HB 91 restricts the use of eminent domain for wind energy collector systems, limiting this authority exclusively to public utilities with a certificate of public convenience and necessity. It requires non-public utility entities (like private wind energy developers) to comply with new notice requirements for local governments before condemnation actions and sets specific rules for expanding existing easements. The bill applies to condemnation actions initiated on or after July 1, 2025, and specifies that existing contracts remain unaffected. This directly affects companies building wind energy infrastructure seeking to acquire land for power collection systems.
This bill (SF 31) requires the governor to appoint veterans' representatives as nonvoting members on two state boards: the University of Wyoming Board of Trustees and the Wyoming Community College Commission. The Wyoming Veterans' Commission will recommend these appointees, who will have speaking rights but no voting power. The change amends existing statutes to formalize this representation, ensuring veterans' perspectives are included in educational governance decisions. It directly affects how these boards incorporate veteran service input, without altering voting authority or financial commitments.
This Wyoming bill (SF 29) creates legal immunity for individuals who return a firearm to its owner after holding it under a temporary agreement. It limits lawsuits against these individuals when returning the firearm as agreed, but does not protect them if they breached the agreement or acted unlawfully. The law applies to written or oral agreements where someone temporarily holds a lawfully owned firearm for another person (e.g., a friend storing a gun while traveling). It excludes certain weapons covered under federal law and takes effect July 1, 2025.
HB 125 repeals specific restrictions on concealed weapons in schools and public facilities while clarifying that only the Wyoming state legislature can regulate firearms, not local governments. It allows lawfully carrying concealed weapons in government meetings, legislative sessions, and public schools (excluding facilities where students are enrolled under existing law), and prohibits local entities from banning such carry in these locations. The bill also creates a misdemeanor penalty for blocking someone with a valid concealed carry permit from entering authorized areas. It explicitly preserves private property owners' rights to ban firearms on their land and requires the state building commission to issue necessary rules within 30 days of the law's effective date.
This bill increases both employee and employer contributions to Wyoming's public employee retirement plan. Employees will pay 8.5% to 9.75% of their salary (rising gradually), while employers will pay 8.62% to 9.87% of employee salaries, with firefighters paying lower rates. The bill appropriates $3.483 million from the general fund and $6.825 million from public school funds to cover the increased employer costs for state agencies, universities, and school districts. These changes take effect July 1, 2021, and apply through the 2025-2026 fiscal biennium.
SF 54 establishes a property tax exemption for Wyoming homeowners with primary residences, reducing their taxable value by 25.6% (capped at $200,000). Homeowners must claim the exemption annually by May 4th through their county assessor, providing proof of ownership and primary residence status (occupying the home for at least 8 months yearly). The exemption applies to single-family homes, condos, mobile homes, or trailers used as a primary residence, including up to one acre of land. False claims are punishable under existing law, and the exemption takes effect January 1, 2025.
HB 148 regulates surgical abortion facilities in Wyoming by requiring them to obtain a specific license as ambulatory surgical centers. It mandates that only licensed physicians with hospital admitting privileges within 10 miles of the facility can perform surgical abortions, and facilities must comply with health department rules for surgical centers. Violations carry penalties: misdemeanor fines up to $1,000 for facilities or physicians, and felony charges (1-14 years imprisonment) for unlicensed providers. The bill directly affects surgical abortion facilities, licensed physicians performing abortions, and hospitals with admitting privileges, while defining key terms like "surgical abortion" and "abortion facility."
HB 90 amends Wyoming's safe haven law to change the age limit for newborns that can be left at designated safe haven locations (like hospitals or emergency services). The bill reduces the allowable age from 60 days to 14 days or younger, meaning only infants under two weeks old can be relinquished under this provision. This directly affects parents seeking to safely surrender newborns and the safe haven providers who accept them. The change takes effect July 1, 2024.
SF 99 prohibits physicians and health care providers in Wyoming from performing specific medical procedures related to gender transition for children under 18. This includes surgeries like sterilization (e.g., hysterectomy, orchiectomy), mastectomies, puberty-blocking drugs, and hormone therapies that induce infertility. Exceptions apply for medically verified conditions, such as disorders of sex development or central precocious puberty, with parental consent. Violations could lead to suspension or revocation of a provider’s license, and the bill takes effect July 1, 2024.
Wyoming's SF 105, the Second Amendment Financial Privacy Act, prohibits credit card processors and financial institutions from using a "firearms code" (a merchant category code identifying firearm purchases) to track or disclose information about firearm and ammunition transactions beyond standard payment processing. The law defines "protected financial information" as records linked to such codes and bans its use for surveillance, discouraging lawful gun purchases, or sharing with government entities without a specific legal requirement. It creates a private right for individuals to file civil lawsuits if their financial privacy is violated and includes exceptions for mandatory financial reporting (e.g., anti-money laundering compliance). The bill directly affects credit card processors, financial institutions, and firearm buyers by preventing the misuse of transaction data for monitoring constitutional rights.
SF 86 creates a dedicated "firearms on school property account" to reimburse Wyoming school districts for specific safety-related costs. It authorizes $100,000 from the school foundation program to cover expenses like staff training (per W.S. 21-3-132) and implementing district security rules. School districts must apply within one year of incurring costs, submitting receipts and training documentation to receive reimbursement. Unspent funds roll over annually, and the bill takes effect July 1, 2024.
SF 73 amends Wyoming law to deny concealed firearm permits to applicants convicted of felony violations under Wyoming's Controlled Substances Act (W.S. 35-7-1001-35-7-1057) or similar state/federal drug laws, unless their firearm rights have been restored. The change applies only to new permit applications submitted on or after July 1, 2024, and does not affect existing permit holders. This policy directly impacts individuals seeking new concealed carry permits who have specific drug-related felony convictions. The bill clarifies eligibility requirements without altering existing permit validity or application procedures.
