Rep. Joe MacGuire

Maddy summaryHB 91 sets minimum and maximum annual salary ranges for specific county officers in Wyoming, effective January 2, 2023. It directly affects county assessors, part-time county/prosecuting attorneys, county clerks, clerks of district court, sheriffs, and treasurers. The bill requires these officers to receive at least $10,000 per year but no more than the salary authorized for a district court judge (per W.S. 5-1-110). It also repeals outdated salary language in the existing statute.

Maddy summaryHB 63 updates salary structures for Wyoming's district attorneys and county/prosecuting attorneys. Starting in 2023, district attorneys will earn the same as district court judges, while county attorneys must receive at least $35,000 annually but no more than the district court judge's salary. The bill also increases state funding for county attorneys, covering up to $50,000 per year (or 50% of salary, whichever is less) for the main attorney and $30,000 for each assistant. These changes take effect July 1, 2022, with the new salary levels applying from January 2, 2023.

Maddy summaryHB 55 exempts airports in Wyoming counties outside incorporated cities or towns from a rule limiting retail liquor licenses within five miles of city limits. Normally, such counties could issue no more than three retail liquor licenses in that 5-mile zone, but airports are now allowed to operate liquor sales without counting toward that cap. The bill directly affects airports seeking liquor licenses in rural or unincorporated areas, removing a barrier to serving alcohol on-site. It became effective July 1, 2022, and makes no other changes to liquor licensing rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill removes the December 31, 2022 expiration date for certifications allowing businesses to operate greater sage grouse game bird farms in Wyoming. It directly affects owners of these farms by making their certifications permanent, eliminating the need for renewal. The bill maintains existing rules requiring forfeiting birds if certification is revoked and prohibits reimbursement claims for birds held at expiration (which no longer occurs under this change). The policy change became effective July 1, 2022.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Wyoming's local government self-insurance program to clarify liability payment limits for claims against participating local governments and their employees. It sets a $1 million cap for claims under W.S. 1-39-110(b) (related to healthcare provider liability) and a $500,000 cap for other claims under the Wyoming Governmental Claims Act, with local governments responsible for costs exceeding these amounts. The changes apply to all claims occurring on or after July 1, 2022, directly affecting local governments and their public employees (excluding peace officers) facing lawsuits. The bill streamlines payment rules without altering the program's core structure.

Maddy summaryHB 76 simplifies licensing for Wyoming real estate brokers who operate as sole proprietors with only one office. It eliminates the requirement for these brokers to obtain a separate license for their single office, allowing them to use one license for their sole business location. This change applies to licenses issued on or after July 1, 2022, and directly affects sole proprietor real estate brokers with a single office location. The bill does not alter licensing rules for brokers with multiple offices or other license types.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows restaurants located in airports offering commercial air service to obtain resort retail liquor licenses, provided they seat at least 50 people. It specifically prohibits these airport restaurants from selling alcohol for off-premises consumption (like takeout). The law amends Wyoming's liquor licensing statutes to create this new category for airport restaurants and clarifies that existing rules for off-premises sales do not apply to them. The bill took effect on July 1, 2022.

Maddy summaryHB 134 clarifies who can file a petition to adopt a minor in Wyoming. It allows any single adult, a married couple living together, or one spouse (if the other is the child's parent) to file an adoption petition. The bill amends Wyoming statute W.S. 1-22-104(b) to remove ambiguity about eligible petitioners. It became effective July 1, 2022.

Maddy summaryHB 61 requires the University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources to conduct a feasibility study on using carbon dioxide (CO₂) captured from power plants in public works projects. The study must examine potential costs, benefits, project types (like highways and state buildings), CO₂ capture capacity in Wyoming, infrastructure needs, and impacts on other industries, with a December 1, 2022 deadline. The bill appropriates $300,000 from the general fund to fund the study and consultant services, explicitly prohibiting use for university overhead costs. It does not mandate CO₂ use in projects but aims to determine if such a requirement would be feasible before any policy changes. The report will inform future legislative decisions on this potential policy.

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.