Rep. J.T. Larson

Maddy summaryWyoming's HB 43 requires commercial websites that profit from content harmful to minors (such as obscene material or child pornography) to verify users' ages before allowing access. Covered platforms must use specific, accepted methods like driver's licenses, passports, or credit cards (excluding those not requiring users to be 18+) to confirm users are not under 18. The law creates legal liability for platforms that fail to verify ages, imposing penalties of up to $5,000 per violation, and allows parents or minors to sue for damages. It directly affects commercial online platforms hosting such content, not general websites or non-profit services.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a uniform 9.5% property tax rate for all residential real property in Wyoming, including owner-occupied primary residences, single-family homes, condos, mobile homes, and related land (up to 35 acres). It defines "owner occupied primary residence" as property where the owner lives at least six months annually and clarifies "residential real property" to include dwellings for up to four families. The change applies to all residential property classes, replacing prior differentiated rates, and takes effect for tax year 2025. It directly affects Wyoming homeowners and property assessors by standardizing the tax calculation method.

Maddy summaryHB 192 requires Wyoming electric utilities (excluding city or town-owned systems) to create and submit detailed wildfire mitigation plans to the Public Service Commission. These plans must cover risk areas, infrastructure inspections, vegetation management, facility upgrades, de-energization procedures, community outreach, and cost estimates for regulated utilities. The Commission must review and approve plans within 120 days, and utilities must update plans every five years with annual compliance reports. The bill also allows regulated utilities to seek cost recovery for approved mitigation measures, though plan approval does not automatically grant this right.

Maddy summarySF 132 prohibits operating drones over critical infrastructure (including power plants, water facilities, hospitals, prisons, and military sites) for intentional photography, loitering, or criminal activity. Exceptions allow federal-authorized drone use, government operations, infrastructure owners, model aircraft in parks, and emergency services like police or disaster response teams. Violations face misdemeanor penalties ($2,500 fine or 6 months jail) for first offenses, escalating to felony charges ($5,000 fine or 2 years jail) for repeat violations. Law enforcement may disable violating drones, and the Wyoming National Guard can assist with enforcement, effective July 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySF 158 regulates dental insurance networks in Wyoming by requiring dental carriers (insurance companies offering dental plans) to allow third-party processors access to network contracts under specific conditions. It mandates that dental carriers must provide written notice to providers 30 days before adding new third parties, maintain updated website lists of all third parties, and require third parties to identify discount sources in payment remittances. The bill also defines "virtual credit card payments" as single-use electronic payments for dental services, replacing physical cards. These changes directly affect dental providers, insurance carriers, and third-party payment processors by standardizing access to network pricing and payment methods.

Maddy summaryHB 331 restricts how people can hunt or kill wildlife on public lands in Wyoming. It prohibits using vehicles (like cars or snowmobiles) to hunt, shoot, or kill any wildlife except predatory animals (such as coyotes or wolves) on public lands. On private lands, the bill allows vehicle use to hunt predatory animals only. The law also bans harassing, injuring, or killing wildlife with vehicles on public lands and requires the Game and Fish Commission to create implementing rules. It does not affect government agency operations or handicapped hunters under specific exemptions.

Maddy summaryHB 129 changes the schedule for distributing school funds in Wyoming counties. It removes the requirement for county treasurers to distribute funds on June 20 (or the last business day before) each year, leaving only the regular monthly distributions. This directly affects county treasurers and school districts, as they will no longer process this specific annual transfer. The bill amends existing law to streamline fund transfers, with immediate effective date upon enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 72 requires public facilities in Wyoming, including schools, correctional facilities, and government buildings, to designate multi-occupancy changing rooms, restrooms, and sleeping quarters exclusively for males or females. It prohibits access to opposite-sex designated areas and allows individuals to sue public entities if they encounter someone of the opposite sex in a designated space, unless exceptions apply (like single-occupancy unisex rooms, medical emergencies, or cleaning staff). The bill defines "female" and "male" biologically and specifies that civil lawsuits must be filed within two years of a violation, with successful plaintiffs able to recover attorney fees. This directly affects public facility operators and users in shared spaces, aiming to enforce single-sex facility use through legal accountability.

Maddy summaryHB 300 imposes a 3.5% tax on electricity producers in Wyoming, effective January 1, 2026, based on their annual gross energy earnings from electricity generated within the state. It directly affects utility companies and power generators, while exempting electricity produced by the federal or state government and small personal use (under 500 kWh daily). Producers must report annual revenue by February 1 and pay the tax by the same deadline, with penalties of 5% per 30 days for late filing. The tax revenue will be collected by the Wyoming Department of Revenue and distributed per the bill’s provisions.

Maddy summaryWyoming's HB 60 requires all public schools, the University of Wyoming, and Wyoming community colleges to designate athletic teams by sex and prohibits male students from competing on teams designated for female students. The bill creates legal remedies allowing schools or students harmed by violations to seek damages, attorney fees, and injunctions through private lawsuits within two years of the violation. It defines "female" and "male" based on biological reproductive systems and prohibits schools from participating in female-designated sports with teams known to include male students. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, for all institutions.