HB 334 would allow private individuals or entities to own water rights specifically for instream flow purposes (water flowing in rivers for environmental health), currently restricted to state ownership. It amends Wyoming law to remove the prohibition against private ownership of such rights and permits the sale, transfer, or conveyance of these rights under defined restrictions. The bill requires that any acquired or changed water rights for instream flows be limited to a specific river segment, with the original priority date preserved. This change would take effect on July 1, 2025, if passed.
HB 306 allows most Wyoming state employees to choose between monthly and semimonthly pay schedules (paid on the 16th and last working day of the month). It requires the state auditor to establish rules for employees to elect or change pay frequencies, while exempting University of Wyoming staff from this provision. The bill modifies payroll statutes to accommodate semimonthly payments without changing pay amounts or benefits. It directly affects all state agency employees (excluding UW) by giving them flexibility in payment timing through a formal election process. The changes apply to both regular salaries and insurance/retirement contributions.
HB 335, the Wyoming Educational Religious Freedom Act, prohibits public schools and state-funded educational programs from implementing curricula or practices that mandate specific beliefs about identity, power structures, or group identity. It bans activities like required cultural competency training, mandatory identity exploration, equity-based grading, or prescribed discussions of privilege. The bill requires schools to annually review all instructional materials - including digital tools and teacher resources - for "sectarian content" and establishes a complaint process for violations. It directly affects all public schools, districts, and state-funded educational programs in Wyoming, while explicitly allowing academic instruction about historical concepts and voluntary student participation in discussions. The bill does not restrict references to diverse viewpoints or historical/scientific teaching.
HB 56 requires Wyoming cities and towns to mail notice of proposed zoning changes to affected landowners. Specifically, it mandates that cities send written notice by mail to all landowners within the proposed zoning district and all landowners within 1,000 feet of that area. The bill covers zoning changes including new zoning requirements, conditional use approvals, master plan amendments, and zoning map revisions. This requirement applies to all zoning change applications filed on or after July 1, 2025. The bill does not alter zoning standards but ensures affected landowners receive advance notice of changes impacting their property.
HB 340 prohibits all Wyoming state entities - including agencies, departments, community colleges, and the University of Wyoming - from accepting, spending, or using any federal funds. It requires state entities to return any federal funds already received by June 30 of each year and to fully transfer unspent federal funds to the state auditor by July 1, 2026, for return to the federal government. The bill repeals existing laws that allowed accepting federal funds and mandates state entities to report on federal funds by October 1, 2025. It applies to all federal funds received after July 1, 2026, but does not affect contracts or funds already spent before that date.
HB 213 requires landlords in Wyoming to ensure all residential rental units have operational electrical, heating, plumbing, and hot/cold running water, removing a prior exception that allowed written agreements to waive this requirement. This directly affects landlords and tenants in standard residential rentals across Wyoming, effective July 1, 2025. The bill eliminates the ability for landlords to bypass utility maintenance through written agreements, mandating these basic amenities as standard. Seasonal rentals like summer cabins remain exempt, as specified in the amended law.
HB 308, the Cryptographic Frontiers Act, requires Wyoming's Attorney General to investigate federal actions that allegedly violate the rights of Wyoming residents or businesses related to blockchain and cryptocurrency. It specifically targets federal overreach involving debanking, restrictions on crypto-related free expression, unreasonable searches of digital assets, demands for private keys, and burdens on intrastate crypto transactions. If the Attorney General determines federal actions endanger these rights, they may file lawsuits or intervene in existing cases - after obtaining the Governor's approval. The bill directly affects Wyoming residents and businesses facing federal actions in these areas, creating a new state-level legal mechanism to challenge such actions. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.
Wyoming's HB 267 regulates consumable hemp products (like edibles and tinctures) by requiring licenses for manufacturers, distributors, and retailers from the Wyoming Liquor Division. It imposes an excise tax on retail sales, mandates independent lab testing for THC content using specific methods, and prohibits sales to anyone under 21. The bill defines key terms like "batch," "manufacturer," and "retailer," and includes penalties for violations such as selling to minors or operating without a license. This directly affects businesses selling hemp-derived products in Wyoming, adding regulatory and tax requirements to their operations.
HB 203 ("By the People Act") requires Wyoming state agencies to provide live audio or video access to public meetings where possible and allow remote public participation. It mandates clear public comment periods (with timed options specified on agendas) and requires agencies to make meeting minutes and recordings available online within 24 hours. The bill applies directly to all state agencies holding public meetings and ensures transparency by prohibiting restrictions on public recording unless it would disrupt the meeting. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, and does not change existing requirements for meeting notice or attendance rules.
HB 309 repeals Wyoming's Medicaid Fairness Act and related statutes (including W.S. 14-2-1001-1008) that governed Medicaid coverage for birth-related costs. The bill removes specific administrative requirements affecting how Medicaid services are provided for childbirth in Wyoming. It preserves all existing rights and obligations under the repealed law for actions taken before July 1, 2025. The repeal takes effect on July 1, 2025, ending these specific Medicaid program provisions.
HB 198 modifies Wyoming's education savings account program by adjusting annual deposit amounts based on household income relative to federal poverty levels. It provides $6,000 annually for students in households at or below 150% of the federal poverty level, $4,800 for households between 151-200%, and $3,600 for households between 201-250%. The bill directly affects students whose families qualify under these income thresholds, determining the funds available for educational expenses through the state's savings account program. The changes would take effect January 1, 2025, if enacted, modifying existing law established by 2024 legislation. The bill is currently in early stages (received for introduction on January 16, 2025) and has not yet been considered by the legislature.
HB 44 designates a 3.5-mile stretch of State Highway 230 between Highway 130 and Riverside, Wyoming, as the "Loren 'Teense' Willford Memorial Highway." The bill authorizes the Wyoming Department of Transportation to install appropriate signage identifying the memorial highway and appropriates $3,000 from the general fund for this purpose, with funds expiring June 30, 2026. This is a commemorative measure with no substantive policy changes or direct impact on residents or regulations. The bill requires no voting record analysis as it is purely a naming resolution.
