Rep. Chip Neiman

Maddy summaryHB 69 requires written consent from surface landowners (who aren't the mine permit holder or mineral owner) before any mine permit or reclamation plan can be revised. The bill amends Wyoming law to mandate this approval for all permit revisions or plan changes submitted after July 1, 2024, directly affecting landowners whose property is impacted by mining operations. Key provisions include prohibiting revisions without the surface owner's written agreement and applying to all mining permits except surface coal mining. This change shifts decision-making authority to landowners for modifications to existing mining operations on their land.

Maddy summaryHB 129 establishes a new standing committee within Wyoming's legislature called the "Joint and Standing Committee on Federal Review." This committee will review federal laws, regulations, and actions to determine if they infringe on Wyoming's state sovereignty or violate the U.S. Constitution's specific enumerated powers of the federal government. The committee must report its findings and recommendations to the legislature, including suggesting new state legislation if needed. This bill directly affects Wyoming's legislative process by creating a dedicated body to monitor and respond to federal actions.

Maddy summaryHB 102 would allow school employees with valid concealed carry permits to carry firearms on school property if their district board adopts specific rules. School boards that choose not to adopt such rules must submit a written explanation to the state education department. The bill appropriates $100,000 for a statewide marketing campaign to promote this authority, with funds restricted to use from July 2024 through June 2026. The bill failed its introduction in the Wyoming House on February 14, 2024, with a vote of 35-26.

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution (SJ 1) is a non-binding request from Wyoming's legislature to the U.S. Congress. It demands that Congress extinguish federal ownership of public lands and subsurface resources within Wyoming (currently covering about 46% of the state's surface area and 69% of its subsurface resources) to fulfill Wyoming's constitutional "equal footing" status as a state admitted to the Union. The resolution requires Congress to confirm its intent to transfer these lands to Wyoming by October 1, 2024, and proposes that the transferred lands remain state public lands. It is a procedural resolution, not a law, and has not advanced beyond the introduction stage in the Wyoming Senate (failed 17-14).

Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 80 mandates that hospitals, nursing homes, hospices, and other 24-hour care facilities must allow visitation for patients. It requires facilities to permit visitors while permitting reasonable restrictions (like visitor limits, timing, or safety equipment) and to provide written visitation policies to patients or their representatives. The law explicitly excludes patients involuntarily detained under certain legal codes or individuals incarcerated by the state. Facilities must visibly post current visitation rules and allow patients to designate or block visitors. The bill takes effect July 1, 2023.

Maddy summaryWyoming's HB 152, the "Life is a Human Right Act," prohibits most abortions by defining "abortion" as the intentional termination of an unborn baby's life from conception. It directly affects pregnant individuals and medical providers in Wyoming by banning abortion except when a physician uses reasonable medical judgment to prevent the death of the pregnant woman, address a serious risk to her life or a life-sustaining organ, or treat an ectopic pregnancy. The bill explicitly excludes contraception from the prohibition and defines "unborn baby" as a living human from fertilization through birth. This law creates criminal penalties for violations and amends existing abortion-related statutes.

Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 109 prohibits the use of specific abortion drugs (like mifepristone and misoprostol) for terminating pregnancies, affecting doctors, pharmacists, and anyone distributing or prescribing these drugs. Exceptions include contraceptive use before pregnancy confirmation, treatment of natural miscarriages under medical guidelines, and cases where a patient faces an immediate physical danger to life or health (excluding psychological conditions), or pregnancy from incest/sexual assault. Violations carry misdemeanor penalties of up to six months in jail or a $9,000 fine. Women seeking abortions using these drugs are explicitly exempt from criminal prosecution under this law.

Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 174 creates a new Wyoming Charter School Authorizing Board to oversee public charter schools statewide. The board, consisting of five members (including the state superintendent and appointees from the governor, Senate, and House), will approve, renew, and oversee charter schools under specific quality standards. The bill modifies how charter schools are authorized (replacing school district oversight with the state board), adjusts funding rules, and requires transparency in decision-making. This directly affects public charter schools, their governing boards, and the state education department as the local education agency.

Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 153 strengthens election security by requiring counties to audit up to 5% of ballots after each election to verify results. It changes absentee ballot distribution timelines (45 days before election for military voters, 28 days for others) and mandates that electronic voting systems maintain an "air gap" (physical isolation from networks/internet). The bill also requires election records and ballots to be transported in sealed, locked containers with unique numbered seals. A $100,000 appropriation funds county training and consultant services for implementation. These changes directly affect county clerks, election administrators, and electronic voting systems statewide.

Maddy summaryThis bill makes shed antlers and horns from big game animals found on Wyoming public lands the property of the state, not private individuals. It requires the Game and Fish Commission to establish specific collection seasons, with residents allowed to begin collecting three days before nonresidents. The rules must minimize disturbance to big game populations in areas west of I-90 (from Montana to Buffalo) and west of I-25 (from Buffalo to Colorado). This directly affects hunters and outdoor enthusiasts who collect shed antlers on public lands.