Rep. Steve Harshman

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $15 million from Wyoming's tourism reserve fund to support the development of a rodeo and cowboy museum and hall of fame in Wyoming. The funds will be distributed in three installments of $5 million each on July 1, 2026, 2027, and 2028, contingent on the Wyoming Tourism Board certifying that relocation efforts will boost tourism, jobs, and state revenue. Applicants must provide matching funds (at least $1 for every $1 granted) and relocate to Wyoming by June 30, 2028, or repay the grant. The Wyoming Office of Tourism must report annually on fund usage until 2036.

Maddy summaryThis Wyoming bill (SF 53) requires high school athletes to maintain "amateur status" to compete in school-sanctioned sports, directly affecting student-athletes in Wyoming public high schools. It prohibits athletes from receiving money, prizes exceeding association limits, or monetizing their name/image/likeness for competition, with key exceptions including family support payments, necessary travel expenses, and scholarships paid directly to colleges after graduation. Violating these rules results in loss of eligibility for the sport. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, and aims to align with national amateurism standards for high school athletics.

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution encourages Wyoming's Law Enforcement Memorial Committee to add Patrolman Michael A. Rosa's name to the Wyoming Law Enforcement Fallen Officer Memorial at the Wyoming Law Enforcement Academy in Douglas. Rosa, a Rock Springs police officer killed in 1978 while working undercover, was not included on the state memorial despite meeting national memorial criteria (his name appears on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial and the Officer Down Memorial Page). The resolution requests the committee rectify this omission before the next memorial service. It is a commemorative measure with no policy changes, formally recognizing Rosa's sacrifice.

Maddy summaryHB 164 creates the Wyoming Generational Investment Account, a permanent trust fund designed to save state money for future generations. Starting July 1, 2026, the state will transfer $100 million annually from the legislative stabilization reserve into this account, with funds invested per specific rules (85% private equity, 15% private credit). Investment earnings from these transfers cannot be withdrawn for 20 years; after that, half the earnings go to the general fund and half to the stabilization reserve. The bill directly affects state budgeting by redirecting annual transfers and setting long-term investment rules for these funds.

Maddy summaryWyoming's HB 190 directs the Board of Land Commissioners to transfer specific parcels of land (totaling approximately 3,000 acres in Natrona County) to the Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources for development as a state park. The bill requires the transfer to occur by July 1, 2027, after completing a site criteria process, with lands sold at fair market value (funds going to the common school account). It appropriates $6.5 million from the general fund specifically for land procurement and resolving mineral leases on the properties. The department must report on the site criteria process to a legislative committee by October 2027.

Maddy summarySF 115 transitions Northern Wyoming Community College to the Gillette Community College District. It ensures the Northern Wyoming district continues receiving full funding for both districts during the transition period - through either institutional accreditation for the new Gillette district or July 1, 2026, whichever comes first. The bill modifies existing law to maintain current funding allocations until this transition is complete. This directly affects the two community college districts and their funding under Wyoming’s community college commission model. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 156 creates a state-funded program to provide financial assistance to Wyoming municipalities (cities, towns, and special districts) for improving public water and wastewater systems. The program covers preliminary planning, local matching funds, repayment of other loans, and costs for joining regional systems, but only for projects meeting specific eligibility criteria like those approved under existing water pollution or drinking water loan programs. Funding comes from state loans up to $50 million annually, which must be repaid with interest capped at 1.5%, and the state loan board administers applications and reports annually to legislative committees. This program directly affects local governments managing water infrastructure by offering new funding options for system upgrades and regionalization efforts.

Maddy summaryHB 99 authorizes the renovation of the Wyoming Veterans' Memorial Museum, located at the property described in state law, and establishes a task force to oversee the project. The task force includes two legislators from a cultural resources committee, two state agency representatives, and one veteran appointed by the governor, who will monitor progress and provide annual reports to the legislature. The bill appropriates $5 million from the tourism reserve fund specifically for the museum renovation, requiring all funds to be used exclusively for this purpose without transfer to other projects.

Maddy summaryHB 82 authorizes Wyoming to use up to $250 million from the permanent mineral trust fund to provide low-interest loans for highway construction projects approved by the transportation commission, with repayment required by 2030. The bill specifically directs funds toward adding passing lanes on U.S. Highway 20 between Casper and Shoshoni after traffic studies. It requires the state auditor to transfer funds from a "strategic investments account" back to the mineral trust fund starting in 2027, capping annual transfers at $50 million or remaining loan balances. The bill also modifies how transportation funds are distributed and requires annual reports on public-purpose investments. This directly affects the Department of Transportation, mineral trust fund finances, and drivers using Highway 20.

Maddy summaryThis is a procedural resolution (SJ 2), not a bill with binding provisions. It calls on Wyoming’s three U.S. congressional representatives to support state authority over elections and campaign finance rules. The resolution urges them to advocate for a constitutional amendment affirming states' power to govern their own election processes and campaign finance policies. It does not create new laws or directly affect citizens; it is a symbolic statement from Wyoming’s legislature to federal lawmakers.