Rep. Scott Clem

Maddy summaryHB 147 changes Wyoming law to make foreign language instruction for kindergarten through second grade optional for school districts, rather than mandatory. School districts may choose to offer such programs, but if they do, they must follow state board standards for instruction. This bill directly affects all Wyoming public school districts serving K-2 students. It became effective July 1, 2019, after passing the Education Committee unanimously.

Maddy summaryHB 104 requires all freight trains operated in Wyoming to have a minimum crew of two people, applying to trains moving freight but excluding hostler service or railroad utility employees. Violations result in fines starting at $250 for a first offense, increasing to $5,000-$10,000 for repeat offenses within three years. The law, effective July 1, 2019, directly affects railroad companies operating freight trains within Wyoming. It establishes specific penalties to enforce the crew size requirement without altering broader railroad operations.

Maddy summaryHB 157 allows biological grandparents who have acted as parents (in loco parentis) to petition a court for termination of a child's parents' rights. To qualify, grandparents must have lived with the child without parents for at least one year, assumed full parental responsibilities (including financial support and care), and demonstrated that parents failed to contribute financially or maintain contact for a year. The court must find parents unfit based on specific criteria, such as continuous failure to support the child or engage in parental duties, and must determine termination is in the child's best interests. This bill modifies Wyoming's termination process to explicitly grant standing to qualifying grandparents, requiring them to state their intent to adopt in the petition.

Maddy summaryHB 109 amends Wyoming law to increase the required service period for students in the University of Wyoming's advanced psychiatric nurse practitioner program. It extends the maximum work obligation from two to three years in Wyoming for each academic year of financial support received, with payments capped at $10,000 per semester or $2,500 per summer session. Students must sign agreements committing to this service period as a condition of receiving state-funded tuition support. The bill applies only to new agreements signed on or after July 1, 2019.

Maddy summaryHB 265 modifies Wyoming's property offense laws by raising the value threshold for felony charges from $1,000 to $2,000 for theft, shoplifting, property destruction, and related crimes. This means offenses involving property valued between $1,000 and $2,000 will now be classified as high misdemeanors (with penalties up to 1 year in jail and $5,000 fines) instead of felonies. The bill also doubles the maximum civil penalty for shoplifting from $1,000 to $2,000 per incident. These changes directly affect individuals committing property crimes in Wyoming, particularly those involving items valued under $2,000. The law updates sentencing classifications and penalties to better align with property values.

Maddy summaryThis bill would have required Wyoming's highway patrol to verify "extreme inconvenience" before issuing restricted driver's licenses to minors aged 14-16. It would have limited driving to 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., within 50 miles of home, and only with a parent/guardian present. Qualifying circumstances for "extreme inconvenience" included driving more than 5 miles to school, sports, religious activities, or a job, or working in a parent's business. The bill died in committee in 2019 and never took effect.

Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 158 establishes a Legislative Audit Committee to review state agency finances and improve accountability. The committee, appointed by Senate and House leadership with balanced party representation, will oversee financial audits, conduct post-audits of agency recommendations, and prepare reports for the governor and legislature. It also creates a Legislative Auditor position within the Legislative Service Office to support the committee's work. The bill requires state agencies to provide audit assistance and includes confidentiality rules for audit reports, with exceptions for reporting criminal violations to the Attorney General. Note: This bill died in committee in 2019 and did not become law.

Maddy summarySF 94 allows Wyoming's Secretary of State to refuse to file nomination applications for state and federal offices (such as legislators, judges, or U.S. representatives) if an applicant is deemed ineligible under law. If an application is refused, the Secretary must provide written notice by certified mail, and the applicant may appeal to district court within five days - requiring a ruling within five days. The bill also mandates that complaints alleging an applicant's ineligibility must include the complainant's name and address. This procedural bill affects candidates seeking office and clarifies administrative steps for handling nomination eligibility.

Maddy summarySF 157 would make the Wyoming Attorney General an elected statewide office, replacing the current system where the governor appoints the position. Starting with the 2022 general election, the attorney general would serve a four-year term and must have at least four years of legal practice in Wyoming. The bill designates the attorney general as one of five statewide elected officials (alongside governor, secretary of state, state auditor, and state treasurer) for state commissions and ballot listing. It repeals interim appointment rules, requires the attorney general to follow Wyoming's Ethics and Disclosure Act, and amends procedures for when the attorney general needs the governor's approval for certain actions.

Maddy summarySF 135 would have removed legal limits on the number of nursing care facility beds that health care providers could add in Wyoming. It repealed specific sections of state law (W.S. 35-2-906(b), (c), (f), and (g)) that previously restricted bed capacity increases. This change would have directly affected nursing care facilities seeking to expand their capacity. The bill died in committee in February 2019 and did not become law.