This bill amends Wyoming's regulations for nuclear facilities, focusing on advanced reactors and high-level radioactive waste storage. It requires operators to submit detailed reports before construction on job creation, local/state tax impacts, and community benefits (including training and security systems). Operators must also share all public federal regulatory reports (from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission) with the state within 15 days. These provisions apply specifically to facilities operating under federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission licenses.
Wyoming's SF 95 prohibits public utilities from expanding service into another utility's certified territory, directly affecting electric, gas, and water companies operating in the state. The bill amends utility law to prevent new certificates of convenience and necessity for service in areas already served by another utility, including indirect service (like delivering power outside a utility's certified area but for consumption within it). If a utility violates this rule, the Public Service Commission can order it to stop providing service and pay just compensation to the affected utility. The law took effect July 1, 2022, clarifying territorial boundaries for utility operations.
This bill amends Wyoming law to update requirements for local governments (municipalities and counties) seeking to enforce electrical safety codes. It requires inspectors to hold specific certifications from recognized organizations like the International Code Council or International Association of Electrical Inspectors, or state licensing as a journeyman/master electrician. If a local government loses its certified inspectors, enforcement authority reverts to the state after 120 days (with possible 120-day extensions for good cause). The bill also clarifies that local enforcement authority for electrical codes must align with these certification standards, effective July 1, 2022.
Wyoming's HB 109 requires the Department of Revenue to study converting the state's property tax system to one based on a property's purchase price (acquisition value), excluding agricultural and commercial land. The study must assess necessary legal changes, revenue impacts, and ensure the transition would be revenue-neutral in the first year, with valuations applied prospectively only. The department must report findings to the Joint Revenue Committee by September 2022, enabling lawmakers to consider related legislation for the 2023 session. This bill does not change current tax rules but mandates an analysis of potential future reforms.
This bill creates a new felony offense for intentionally or recklessly exposing an unborn child to a controlled substance without a valid prescription, if measurable drug levels are present in the umbilical cord, blood, or tissue at birth and cause bodily injury, disability, or disfigurement. It directly affects pregnant individuals using un-prescribed drugs and expands mandatory reporting requirements to include suspected prenatal drug exposure that could harm a newborn. The law requires anyone with knowledge or reasonable suspicion of such exposure to report it to child protective services or law enforcement, with penalties up to 10 years in prison for standard violations and up to 25 years for aggravated cases involving severe injury. It became effective July 1, 2022.
HB 6 establishes a Wyoming program to distribute federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for water and wastewater infrastructure projects. It authorizes the Wyoming Water Development Office to award grants to eligible local governments and utilities for projects meeting federal ARPA criteria, with grants capped at 85% of project costs or $7.5 million per project, whichever is lower. The program requires applications reviewed for eligibility, prioritizes projects through a commission, and mandates repayment if projects are abandoned or deemed ineligible. Grants must be awarded by October 1, 2024, and the program terminates December 30, 2026, with strict accountability measures for fund usage.
SF 60 (Redistricting of the legislature-2) was a bill introduced in 2022 to redraw the boundaries of state legislative districts. It would have directly affected voters and elected representatives by changing which communities are grouped into specific legislative districts for elections. The bill died in committee in March 2022 and never became law, meaning current district boundaries remained unchanged. As a procedural redistricting measure, it did not alter any existing voting districts.
This bill prohibits off-road recreational vehicles (ORVs) from operating on interstate roadways or their roadside areas in Wyoming, except on designated trails with physical barriers. ORV users must have a valid driver's license and display either a license plate or special registration decal. The law specifically allows operation adjacent to interstates only on trails officially marked as Wyoming ORV trails under state law. Crossing the interstate roadway is banned except at designated points on these marked trails.
Wyoming's SF 108 prohibits financial institutions from discriminating against customers based on social credit scores, environmental/social justice metrics, social media activity, political affiliation, union membership, or employer-related factors. The law defines a "social credit score" as a metric based on personal behavior, technology use, and lifestyle choices, and declares its use a deceptive trade practice. Financial institutions may still apply subjective criteria if they fully disclose and explain them in writing before contracts are signed. This law directly affects banks, credit unions, and lenders operating in Wyoming, effective July 1, 2022. It aims to prevent consumer discrimination tied to non-financial personal data.
SF 114, the "Employer Vaccination Mandate Law," prohibits Wyoming employers with two or more employees from requiring COVID-19 vaccines without offering specific exemptions. Employers must grant exemptions for medical reasons (with a healthcare provider's statement), religious beliefs (with a signed statement), documented immunity (via lab tests), regular testing (using FDA-approved tests), or use of employer-provided personal protective equipment. Employees who falsely claim an exemption face misdemeanor penalties, and employers cannot ban employees from receiving vaccines. The law excludes religious organizations and entities covered by federal rules, and requires employers to allow vaccine receipt without penalty.
SF 16 establishes Wyoming's regulatory framework for vehicles with automated driving systems (ADS). The bill requires ADS-equipped vehicles to be registered, comply with safety standards, and display clear signage (front, back, and sides) with contact information for commercial autonomous vehicles. It mandates that dispatching entities operating driverless vehicles hold valid licenses and ensures these vehicles follow all applicable traffic laws, with additional safety rules permitted for railroad crossings. The bill died in committee in 2022 and did not become law.
HB 32 requires health care facilities, government services, and essential service providers (like pharmacies, grocery stores, and hospitals) to offer reasonable accommodations to people unable or unwilling to show vaccination proof, without causing undue hardship or posing a direct health threat. It mandates a five-year delay after federal vaccine safety monitoring before schools can require immunizations for students and bans employers from making vaccination a job condition unless based on federal law or necessary to prevent a direct health threat. Violating these rules is punishable as a misdemeanor with up to six months in jail or a $750 fine. The bill directly affects individuals seeking services, health care settings, schools, and employers.
