HB 101 modifies Wyoming's law governing the attorney general's duty to provide written legal opinions. It allows the attorney general to decline issuing opinions when doing so would violate Wyoming's Rules of Professional Conduct for attorneys, after receiving written notice of the request. This directly affects state officers (elected or appointed) and legislators who seek formal legal advice from the attorney general. The change takes effect July 1, 2024, clarifying when the attorney general may refuse to provide such opinions.
Wyoming's HB 163 requires state and local government entities (excluding courts and law enforcement) to create policies for handling personal data. It limits data collection to what's necessary for official duties, restricts retention to three years (unless justified), and mandates secure handling. Residents can request copies of their data, challenge inaccuracies, and seek corrections within 30 days. The law sets phased deadlines: state agencies must comply by July 2025, counties/cities by 2026, and other local entities by 2027.
This bill (SF 129) allocates state funds for specific capital construction projects across Wyoming state agencies, including building renovations and new facilities like the Guernsey Entry, FE Warren Power, and veterans home renovations. It specifies exact funding amounts for each project (e.g., $51 million for FE Warren Power), requires matching private funds for some projects, and mandates that unspent funds revert to their original accounts upon project completion. The bill includes strict rules about fund usage, such as prioritizing renovations for certain buildings and capping total expenditures for projects like the veterans' home. The bill was withdrawn by its sponsor on February 16, 2024, and never advanced further.
Wyoming's SF 91 continues a regulatory reduction task force established in 2023 through 2025. The task force includes 12 members: six legislators (three from each chamber, with co-chairs), three industry representatives (oil/gas, mining, agriculture), one business advocate, one local government representative, and one building industry member, plus nonvoting government agency staff. It requires annual reports by October 1st to the governor and legislature, identifying regulatory burden reductions for Wyoming industries and proposing legislative changes. The bill provides $55,000 in funding for task force operations through June 2026 and terminates the task force on December 31, 2025.
SF 112, the Wyoming Freedom Scholarship Act, would have created an Education Savings Account (ESA) program providing $6,000 annually per eligible student (adjusted for inflation) to cover education expenses. It directly affected Wyoming students in grades K-12 who hadn't graduated or earned a high school equivalency, allowing parents to use funds for tuition at qualified private schools, online programs, tutoring, textbooks, technology, and other approved educational costs. The state treasurer would manage the accounts, funded by state appropriations (not local taxes), with excess funds above $30 million transferred to school foundation programs. The bill was withdrawn by its sponsor on February 16, 2024, and never became law.
HB 130 would change Wyoming driver's license expiration rules, extending the standard renewal period from every 5 years to every 7 years. It also allows certain licensees - active-duty military personnel, government employees stationed out of state, and their dependents - to renew licenses without a test every 7 years, provided their license hasn't been suspended in the prior 7 years. The bill applies to licenses issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2024. Note: This bill was withdrawn by its sponsor on February 16, 2024, and is not currently law.
SF 104 amends Wyoming law to change how wind and solar energy facilities on state lands are permitted. It requires county commissioners to obtain written consent from grazing and agricultural leaseholders before approving such facilities, especially when projects are near residential structures (within specific distance limits). The bill mandates that leaseholders be notified about proposed projects and allows them to participate as formal parties in the permitting process. Additionally, it updates definitions to include leaseholders as "affected landowners" and sets clear setback requirements for facilities near homes.
Wyoming's SF 124 prohibits teachers and their labor organizations from striking or encouraging strikes, effective for the 2024-2025 school year. The bill imposes a $5,000 civil penalty per day for violations, denies pay to striking teachers, and allows school districts to seek court injunctions to stop strikes. It requires the Department of Workforce Services to implement rules by July 2024 and creates a legal process for enforcing the strike ban. The bill failed its introduction in the Wyoming Senate on February 16, 2024, with a 17-14 vote.
HB 216 would have removed a requirement for advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) in Wyoming to obtain additional "advanced certification" to provide hospital care. Instead, it would have allowed hospitals to set their own physician oversight rules through their medical staff bylaws, rather than mandating certification through the Board of Nursing. The bill proposed this change take effect on July 1, 2024. However, the bill was withdrawn by its sponsor on February 16, 2024, and did not become law.
This bill would repeal Wyoming's existing low-carbon energy standards for public utilities. It requires utilities to refund customers for rates collected under those repealed standards (with an exception for costs already spent on carbon capture technology before the bill's effective date). The Public Service Commission would establish rules to implement these changes. The bill directly affects all public utilities operating in Wyoming and their customers who paid the now-repealed rates.
Wyoming's SF 108 would regulate chemical abortions by requiring healthcare providers to physically examine patients, be present during the first drug dose, and provide biohazard-labeled waste bags for disposal. It mandates that providers schedule follow-up visits within seven days and instruct patients on proper disposal of medical waste. The bill also holds manufacturers responsible for the environmental remediation of abortion drugs and their byproducts entering water systems. This law directly affects healthcare providers prescribing abortion drugs and drug manufacturers, with penalties including up to three years in prison or $10,000 fines for violations.
SF 127 revises how Wyoming distributes sales and use tax revenue. It reduces the state general fund's share of these taxes from 69% to 66% for both sales and use tax collections. The bill also increases the portion of out-of-state vendor tax revenue distributed to counties, cities, and towns from 29.5% to 34%, and doubles the fixed annual payments to counties (from $20,000 to $40,000 for sales tax, and from $5,000 to $10,000 for use tax). These changes take effect on July 1, 2024.
