Rep. Pepper Ottman

Maddy summaryHB 211 limits who can return absentee ballots for others in Wyoming elections. It restricts designated returners to handling no more than two ballots per election, unless the ballots belong to immediate family members (defined as spouses, parents, siblings, children, or blood relatives living in the same household). The bill requires designated returners to notify the county clerk using a state-prescribed form. This directly affects voters who ask others to submit their absentee ballots, particularly those who might have used ballot harvesting services. The law takes effect July 1, 2023.

Maddy summaryThis bill limits annual increases in the taxable value used to calculate property taxes for most non-exempt properties in Wyoming. It caps the yearly increase at 5% from the previous year's taxable value, excluding changes from property improvements or renovations. This directly affects residential and commercial property owners who pay taxes on "all other property" (not agricultural or specific exempt categories). The rule applies to all such properties statewide starting January 1, 2024, preventing rapid tax bill jumps due to rising market values alone.

Maddy summaryWyoming's HB 87 updates the state's definition of "child pornography" to explicitly include cartoons, drawings, and other depictions alongside photographs or videos. It removes a previous exemption that allowed school, college, university, museum, or public library employees to promote obscenity during work activities. The bill directly affects educational and cultural institutions by eliminating this employment-related exception. Key provisions amend statutes to broaden the definition of child exploitation materials and repeal the specific exemption, effective July 1, 2023. The change clarifies that such materials in any visual form (including digital or drawn content) fall under the legal definition.

Maddy summaryHB 220 prohibits schools and charter schools in Wyoming from using, displaying, or distributing pornographic or indecent materials that meet obscenity standards (defined as "sensitive materials" in the bill). It directly affects all public school districts, charter schools, and their instructional materials, excluding health, healthcare, or family and consumer sciences courses. Key provisions require school boards to ensure compliance, mandate annual reports to the education committee on complaints and resolutions, and direct the state board to create rules defining prohibited materials and handling violations. The bill does not restrict health-related instructional materials, which may be exempted by the state board.

Maddy summaryHB 235 would have required Wyoming school district board trustees to be sworn in and begin serving their duties on the same day as their election, replacing the current requirement that allowed them until December 1st or within 10 days of notification. This change would directly affect newly elected or appointed school board members across all Wyoming school districts. The bill amended Wyoming Statute 21-3-106 to eliminate the existing deadline for taking the oath. The bill was introduced in January 2023 but died in committee in February 2023 and never became law.

Maddy summaryWyoming's HB 259 would require runoff elections for governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, state auditor, state superintendent, and federal offices if no candidate wins over 50% of votes in a party primary. The runoff would feature the top two candidates (determined by vote count or drawing lots for ties) and must be held on the first Tuesday after the second Monday in August during general election years. The bill specifies a standardized ballot format for runoffs, including clear voting instructions and office groupings. All costs for runoffs would be covered by the secretary of state, who would reimburse counties using a dedicated account. This bill is proposed legislation (not yet enacted) and would take effect only if a related constitutional amendment is approved.

Maddy summaryHB 274 prohibits large social media platforms (with over 20 million active users monthly) from blocking or removing content based on a user's race, religion, or viewpoint. It applies specifically to Wyoming residents and content shared with other states that have similar free speech protections. The law does not restrict platforms from removing illegal content like hate speech or violence. It defines "censor" broadly to include actions such as deplatforming, demonetizing, or restricting visibility.

Maddy summaryHB 205 prohibits K-12 public school educators and state employees from using public funds to teach or require training on specific concepts related to race, ethnicity, or national origin. It bans instruction claiming any group is inherently superior/inferior, that individuals should be discriminated against based on identity, or that people are inherently racist due to their background. Exceptions allow teaching historical oppression or using primary sources in approved curricula. Violations may trigger civil penalties up to $5,000 per incident, private lawsuits for damages, or disciplinary action against educators. The bill is pending in Wyoming's legislature (introduced January 2023, not yet considered for debate).

Maddy summaryHB 234, the "Medical Ethics Defense Act," allows health care providers (like doctors and nurses), institutions (such as hospitals), and payers (like insurance companies) to refuse to provide or pay for specific health care services based on their ethical, moral, or religious beliefs. It prohibits discrimination against these entities for such refusals and requires institutions to adopt internal policies enabling conscience-based objections. Key provisions include requiring written consent before a provider can be assigned to perform an abortion and ensuring religious organizations can align employment or admission decisions with their beliefs. The law does not override existing obligations for emergency care or other essential services.

Maddy summaryHB 66 prohibits businesses and organizations from refusing service, goods, or facilities to the public based on a person's vaccination status, use of face coverings (masks), or medical testing results related to infectious diseases like COVID-19. It also bans advertisements or communications requiring masks, vaccines, or testing as a condition for public services. Violations are punishable by a misdemeanor fine of up to $5,000 or one year in jail. The law applies to all public-facing businesses and services, such as restaurants, stores, and venues. It repeals prior immunization requirement laws and takes effect immediately.