This bill clarifies rules for water exchanges in Wyoming, directly affecting water rights holders and the state engineer who approves such exchanges. It specifies that water rights aren't lost during exchanges and requires that diverted water be replaced with "makeup water" to maintain supply. The bill also reinforces that exchanges must follow beneficial use rules and avoid harming other water users' rights. These changes take effect July 1, 2024, to streamline water management without altering existing rights.
This bill amends Wyoming's safe haven laws (W.S. 14-11-103(d)) to require safe haven providers (like hospitals) to ask relinquishing parents about a child's tribal affiliation or Native American ancestry and request relevant information to determine the child's tribe. It also requires courts and parties in child placement cases involving Indian children (as defined by W.S. 14-6-702(a)(iv)) to comply with the Wyoming Indian Child Welfare Act. The Department of Family Services must create implementing rules by July 1, 2024, and the main provisions take effect on that date. The bill directly affects safe haven providers, courts, and Indian children whose tribal affiliation must be verified during relinquishment or placement.
HB 36, the "Natural Resource Protection Act," prohibits Wyoming state agencies and funds from enforcing federal land management rules deemed non-compliant with federal law. It requires the governor to determine (with attorney general advice) that a federal rule violates federal law, then directs state resources to stop supporting that rule's enforcement. The law exempts existing federal agreements and allows accepting federal law enforcement funds. It directly affects Wyoming's state agencies and budget allocations for federal land management. The bill takes effect July 1, 2024.
This bill amends Wyoming's Indian Child Welfare Act to exclude delinquency petitions from its application. Specifically, it repeals the provision (W.S. 14-6-201(d)) that previously required the Act to apply to cases involving alleged delinquency of Indian children. As a result, delinquency proceedings for Indian children will no longer be subject to the Act's requirements, such as tribal court involvement or tribal consent. The change applies to cases initiated on or after July 1, 2024, with prior cases governed by the law in effect before that date. The bill directly affects Indian children involved in delinquency cases within Wyoming's court system.
This bill requires hide buyers (such as meat processing plants) to maintain detailed records of all hides or pelts they purchase for at least two years. The records must include the seller's name, purchase date, and all identifying marks (like brands) on the hides, and must be available for inspection by Wyoming brand inspectors, sheriffs, or livestock inspectors during business hours. It repeals previous requirements for inspecting hides, shifting focus to record-keeping compliance. The law takes effect immediately upon enactment.
Wyoming's SF 38 requires counties, cities, towns, and special districts to file annual financial reports by October 5. If they fail to comply, the state will withhold monthly sales, use, and lodging tax revenues starting October 15 until reports are submitted - unless "good cause" (with CPA documentation) is shown. For special districts, noncompliance after December 30 triggers public notice and potential dissolution. The bill amends financial reporting enforcement in Wyoming statutes (W.S. 9-1-507, 9-1-510, 39-13-104) and takes effect July 1, 2024. It directly affects local governments and special districts that receive state funds.
This bill requires Wyoming's Department of Health to pay behavioral health service claims in the same manner as before a prior redesign, ensuring providers are reimbursed after billing private insurance or third parties. It mandates the department to collect data on payment claims and report findings to a legislative committee by September 2025, aiming to identify potential savings from improved third-party billing practices. The bill updates eligibility criteria for "indigent general access clients" to exclude those with insurance covering mental health or substance use treatment after July 2026, limiting coverage to low-income residents without such insurance. It directly affects behavioral health providers, the state health department, and qualifying low-income residents seeking mental health or substance use disorder treatment.
This bill requires e-cigarette and vapor material manufacturers to certify their products meet U.S. FDA requirements (either via marketing authorization or premarket application) and submit this information to Wyoming's Department of Revenue by October 1, 2024, and annually after. It creates a public directory of compliant products, prohibiting the sale of any e-cigarettes or vapor products not listed in this directory starting October 2024. Sellers (including retailers, distributors, and wholesalers) must maintain records and comply with biannual inspections, with penalties including fines for false certifications or selling unlisted products.
SF 81 clarifies that certain healthcare entities, specifically those formed by county memorial hospitals or healthcare districts wholly owned by government entities, are protected under Wyoming's Governmental Claims Act. This bill amends the definition of "local government" to explicitly include these entities, ensuring they qualify for immunity from certain lawsuits. It directly affects county hospitals and healthcare districts operating under government ownership. The change takes effect July 1, 2024, and is a procedural clarification rather than a new policy.
This bill adjusts how unemployment tax contributions are distributed in Wyoming. It modifies the calculation of an adjustment factor for benefits not properly charged to employers, adding this to the standard tax rate. The key change allocates 60% of this adjustment factor to the unemployment compensation fund, 60% of the remaining 40% (24% total) to the employment support fund, and 20% of the remaining 40% (16% total) to the workforce development training fund. The change applies to employers paying unemployment taxes and takes effect July 1, 2024.
This bill increases required contributions for Wyoming judicial employees under the Judicial Retirement Act. Starting July 1, 2024, judges and court staff must contribute 11.47% of their salary (up from 9.22%), while employers must cover 7.47% of the contribution without deducting from pay. The bill appropriates $420,000 from the general fund to the Supreme Court to help cover the increased costs, with funds reverting if unspent by June 2026. It also reduces employees' cash salary by 4% after June 2024 to offset the higher contribution rates. The changes apply directly to state judicial employees covered by the retirement program.
This bill allows Wyoming's state unemployment insurance trust fund to be invested entirely in equities (like stocks) through a new "Pool A" investment account, instead of being limited to safer investments. It requires that at least 50% of the fund's investment earnings be retained in the fund until its balance recovers to the July 1, 2023 level, with the remainder directed to the workforce development training fund. The changes affect how the state manages the unemployment trust fund, directly impacting the financial stability of the fund that pays unemployment benefits to workers. The bill also updates procedures for benefit payments and fund distribution.
