HB 185 allows Wyoming corporations to issue digital "certificate tokens" instead of physical stock certificates. It directly affects corporations issuing shares and their shareholders, enabling electronic representation of ownership stored on secure databases or blockchain systems. Key provisions define "certificate tokens" to satisfy legal requirements for share certificates, permit electronic transfer using "network signatures" (digital authorization), and specify that tokens must contain standard share information. The bill updates Wyoming law to treat these digital tokens as legally equivalent to physical certificates for all purposes, including transfers and corporate records. It became effective July 1, 2019.
Wyoming's HB 74 creates a new type of bank called a "special purpose depository bank" designed to serve blockchain and digital asset businesses. These banks must be corporations organized under Wyoming law, can only accept deposits from business entities (not individuals), and require a $5,000 minimum deposit per account. The bill prohibits these banks from making traditional loans (except for specific debt purchases) and mandates they maintain headquarters in Wyoming while complying with federal anti-money laundering and customer identification rules. This structure aims to provide banking services to blockchain innovators who face difficulties obtaining traditional banking due to regulatory complexity.
HB 95 modifies how local governments in Wyoming handle excess revenue from specific local sales taxes. It affects counties, cities, and towns that collect a 2% sales tax for designated projects (like infrastructure), as well as taxpayers who might receive refunds for overpayments. If tax revenue exceeds the approved project cost, the extra funds must be held for one year for refunds; after that, they’re redistributed to local governments based on population proportions or used for other approved projects (requiring a two-thirds vote), but cannot fund regular government operations. The bill clarifies rules for older tax measures (pre-1989) and ensures excess funds are used only for specific, non-operational purposes.
HB 81 authorizes funding for specific water development studies across Wyoming, directly affecting local water districts and the state's Water Development Commission. It allocates $1.8 million for Level I reconnaissance studies (e.g., Crook County Rural Water Supply Plan, Evanston Water Master Plan) and $268,000 for Level II feasibility studies (e.g., Lake DeSmet/Healy Reservoir), with additional funds for rehabilitation projects like Boulder Irrigation District. Funds not spent by July 1, 2022, revert to designated water accounts, and unused funds may be redirected to other approved projects after committee review. The bill also requires annual reports to the legislature on study progress, focusing on planning for new water infrastructure and rehabilitation of existing systems.
HB 301 amends Wyoming's retirement board composition rules to require at least two of the five qualified elector members to have professional expertise in investments and finance, specifically including managing asset allocation in investment portfolios. This change directly affects future appointees to the Wyoming Retirement Board, which oversees the state's retirement system. The bill specifies that this requirement applies only to appointments made on or after July 1, 2019, leaving existing members' terms unaffected. The law aims to ensure board members possess relevant financial expertise for managing retirement funds.
This bill updates Wyoming law regarding burial and cremation decisions for deceased individuals. It clarifies that funeral service practitioners must follow written instructions from the decedent or a designated person, and if no instructions exist, they must obtain written consent from family members in a specific priority order (spouse, children, parents, etc.). If no consent is received within seven days, the county coroner may authorize disposition. The law also grants immunity to practitioners acting in good faith under these rules.
HB 52 requires state agencies and political subdivisions in Wyoming to procure furniture and movable equipment for capital construction projects through competitive bidding. It prioritizes products available from Wyoming resident suppliers when possible, or uses performance-based specifications if local products aren't available. Agencies may seek waivers for highly specialized items, but these require written justification and approval by designated officials. The law applies to all such procurements starting July 1, 2019.
HB 91 corrects a technical error in the legal description of "Prexy's Pasture" (a campus green space at the University of Wyoming), fixing a geometric inconsistency in its boundary coordinates. The bill amends a statute to replace an inaccurate parcel description that incorrectly described the pasture as a parallelogram. This adjustment ensures the written legal description matches the actual land boundaries, without changing any existing restrictions on construction or land use. The pasture remains protected from buildings per current law, and the correction became effective July 1, 2019.
HB 76, the Wyoming Beer Freedom Act, allows microbreweries to obtain permits for 24-hour alcohol service. It amends licensing laws to permit microbreweries to hold both a microbrewery permit and a separate 24-hour malt beverage permit simultaneously. This directly affects small breweries seeking extended operating hours without losing other license types. The law, effective July 1, 2019, modifies existing statutes to enable this dual permitting structure.
HB 131 amends Wyoming's Build Wyoming loan program to clarify it as a revolving, continuing fund administered by the state loan and investment board. It sets specific spending limits: a total cap of $400 million for all loans, with separate $200 million limits for infrastructure projects (like water systems) and road/street projects. The bill ensures local governments (counties, cities, etc.) can access these loans from the Wyoming mineral trust fund to finance public infrastructure improvements. It also specifies that the program operates under established rules for loan administration and becomes effective immediately upon enactment.
HB 101 allows joint powers boards (formed by two or more Wyoming municipalities) to create and operate natural gas systems. It directly affects local governments and joint powers entities that want to provide natural gas service, including extending systems beyond city limits. The bill amends Wyoming law to exempt these municipal or joint powers utility systems from certain public utility regulations outlined in Chapter 37. This change became effective July 1, 2019, enabling collaborative infrastructure development for natural gas service.
This Wyoming bill exempts sales and use taxes on equipment used to build broadband internet infrastructure in unserved areas. It applies to telecom providers, internet access companies, and video programming services constructing networks where high-speed internet isn't currently available (defined as 25 Mbps download/3 Mbps upload for residential areas). The exemption covers infrastructure equipment like routers and cables but excludes items sold directly to end-users. Providers may use reasonable methods to allocate equipment costs across service regions instead of tracking exact geographic locations.
