value remains intact. These changes would clarify that all fund earnings must exclusively support Wyoming's public schools, as intended by the current constitution.
Wyoming's HB 36 amends six state statutes to explicitly include the U.S. Space Force in definitions of "uniformed services" for military-related benefits. The bill updates legal references in areas like military acknowledgment of documents (W.S. 19-11-202), service member definitions (W.S. 20-2-205(f)(iv)), veteran tuition benefits (W.S. 21-17-105(f)), and licensing for military personnel (W.S. 33-1-116(a)(ii)). It directly affects Space Force members, their dependents, and military spouses by aligning state law with federal service classifications. The change takes effect July 1, 2023, ensuring Space Force personnel qualify for existing state benefits without new provisions.
HB 288 proposes a 2.3% tax on electricity production in Wyoming starting January 1, 2024, paid by electricity producers (like power plants and utilities). It exempts electricity from federal/state government facilities and small personal use under 500 kWh daily. The bill creates a rebate program where producers can receive credits against other Wyoming taxes (like sales or severance taxes) for the electricity tax paid. The Department of Revenue would administer the tax, requiring annual reports by February 1 and imposing penalties for late payments (up to 25% of tax owed). Note: This bill died in committee in 2023 and is not law.
