Rep. Albert Sommers

Maddy summaryWyoming's HB 151 prohibits financial institutions from discriminating against firearm retailers by using or requiring special payment codes (like those for firearm sales) to distinguish them from other businesses. It bans financial institutions from keeping records of firearm purchases or owners, or disclosing payment information tied to these codes unless required by law. The bill also prevents banks from refusing payment transactions solely based on a firearm merchant code. Violations could lead to civil penalties up to $10,000 per incident, enforced through the Attorney General's office. The law takes effect July 1, 2024.

Maddy summaryHB 179 clarifies that state park superintendents, assistant superintendents, and full-time park rangers at Wyoming state parks, recreation areas, archaeological sites, and historic sites qualify as peace officers when acting within their assigned sites or assisting other peace officers. The bill amends existing definitions in Wyoming law to explicitly include these staff members under "peace officer" status, granting them the same legal authority as other peace officers within their jurisdiction. This change specifically affects park personnel who enforce laws and respond to incidents on state-managed lands. The bill was scheduled to take effect July 1, 2024, but failed committee review in February 2024.

Maddy summaryHB 119 would create a grant program to help Wyoming school districts hire additional mental health staff, including school counselors, nurses, and community mental health providers, for K-12 students during the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 school years. The program, funded by a $37 million appropriation, would provide grants calculated at $206 per student based on each district’s previous year’s enrollment, with applications due by June 30 annually. School districts receiving grants must report on fund usage and student impact, and the state education department would submit annual effectiveness reports to the legislature by 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 87 amends Wyoming's livestock disease reporting rules to clarify how brucellosis test results must be shared. It requires the Wyoming Livestock Board to provide positive brucellosis test results directly to animal owners within 3 days and to all county brand inspectors and veterinarians within 7 days of receiving preliminary lab results. These changes apply specifically to livestock owners, veterinarians, and brand inspectors in counties where a positive test occurs. The bill does not alter disease control measures but ensures timely, targeted information sharing to manage outbreaks. The bill is effective July 1, 2024.

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.

Maddy summaryHB 222 creates a Wyoming Colorado River Advisory Committee within the state engineer's office to advise officials on water management related to Wyoming's rights under the Colorado River Compact. The committee, with 10 members appointed by the governor to represent agricultural, municipal, industrial, and environmental water users in the Colorado River basin, provides input on water development, protection, and conservation. The bill authorizes $200,000 in state funding for the committee's operations and one additional state engineer position to support its work. It requires the state engineer to consult the committee before making decisions affecting Colorado River water rights.

Maddy summaryThis Wyoming bill (SF 133) prohibits male students from competing on teams designated for female students in K-12 interscholastic sports. It requires schools to designate teams as "male," "female," or "coed" based on biological sex at birth (defined as "genetics and anatomy at birth" in Section 21-25-101(iv)). The bill also creates a commission to determine eligibility if courts invalidate the main prohibition (Section 21-25-202), but its core effect is to bar male students from female-designated teams. It directly affects public and private K-12 schools and student athletes in Wyoming.

Maddy summaryWyoming's HB 200 increases application fees for nonresident hunters seeking licenses to hunt elk, deer, antelope, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, moose, grizzly bear, and wild bison. The bill adds specific supplemental fees to existing license costs (e.g., $576 for elk, $288 for deer/antelope) and updates base license fees for all listed species. These changes directly affect nonresidents who apply for big-game hunting licenses in Wyoming. The bill takes effect January 1, 2024, with all new fees applied to nonresident applications.

Maddy summarySF 79 requires healthcare providers in Wyoming to create "plans of safe care" for infants born with prenatal exposure to drugs or alcohol. These plans must address the infant's safety and health needs, connect families to substance use treatment and early intervention services, and be developed with parents or guardians. Hospitals must report the number of infants covered by these plans to the Department of Family Services and share the plans with child protective agencies if safety concerns arise. The bill applies directly to newborns affected by prenatal substance exposure and their families, with requirements effective January 1, 2024.