This bill amends Wyoming law to strengthen protections for children under 16 by specifically prohibiting caregivers from exposing children to methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, or LSD in any setting (including manufacturing, storage, or use locations). It clarifies that "in the presence of a child" includes situations where a caregiver knows a child is present and may witness domestic violence or drug activity. The law also limits temporary protective custody to 48 hours for the affected child and 24 hours for siblings in the same household, requiring court orders for extended custody. These changes became effective July 1, 2019, directly impacting caregivers, law enforcement, and child protective agencies.
SF 80 requires all Wyoming school buses transporting students to have external video systems starting with the 2016-2017 school year. It allows recordings from these systems to be used as evidence for violations of passing a stopped school bus (W.S. 31-5-507), with a $195 fine issued to the vehicle's registered owner if the driver cannot be identified. This fine does not count as a moving violation for license suspension or as a conviction for other purposes. The bill also specifies defenses for owners who did not consent to the driver using the vehicle or who sold the vehicle before the violation occurred.
Wyoming's SF 125 classifies digital assets (like cryptocurrencies and digital tokens) as property under state law, directly affecting residents, banks, and courts. It defines three categories: digital consumer assets (personal use), digital securities (investment-based), and virtual currency (used as money), each treated as property under specific sections of the Uniform Commercial Code. The bill establishes rules for banks to offer custodial services for digital assets and allows security interests (like loans using digital assets as collateral) through "control" mechanisms, such as private keys or smart contracts. This creates a legal framework for handling digital assets in transactions, disputes, and banking services within Wyoming.
SF 72 requires Wyoming criminal justice agencies to report on sexual assault biological evidence (like DNA samples) collected during investigations, starting January 1, 2020. Agencies must report evidence submission status, lab details, and reasons for non-submission, while protecting victim identities. The bill also changes who pays for medical examinations related to sexual assaults (first victim services, then law enforcement if funds run out) and prohibits destroying evidence until all legal time limits expire. These provisions affect law enforcement, crime labs, and victim services, aiming to improve evidence tracking and transparency.
This bill increases annual salaries for Wyoming judges across all court levels. Supreme court justices' salaries rise to $175,000, district court judges to $160,000, and circuit court judges to $145,000, effective July 1, 2019. It appropriates $1,081,000 from the general fund specifically to fund these increases, with funds expiring June 30, 2020. The bill directly affects all active judges in Wyoming's supreme, district, and circuit courts by adjusting their compensation.
Wyoming's SF 81 defines electric bicycles into three classes with specific speed limits: Class 1 (20 mph assist only while pedaling), Class 2 (20 mph without pedaling), and Class 3 (28 mph assist only while pedaling). The bill requires manufacturers to affix permanent labels showing class, speed, and motor wattage on all e-bikes, prohibits modifications without relabeling, and clarifies e-bikes are not motor vehicles (so they don’t require licenses or registration). It also sets operational rules: Class 3 bikes are restricted on some paths, require helmets for minors, and must have speedometers, while all e-bikes must meet federal safety standards and disengage motors when braking or not pedaling. The law directly affects e-bike manufacturers, riders, and local authorities managing bicycle paths.
This bill repeals Wyoming's specific statutes (W.S. 35-2-605 through 35-2-617) that governed the confidentiality of medical records for patients receiving hospital or treatment services. It removes state-level restrictions on sharing patient records, though federal laws like HIPAA and substance abuse confidentiality rules (42 C.F.R. part 2) remain in effect. The repeal directly affects hospitals, treatment facilities, and patients by eliminating Wyoming's additional requirements for record disclosure, effective July 1, 2019.
This bill designates the portion of U.S. Highway 20 in Wyoming - from the Montana border to the Nebraska border - as the "Wyoming Medal of Honor Highway." It directs the Wyoming Department of Transportation to install and maintain markers displaying three versions of the Medal of Honor along this highway segment, honoring the state's 17 Medal of Honor recipients who served in conflicts from the Civil War to Vietnam. The resolution specifically recognizes Wyoming residents connected to these recipients, including those from Casper, Cheyenne, and other cities. Veterans' groups have offered to fund the markers, and the bill requires the DOT to accept such contributions. The measure is ceremonial, with no new funding or policy changes, solely serving to memorialize military valor.
Wyoming's SF 38 limits probation terms for certain offenders to a maximum of 42 months, applying to felony convictions (excluding violent crimes like murder or sexual assault) and first-time drug offenses under specific statutes. The bill caps probation duration at 42 months for most cases, though judges may extend it beyond this limit for "good cause" after considering public safety and rehabilitation goals. It directly affects individuals sentenced under Wyoming statutes 7-13-301, 7-13-302, and 35-7-1037, including those convicted of non-violent felonies or first-time possession of controlled substances. The law took effect July 1, 2019, replacing prior rules that allowed longer probation terms for some offenses.
This bill requires Wyoming circuit courts to maintain separate bank accounts for different types of court funds. Specifically, it mandates that fines, penalties, and court costs cannot be deposited into the same account as money from civil cases. Interest earned on fines/penalties must be sent monthly to the county public school fund, while interest on other deposits goes quarterly to the state victim's compensation fund. The law took effect July 1, 2019, and applies to all circuit courts managing court-generated revenue.
Wyoming's SF 68 prohibits misrepresenting non-meat products as "meat" in labeling, advertising, or sales. It requires retailers and wholesalers to clearly label products not derived from harvested livestock or poultry as "imitation food" and foreign meat as "imported" with country of origin. The bill defines "meat" as specific edible muscle parts (excluding lips, snout, or ears) and applies to businesses selling meat or meat-like products. It became effective July 1, 2019, and mandates the Department of Agriculture to create labeling rules.
This bill proposes a constitutional amendment to remove the current 4% debt limit on municipal sewer projects in Wyoming. It would allow the legislature to establish new debt limits for sewer systems through regular law instead of the fixed constitutional cap. The amendment directly affects cities and towns seeking to fund sewer infrastructure, as it would provide greater flexibility in financing these projects. If approved by voters, it would change how municipalities can borrow for sewage systems under state law.
