Rep. Scott Heiner

Maddy summaryHB 127 requires Wyoming health care facilities to allow in-person visits from clergy members (like priests, ministers, or religious counselors) during public health emergencies, at the request of patients or their authorized family members. It prohibits facilities from blocking these visits unless clergy refuse to follow safety rules set by health authorities (such as CDC or state health officer guidelines). The law applies to all patients/residents in facilities defined under state health codes, including hospitals and nursing homes. It takes effect July 1, 2023.

Maddy summaryHB 239 repeals Wyoming's requirement that drivers stop a vehicle's engine, lock the ignition, remove the key, and set the brake before leaving a vehicle unattended. This change directly affects drivers in Wyoming who previously could have faced penalties for not following these specific parking procedures. The bill removes these legal requirements, meaning drivers are no longer prohibited from leaving a vehicle running unattended under this statute. The law takes effect immediately upon becoming law, as specified in Section 2.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Wyoming's criminal fraud law to explicitly include unauthorized use of charge cards and debit cards, which were previously only covered under "credit card" fraud statutes. It defines a "charge card" as one requiring full payment at statement time and a "debit card" as one drawing funds from an existing account. The law now treats unauthorized use of these cards - such as using someone else's card without permission or using a revoked card - as criminal fraud, applying the same penalties as existing credit card fraud rules. This directly affects individuals committing fraud with these payment methods, making such acts punishable under the same legal framework.

Maddy summaryHB 35 amends Wyoming law to create a certification exception for certain part-time preschool facilities. It directly affects small preschools enrolling fewer than eight children over 36 months old or fewer than ten children over 48 months old, provided they meet five specific conditions: no medication administration, no food preparation, children must be toilet-trained (no diapers), limited to 10 weekly hours of attendance, and compliance with local health/safety/fire codes. The bill requires the Department of Family Services to create implementing rules and takes effect July 1, 2023, with some provisions effective immediately upon enactment. This changes certification requirements for qualifying facilities without altering broader childcare regulations.

Maddy summaryHB 70 modifies Wyoming's legal definition of a "home-based educational program" under W.S. 21-4-101(a)(v). It specifies that such a program must be provided by a parent, legal guardian, or their designated person to a single child, and explicitly excludes programs serving more than one family unit. The bill takes effect July 1, 2023, and does not create new requirements or funding but clarifies what qualifies as a home-based program for regulatory purposes. This directly affects parents or guardians providing home education to their own child, excluding multi-family educational arrangements from this definition.

Maddy summaryWyoming's HB 210 creates a "restricted financial institution list" for banks that discriminate against energy companies without a valid business reason. It requires the state treasurer to maintain this list after board approval, providing 45 days' notice to institutions before listing them and allowing removal if they stop discriminatory practices. The state must then refuse to enter into banking contracts with institutions on the list, affecting state and local government financial relationships. This bill directly impacts financial institutions that target fossil fuel companies, with definitions clarifying "discrimination" includes refusing service based on energy sector activities. The policy change focuses on state contracting practices, not altering banking regulations for institutions.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 104) sets annual limits on property tax mill levies for Wyoming school districts, counties, and cities/towns based on inflation adjustments. It requires that tax rates for schools (max 25 mills), counties (max 12 mills), and municipalities (max 8 mills) be adjusted each year to match the previous year's revenue when adjusted for inflation using the Consumer Price Index. The bill would directly affect local governments and property owners by preventing tax increases that exceed inflation. It would take effect January 1, 2024, if enacted.

Maddy summarySF 105 requires public utilities in Wyoming to have a written customer allocation agreement with both utilities before providing service to a customer located within another utility's designated service territory. This directly affects utilities that might otherwise serve customers in areas legally assigned to another provider, such as when a customer's point of delivery is outside one utility's territory but consumption occurs within it. The bill allows the affected utility to sue for damages, lost income, and legal fees if this rule is violated. It became effective July 1, 2023, and aims to clarify service territory boundaries for utilities.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes how Wyoming calculates the maximum duration of unemployment benefits. It bases the maximum benefit period (ranging from 12 to 23 weeks) on the state's average unemployment rate: 12 weeks if the rate is 5% or lower, plus one additional week for every 0.5% above 5%, capped at 23 weeks if the rate reaches 10.5% or higher. The change applies only to unemployment claims filed on or after July 1, 2023. It directly affects Wyoming residents who qualify for unemployment insurance by adjusting how long they can receive benefits based on statewide job market conditions.

Maddy summaryHB 246 would require Wyoming to observe Mountain Standard Time year-round, eliminating the state's participation in Daylight Saving Time. The bill repeals previous laws that permitted time changes and establishes Mountain Standard Time as the state's permanent uniform time zone for all government operations and political subdivisions. This change directly affects state agencies, local governments, schools, and businesses across Wyoming by removing the need to adjust clocks in spring and fall. The bill's main provisions would take effect on November 5, 2023, unless it becomes law before that date.