Rep. Chip Neiman

Maddy summaryWyoming's HB 224 restricts land ownership by "foreign adversaries" (defined as entities or individuals linked to Russia, China, terrorism-designated countries, or specific international sanctions lists) in all Wyoming real property, except for personal residences under one acre. Owners must register with the Homeland Security office within 60 days of acquisition or July 1, 2025 (whichever is later), and update annually. Failure to register incurs a $5,000 daily civil penalty, and county clerks must report violations to Homeland Security. The law also requires tax assessment notices to inform property owners about the ownership restrictions and registration requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 324 makes employees of Wyoming's secretary of state, state auditor, state treasurer, and superintendent of public instruction "at-will" employees, meaning these officials can terminate them at any time without cause (except for illegal reasons). It exempts these employees from standard executive branch personnel rules, including compensation plans, job classifications, and discipline procedures. The bill does not affect existing employment contracts signed before July 1, 2025, and specifically states it won't override contracts that already specify employment terms. The law would take effect on July 1, 2025, if passed.

Maddy summaryWyoming's HB 80 requires state investment managers and fiduciaries to consider **only financial factors** when managing state funds, explicitly prohibiting consideration of social, political, or ideological goals. It bans actions like reducing greenhouse gas emissions, promoting diversity policies, or divesting from gun manufacturers as part of investment decisions. The bill mandates that all proxy votes on state-held stocks must align solely with financial interests and requires annual public reporting of voting records. This directly affects entities managing Wyoming’s retirement funds, permanent funds, and state treasurer investments.

Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 64 is a state policy resolution opposing a federal rule requiring electronic ear tags for livestock. It states Wyoming's position that the state will continue using traditional identification methods (like brands, ear tags, and tattoos) under existing law, rather than adopting mandatory electronic devices. The bill requires state and local veterinarians to inform livestock producers about these traditional options and clarifies that Wyoming livestock buyers in other states would be responsible for electronic tagging if required there. This bill does not change Wyoming's current identification rules but formally rejects the federal mandate as unnecessary and costly.

Maddy summaryThis bill repeals Wyoming's "budget reserve account" and changes how excess state funds are managed. Instead of holding surplus general fund money in this account, it requires transferring unobligated balances above a set amount directly to the "legislative stabilization reserve account" at the end of each biennium. The bill also removes outdated references to the repealed account from state statutes and adds reporting requirements. This is a procedural budget adjustment affecting state financial management, not specific programs or services.

Maddy summaryHB 46, the "Homeschool Freedom Act," removes a requirement for homeschooling families in Wyoming to submit their annual curriculum to local school boards. It eliminates the provision that treated failure to submit a curriculum as proof the program didn't meet state educational standards. The bill directly affects homeschooling parents and guardians by reducing administrative burdens related to curriculum reporting. The change takes effect July 1, 2025, and does not alter the requirement that homeschool programs meet basic academic standards.

Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 77 prohibits state and local governments from requiring employees or contractors to use another person's preferred pronouns as a condition of employment, contracts, grants, or other government benefits. It directly affects government workers, contractors, and individuals receiving state services who might face such requirements. The bill allows affected individuals to file lawsuits seeking injunctions, damages, or attorney fees if their rights are violated. This policy change prevents government entities from mandating pronoun usage, focusing on preventing compelled speech in official interactions.

Maddy summaryHB 235 creates a new categorical grant program to fund career and technical education (CTE) supplies, materials, and equipment for Wyoming public school districts. It provides funding calculated as $14,184.68 per full-time equivalent CTE teacher (based on district reports from the prior year), paid by February 15 of each school year. Funds must be used exclusively for CTE program supplies/equipment and cannot replace existing education funding. School districts must apply annually, report expenditures, and comply with department of education rules.

Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 98 requires candidates for school board trustee to have their political party affiliation printed on general election ballots. This applies directly to school board trustee candidates and modifies ballot requirements for nonpartisan offices. The bill mandates the Secretary of State to create implementing rules and takes effect July 1, 2025. It does not change election rules for other offices but specifically adds party labels to school board candidate ballots.

Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 63 allows property owners adjacent to state lands (without a lease) to build legal partition fences along those boundaries. The state lands office will cover half the construction cost, and both parties share maintenance costs based on their interest in the fence. The bill requires the state lands office to create implementing rules and takes effect July 1, 2025, except for rulemaking and effective date provisions that take effect immediately upon enactment. This directly affects landowners bordering state lands and the state lands office.