Maddy summarySF 126 establishes a K-8 public lab school on the University of Wyoming’s main campus to serve as a teacher training site and model classroom. It directly affects pre-service teachers (through UW’s education programs), students in the surrounding school district, and the University of Wyoming’s College of Education. Key provisions include creating a governing board with members from the local school district, UW, and community; requiring annual reports on student achievement and teacher placements; and mandating the school operate under state education standards while focusing on developing teaching practices. The bill specifies enrollment preferences for students in the resident school district and requires the school to report to the education committee starting in 2025.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryHB 341 establishes Wyoming's Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) program to provide food benefits to eligible children during summer months when school is not in session. The Department of Family Services will administer the program using the federal EBT system, leveraging data from the National School Lunch Program to identify qualifying households. It authorizes $1.14 million in state funds and $1.14 million in federal funds for administrative costs through June 2027. This ensures continued access to nutrition assistance for children who qualify for free or reduced-price school meals.
Maddy summaryHB 213 requires landlords in Wyoming to ensure all residential rental units have operational electrical, heating, plumbing, and hot/cold running water, removing a prior exception that allowed written agreements to waive this requirement. This directly affects landlords and tenants in standard residential rentals across Wyoming, effective July 1, 2025. The bill eliminates the ability for landlords to bypass utility maintenance through written agreements, mandating these basic amenities as standard. Seasonal rentals like summer cabins remain exempt, as specified in the amended law.
Maddy summaryHB 239, the Reproductive Freedom Act, establishes that Wyoming residents have the right to abortion before a fetus can survive outside the womb (viability) or to protect the person's life or health, prohibiting state interference with this right. It defines key terms like "abortion" and "viability," and specifies that unauthorized abortions (outside these limits) are misdemeanors punishable by up to one year in jail or a $5,000 fine. The bill also protects healthcare providers’ professional judgment on viability or health risks, allows religious or ethical objections to participating in abortions without discrimination, and requires state-funded pregnancy programs to provide equivalent information about abortion options. It directly affects all Wyoming residents seeking abortion care, healthcare providers, and state programs offering reproductive services.
Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 57 creates a state-funded hearing aid program for adults with hearing impairment who meet specific income and eligibility criteria. It directly affects Wyoming residents aged 18+ diagnosed with hearing loss by a physician or audiologist, with household income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, who cannot obtain hearing aids through private insurance, Medicaid, or Medicare at low cost. The program provides up to one set of hearing aids (one per ear) every five years, including fittings and ear molds, at state-paid rates matching Wyoming Medical Assistance program costs. The bill appropriates $90,000 from the general fund for program costs and $9,000 for an administrative position, both expiring June 30, 2026.
Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 53 adds one additional district judge position to the sixth judicial district, increasing its total to four judges. The bill appropriates $1,240,728 for the 2024-2026 biennium to fund the new judge's salary, benefits, office equipment, and facilities. It requires the district to provide suitable facilities, including a courtroom for 12-person juries, and authorizes four full-time equivalent positions to support the new judge. The bill takes effect July 1, 2024, directly affecting court operations in the sixth judicial district.
Maddy summaryHB 77 amends Wyoming's simple assault and domestic assault laws to explicitly include "threatening or menacing conduct" that causes someone to reasonably fear immediate physical harm. It expands the definition so that making another person feel in danger of being physically hurt - through words, gestures, or actions - now qualifies as assault, not just physical attempts. This change directly affects individuals accused of simple assault or domestic assault in Wyoming, applying to all offenses committed on or after July 1, 2024. The bill does not alter penalties but clarifies that verbal threats or menacing behavior alone can constitute a crime.
Maddy summaryThe Reproductive Freedom Act (HB 76) would protect Wyoming residents' right to access abortion care before a fetus is viable or to protect the patient's life or health, prohibiting state interference with this right. It sets penalties for unauthorized abortions performed by providers (misdemeanor with up to one year in jail or $5,000 fine) while exempting patients and those assisting patients in exercising this right. The bill requires any state regulations on abortion to be medically necessary, consistent with medical practice, and impose the least restrictions possible. Additionally, it allows health care providers and private facilities to refuse to perform abortions without facing discrimination or professional penalties.
Maddy summaryThis joint resolution proposes amending the Wyoming Constitution to remove the legislature's authority to set "reasonable and necessary restrictions" on health care decisions or payment. If approved by voters, it would eliminate Article 1, Section 38(c), directly affecting all Wyoming residents by ensuring their right to make personal health care choices without legislative interference in defining those limits. The amendment requires voter approval at the next general election to become part of the state constitution. It focuses on constitutional language, not specific health care policies or funding changes.
Maddy summaryHB 113 increases scholarship amounts for Wyoming's Hathaway program, directly affecting eligible students pursuing degrees or certificates at participating institutions. The bill raises semester awards for three scholarship tiers: Opportunity ($882, up from $840), Performance ($1,323, up from $1,260), and Honor ($1,764, up from $1,680) for full-time students meeting specific GPA and standardized test score criteria. Need-based scholarships also see updated calculations, with a minimum $110 per semester and increased caps for unmet financial need. The changes apply to students qualifying under existing Hathaway program standards, effective July 1, 2024.