Maddy summaryHB 183 prohibits foreign governments, businesses, or individuals (defined as citizens of Russia, China, state sponsors of terrorism, or countries under specific arms regulations) from owning most land in Wyoming, allowing only personal residences under one acre. It requires existing foreign owners to sell their land by July 2026 (unless for a qualifying personal residence) and mandates annual registration with the Secretary of State for all foreign land ownership, including personal residences. Owners who fail to register face daily civil penalties of $5,000, and county clerks must report violations to the Attorney General for enforcement, which may include court-ordered forfeiture and sale of the land. The bill also requires tax assessment notices to inform owners about the foreign ownership restrictions and registration requirements.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryHB 156 establishes a legal presumption in Wyoming court decisions about children's best interests: it is conclusively not in a child's best interest to undergo gender transition or reassignment procedures. The bill defines prohibited procedures to include certain surgeries (like hysterectomy or orchiectomy), mastectomies, and specific hormone treatments (such as puberty blockers or supraphysiologic hormone doses), while excluding care for children with medically verified conditions like disorders of sex development or central precocious puberty. This presumption applies to family court cases involving custody, adoption, visitation, and protection orders. The bill amends multiple Wyoming statutes to incorporate this standard, affecting court rulings on minors' care.
Maddy summaryHB 78 requires websites publishing over one-third material harmful to minors to implement age verification for access, using government ID or transaction data. It prohibits retaining personally identifying age information after verification and bans websites from allowing minors to access such content without verification. Violations carry fines of up to $1,000 per day for non-compliance with age verification or data retention rules. The law applies to websites accessible in Wyoming and becomes effective July 1, 2024. It directly affects website operators hosting content meeting the defined "material harmful to minors" standard.
Maddy summaryWyoming HB 128, the Wyoming Freedom Scholarship Act, creates education savings accounts (ESAs) providing eligible students with $6,000 annually (adjusted for inflation) to cover qualified educational expenses. It directly affects Wyoming residents who are public school-eligible but haven’t graduated high school, allowing parents to use ESA funds for tuition at qualified schools (including private or online programs), textbooks, tutoring, technology, and other approved educational costs. The state treasurer administers the accounts, which are funded by state appropriations - not local tax revenues - and require parental agreements specifying eligible uses. The bill explicitly states qualified schools are not considered state or federal agents and establishes oversight mechanisms for the program.
Maddy summaryHB 130 would change Wyoming driver's license expiration rules, extending the standard renewal period from every 5 years to every 7 years. It also allows certain licensees - active-duty military personnel, government employees stationed out of state, and their dependents - to renew licenses without a test every 7 years, provided their license hasn't been suspended in the prior 7 years. The bill applies to licenses issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2024. Note: This bill was withdrawn by its sponsor on February 16, 2024, and is not currently law.
Maddy summaryThis bill would repeal Wyoming's existing low-carbon energy standards for public utilities. It requires utilities to refund customers for rates collected under those repealed standards (with an exception for costs already spent on carbon capture technology before the bill's effective date). The Public Service Commission would establish rules to implement these changes. The bill directly affects all public utilities operating in Wyoming and their customers who paid the now-repealed rates.
Maddy summaryHB 50, titled "What is a Woman Act," defines "sex" for legal purposes as a person's biological sex at birth, requiring all state laws, rules, and regulations to use this definition. It mandates that "woman" and "female" refer exclusively to individuals born with female biology (XX chromosomes, reproductive system for ova), and "man" and "male" refer to individuals born with male biology (XY chromosomes, reproductive system for fertilization). The bill requires state agencies, schools, and public facilities to collect vital statistics identifying people as male or female based on birth sex and to maintain separate accommodations (e.g., restrooms, shelters, prisons) based on biological sex. It applies directly to Wyoming state agencies, schools, and public entities collecting data or managing facilities. The bill failed its introduction in the Wyoming House on February 15, 2024.
Maddy summaryHB 53 amends Wyoming law to clarify the process for declaring and managing public health emergencies. It requires the governor to immediately call the legislature into session within two days of declaring an emergency, allowing lawmakers to vote remotely via video/audio conference to either confirm the emergency or end it. The bill updates the definition of "public health emergency" to include epidemics, pandemics, or biological threats posing significant health risks, and specifies that healthcare provider exemptions (like out-of-state physical therapists or acupuncturists) during emergencies apply only to declarations after July 1, 2024. These changes directly affect the governor, legislature, and healthcare providers seeking temporary practice authorization during declared emergencies.
Maddy summaryHB 152 prohibits registered sex offenders (18+ years) from being on child care facility premises when children under 18 are present, loitering within 1,000 feet of such facilities, or residing within 1,000 feet of them. It directly affects adult sex offenders required to register under Wyoming law. Key exceptions include parents dropping off/picking up children, attending facility events with permission, making deliveries, working in multipurpose buildings, voting, and residing in approved shelters or licensed facilities within the 1,000-foot zone. The bill defines "child care facility" to cover licensed centers, group homes, and government-run programs providing child care or residential care, and was scheduled to take effect July 1, 2024.
Maddy summaryHB 129 establishes a new standing committee within Wyoming's legislature called the "Joint and Standing Committee on Federal Review." This committee will review federal laws, regulations, and actions to determine if they infringe on Wyoming's state sovereignty or violate the U.S. Constitution's specific enumerated powers of the federal government. The committee must report its findings and recommendations to the legislature, including suggesting new state legislation if needed. This bill directly affects Wyoming's legislative process by creating a dedicated body to monitor and respond to federal actions.