Rep. Eric Barlow

Maddy summaryHB 122 changes how Wyoming fills vacancies in certain elected offices by requiring proportional voting in nomination processes. It mandates that state central committee members' votes for vacancies in U.S. House seats, other state offices (excluding governor, legislature, and judges), and multi-county legislative districts must be weighted by each county's population relative to the state total, using the most recent federal census data. For multi-county legislative vacancies, county commissioners' votes must instead reflect the population of the legislative district within each county. The bill, effective July 1, 2022, applies only to nominations for remaining terms and does not alter the appointment process for vacancies.

Maddy summaryWyoming's HJ 2 is a joint resolution requesting Congress to call a constitutional convention under Article V of the U.S. Constitution. It specifically asks for a convention limited to proposing amendments that impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, limit federal power and jurisdiction, and set term limits for federal officials and Congress members. The resolution includes strict conditions, such as prohibiting any consideration of changes to the Bill of Rights and requiring Congress to call the convention only if two-thirds of states request it for the same purpose. The bill failed to advance in the Wyoming legislature (21-37 vote) and remains a procedural request to Congress, not a binding law.

Maddy summaryHB 111 requires the Wyoming Retirement Board to study and report on public employee retirement plans, including those for state employees, highway patrol officers, game wardens, and firefighters. The report must examine inflation's impact on retirees since 2012 (when cost-of-living adjustments were restricted), analyze plan funding levels, and recommend adjustments to benefit payments while keeping plans financially sustainable. It directly affects retirees who have not received cost-of-living increases since 2012 and will inform potential future legislation. The bill, introduced in 2022 but failed committee passage, mandates the report be submitted by September 2022.

Maddy summaryHB 1009 requires employers to pay 50% of a terminated employee's wages for 13 weeks if the employee is fired or quits due to a COVID-19 vaccination mandate, with specific exceptions (e.g., mandates in place before October 31, 2021). It establishes liability for employers who terminate workers over vaccine refusal and creates a legal cause of action for damages. The bill also mandates employers to provide 90 days' notice before vaccine requirements, offer reasonable alternatives (like reassignment or testing), and accept religious/medical exemptions. Additionally, it presumes vaccine-related injuries are compensable under worker's compensation.

Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 1001 prohibits most employers from requiring COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment. It allows exceptions only for employers who document that vaccination is critical for workplace safety and provide medical/religious exemptions, along with reasonable alternatives like reassignment or testing. Employers violating the law face $100 daily penalties, and must offer severance pay if employees leave due to non-compliant mandates. The bill specifically addresses healthcare employers and creates a program for antibody testing, while citing staffing shortages as its legislative motivation.

Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 1009 limits mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations in workplaces by requiring employers to provide 90 days' notice before implementing such mandates, establish religious/medical exemption processes, and offer reasonable alternatives like reassignment or testing. Employers must pay affected workers 50% of their wages for 13 weeks if they lose jobs due to refusing a vaccine mandate implemented after November 1, 2021. The bill directly affects employers (including healthcare and public accommodations) and employees who decline vaccination under new requirements. It also establishes a legal cause of action for damages related to vaccine-related terminations and amends workers' compensation to presume vaccine injuries are work-related.

Maddy summaryHB 1001 prohibits Wyoming employers from requiring COVID-19 vaccinations as a condition of employment, except in limited circumstances. It mandates employers to provide medical and religious exemptions, offer reasonable alternatives (like reassignment or testing), and pay severance to employees who leave due to non-compliant mandates. The law applies broadly but specifically addresses critical staffing shortages in healthcare, requiring employers to document workplace safety justifications for any exceptions. It also creates programs for employer-funded testing and adjusts worker's compensation to cover vaccine-related injuries.

2021/Summaries/HB0127.pdf

2021/Summaries/HB0163.pdf

2021/Summaries/HB0166.pdf