Rep. John Winter

Maddy summaryHB 98 amends Wyoming law to add criminal penalties for violating the Prohibit Red Flag Gun Seizure Act. It makes knowingly violating this law a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail, a $2,000 fine, or both. The bill directly affects individuals who improperly seize firearms under the red flag law, such as law enforcement or officials acting outside legal authority. The law takes effect on July 1, 2026, and does not change the underlying red flag seizure procedures.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Wyoming's state engineer to conduct groundwater studies every decade in counties with designated groundwater control areas. The studies must assess water usage, determine necessary controls to replenish underground water systems, and may include mapping or test wells. Results must be publicly shared and reported to a legislative committee within 15 days of completion. The state engineer's office is allocated $250,000 specifically for this study, which must be finished by June 30, 2028.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $15 million from Wyoming's tourism reserve fund to support the development of a rodeo and cowboy museum and hall of fame in Wyoming. The funds will be distributed in three installments of $5 million each on July 1, 2026, 2027, and 2028, contingent on the Wyoming Tourism Board certifying that relocation efforts will boost tourism, jobs, and state revenue. Applicants must provide matching funds (at least $1 for every $1 granted) and relocate to Wyoming by June 30, 2028, or repay the grant. The Wyoming Office of Tourism must report annually on fund usage until 2036.

Maddy summarySF 109 creates a permanent "Cowboy State Agricultural Trust Fund" in Wyoming, funded through state investments and eligible contributions. The fund's earnings will provide grants to support agricultural programs, including University of Wyoming research, workforce development at community colleges, K-12 agricultural education, value-added projects, and technology adoption in farming. Recipients must match each dollar from the fund with at least one dollar in non-state funds and report on grant usage annually. The bill establishes a committee to manage grant applications, oversight, and reporting requirements. This legislation directly affects Wyoming agricultural educators, students, producers, and institutions through new funding mechanisms.

Maddy summarySF 118 requires legislative approval before state-funded water projects can use eminent domain to acquire private land. It directly affects water districts, cities, or public entities seeking to build or expand water infrastructure using state funds. The bill adds a new requirement (W.S. 41-2-124(m)) that mandates the legislature must approve such eminent domain actions for water projects, modifying existing laws that previously allowed these entities to proceed without this step. This change applies specifically to projects utilizing state funds, not all eminent domain uses.

Maddy summaryHB 163 limits the state's annual costs that can be charged against Wyoming's Beef Council to 3% of fees collected by the council that aren't already required by state or federal law. This directly affects the Beef Council (which collects industry fees) and state agencies like the Department of Administration and Information that manage these funds. The bill's key provision sets a hard cap on administrative fees, ensuring the council retains more of its collected revenue. The law will take effect on July 1, 2026, and does not alter how the council spends its funds.

Maddy summaryWyoming's HB 173 amends laws to increase parental responsibility for minors' actions. It allows property owners (including schools) to seek up to $5,000 in damages from parents if a child aged 10-17 maliciously damages property. Parents who fail to comply with court orders regarding juvenile discipline may face fines up to $1,000 or 120 days in jail. The bill also requires parents to post bonds of up to $1,000 if their lack of supervision directly causes a juvenile's delinquent behavior, with forfeited funds first covering damages and then going to school districts or county treasuries. The law would take effect July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 172 limits the number of historic horse racing terminals operators can run based on track size and requires a minimum of 16 live racing days at a track to qualify for a permit. It caps terminals at 1,200 per track that’s 7/8 mile or longer and 1,000 per shorter track, and prohibits adding new terminals if existing ones at a location are unused. The bill directly affects racetrack operators seeking simulcasting permits to operate these terminals. It takes effect July 1, 2026, with some provisions effective immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 14 requires Wyoming counties to reimburse individuals for legal costs (including attorney fees and bail) when they successfully defend against criminal charges by reasonably using self-defense, resulting in a not-guilty verdict, dismissed charges, or release from prosecution. It also mandates automatic expungement (permanent removal) of criminal records for these individuals without requiring a court hearing, including no filing fees for either reimbursement petitions or expungement requests. The bill directly affects people prosecuted for crimes but acquitted or having charges dismissed due to lawful self-defense. Key provisions include county-funded reimbursement for defense costs and streamlined court orders to erase all related arrest and prosecution records. The law applies to cases where self-defense was used to prevent injury or property damage, as defined in the bill.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all pesticide labels sold in Wyoming to match the health and safety warnings registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), eliminating state-specific variations. It directly affects pesticide sellers and distributors in Wyoming by mandating uniform labeling aligned with federal standards. Key provisions include overriding previous local labeling requirements and ensuring labels don’t differ in material ways from EPA-registered versions. The law does not change Wyoming’s authority to regulate pesticide use, distribution, or sale under existing statutes, and takes effect July 1, 2026.