Maddy summaryHB 178 authorizes Wyoming's Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources to host revenue-generating events (like weddings, concerts, or corporate gatherings) on specific state land parcels in Teton County, subject to approval by the Board of Land Commissioners. The bill limits each parcel to five event sites, requires temporary structures to be dismantled after use, and mandates that all event revenues be deposited into the common school account within the permanent land income fund. It appropriates $3 million for implementation, including site assessments, business planning, and securing concessionaires, with funds usable through June 2026. The law also requires the department and state lands office to develop implementing rules.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryHB 268 updates Wyoming's Consumer Rental-Purchase Agreement Act to modernize rules for agreements where consumers pay to eventually own items (like furniture or electronics). It requires merchants to provide clear digital disclosures - such as termination rights and mandatory warnings about optional damage waivers - in prominent formats (10pt bold or boxed text), and allows digital agreements for online transactions. The bill also mandates separate business licenses for physical locations versus online operations and grants regulators authority to inspect records and impose fines up to $2,500 per violation. These changes directly affect consumers (by improving transparency) and merchants (by standardizing disclosures and licensing).
Maddy summaryHB 68 requires drivers to stop for pedestrians in marked school zone crosswalks. It allows schools to install video systems to monitor compliance, operating only during school hours (7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on school days). If a driver’s identity is unknown, the vehicle’s registered owner faces a $195 fine (not counted as a moving violation), and video evidence can be used in court but must be deleted after one year. The bill affects drivers in school zones and vehicle owners, with specific protections for owners who didn’t consent to the driver or sold the vehicle before the violation. It became law effective July 1, 2023, though it died in committee before passing.
Maddy summaryHJ 12 is a Wyoming legislative joint resolution requesting Congress to increase the state's Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP), which determines federal Medicaid funding. The resolution asks Congress to raise Wyoming's current minimum 50% FMAP rate - below neighboring states - by considering factors like Wyoming's high poverty rates, healthcare costs, rural access challenges, and unique income statistics. It specifically directs Wyoming's congressional delegation to seek policy changes for more equitable reimbursement rates for Medicaid providers. This procedural resolution does not change law but formally requests federal action to improve Medicaid funding for Wyoming's low-income residents and healthcare providers.
Maddy summaryHB 170 establishes a spending policy for Wyoming's Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust Account, limiting annual withdrawals to 5% of the trust's five-year average market value (phased in over 2024-2028). It also modifies how funds flow to the Wyoming's Tomorrow Scholarship endowment, requiring transfers back to the endowment when the scholarship expenditure account exceeds 9% of its five-year average market value. The bill directly affects state financial management of these two trust funds, ensuring spending aligns with long-term fund values. Key mechanisms include the phased calculation method for the wildlife trust's spending limit and the 9% threshold for scholarship fund transfers.
Maddy summaryHB 167 reauthorizes Wyoming's teacher shortage loan repayment program, targeting educators in high-demand subjects like special education, math, science, world languages, reading, and English as a second language. The bill allows teachers to repay student loans without cash payments by teaching at least 50% of their time in these specific areas within Wyoming public schools, with repayment required within the loan amount's repayment period plus two years after graduation. It appropriates $500,000 from the legislative stabilization reserve for the program during fiscal 2023-2024, with up to 5% allocated for administrative costs. The program requires annual reporting to the legislature on its impact in addressing teacher shortages and funding needs.
Maddy summaryHB 271 creates a dedicated endowment fund for the University of Wyoming College of Agriculture (specifically its life sciences and natural resources programs). The bill requires all annual investment earnings from this fund to be fully distributed to the college for direct use on approved agricultural programs, including academic courses supporting Wyoming's farming/ranching industry, extension services, the state veterinary lab, agricultural research, equipment, and faculty recruitment. It mandates detailed annual reporting to state committees on exactly how funds are spent, broken down by program type and faculty positions funded. This endowment directly affects the University of Wyoming College of Agriculture and its ability to support Wyoming's agricultural sector through targeted funding.
Maddy summaryHB 238 sets a maximum fee for newspaper publications required in Wyoming probate cases involving heirship notices. It limits the cost to the lowest display advertising rate charged to counties by local newspapers, whichever is less than standard open rates. This affects counties paying for these notices, newspapers publishing them, and individuals involved in probate proceedings (like heirs, creditors, or devisees). The bill does not change the notice requirements themselves, only the fee structure for publishing them. It became effective July 1, 2023.
Maddy summaryHB 201 creates the Hathaway Fallen First Responder Scholarship, providing financial aid to children of Wyoming first responders who died while on duty. It directly affects students whose custodial parent or guardian was a Wyoming resident first responder (as defined by Wyoming law) killed in the line of duty, and who graduated from an accredited high school (in Wyoming or out-of-state). To qualify, students must have a minimum 2.50 high school GPA and score at or above the 43rd percentile on a national college entrance exam. The scholarship offers $1,680 per semester for full-time enrollment (12+ hours), prorated for fewer hours, and is funded through Wyoming's existing Hathaway scholarship program.
Maddy summaryHB 109 modifies Wyoming's Tomorrow Scholarship program to prioritize students in workforce-focused education. It adds a third preference for students enrolled in credential programs approved under the Wyoming Works program (which connects training to local job needs) and a fourth preference for teacher preparation students. The bill also changes how the scholarship fund's value is calculated, using longer historical averages starting in 2027, and transfers $75 million to the scholarship fund while directing $20 million to workforce programs. This directly affects students pursuing vocational credentials, teaching degrees, or other in-demand fields through Wyoming community colleges.