Rep. Steve Harshman

Maddy summaryHB 254 would appropriate $93,000 from the state general fund to install microphones at every member's desk in the Wyoming House of Representatives chamber. The bill specifies these microphones would be used solely to enable roll call votes to be heard by attendees within the chamber and during legislative broadcasts. It requires the funds be used only for planning, design, purchase, and installation of the microphones, with any unspent funds reverting by June 30, 2026. The bill is procedural in nature and currently pending in the legislature (received for introduction January 21, 2025).

Maddy summaryThis bill changes how Wyoming school districts calculate "average daily membership" (ADM), the metric used to determine state funding for schools. It lowers the attendance threshold for counting students as full-time from 80% to 75% of full-time equivalent hours and requires proportional calculation for part-time students. Students who withdraw or miss over 10 consecutive days will no longer be counted in ADM totals. These changes apply to school funding calculations starting with the 2025-2026 school year. The bill directly affects Wyoming public school districts receiving state funding based on ADM.

Maddy summaryHB 19 requires social media companies to obtain explicit parental or guardian permission before allowing Wyoming minors under 18 to create accounts on their platforms. The bill mandates that companies verify this consent, establish processes for parents to revoke consent, and comply with rules created by the state Attorney General. This law directly affects Wyoming minors and social media companies operating within the state, taking effect on July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 233 creates a dedicated "natural resource litigation account" to fund Wyoming's legal defense against lawsuits that restrict the state's management of coal and other natural resources. It appropriates $7.5 million from the general fund for the governor and attorney general to cover costs defending, commencing, or prosecuting lawsuits involving federal, state, or local actions that impede coal leasing, use, export, or coal-fired facility operations in Wyoming. The account requires annual reports on fund usage and expires June 30, 2027, with unspent funds reverting to the state. This bill directly affects Wyoming's government (via the governor's office and attorney general) and aims to support legal efforts protecting the state's coal industry and resource management authority. Note: The bill was introduced in January 2025 but has not yet been considered by the legislature.

Maddy summaryHB 290 establishes a property tax exemption for single-family homeowners in Wyoming, covering the first $200,000 of home value in 2025 and $1 million annually thereafter (adjusted for inflation). To compensate for lost local government revenue, it creates a new 2% sales tax (reducible to 0% if the exemption isn't available) that funds a "property tax reduction and replacement account." County treasurers will distribute these funds annually based on each county's revenue loss from the property tax exemption, with distributions calculated by February 15 each year. Homeowners must occupy the property for at least six months annually to qualify for the exemption.

Maddy summaryHB 213 requires landlords in Wyoming to ensure all residential rental units have operational electrical, heating, plumbing, and hot/cold running water, removing a prior exception that allowed written agreements to waive this requirement. This directly affects landlords and tenants in standard residential rentals across Wyoming, effective July 1, 2025. The bill eliminates the ability for landlords to bypass utility maintenance through written agreements, mandating these basic amenities as standard. Seasonal rentals like summer cabins remain exempt, as specified in the amended law.

Maddy summaryHB 44 designates a 3.5-mile stretch of State Highway 230 between Highway 130 and Riverside, Wyoming, as the "Loren 'Teense' Willford Memorial Highway." The bill authorizes the Wyoming Department of Transportation to install appropriate signage identifying the memorial highway and appropriates $3,000 from the general fund for this purpose, with funds expiring June 30, 2026. This is a commemorative measure with no substantive policy changes or direct impact on residents or regulations. The bill requires no voting record analysis as it is purely a naming resolution.

Maddy summaryHB 57 prohibits Wyoming counties and municipalities from banning or restricting fireworks use or possession between noon and midnight on July 4, except during an open fire ban. It also explicitly allows fireworks in state parks, campgrounds, and similar public areas during that same time window, unless an open fire ban is active. The bill amends existing state laws to remove local restrictions specifically for July 4, while maintaining other fireworks regulations outside this timeframe. It does not alter rules for fireworks displays outside July 4 or for other public safety concerns.

Maddy summaryWyoming's HB 277 authorizes a public-private partnership to build a hotel and conference center on a specific downtown Cheyenne parcel near the state capitol. The project must include at least 200 hotel rooms and conference space for 1,000 attendees, with food/beverage options and adequate parking. The state will solicit bids from developers, requiring them to meet specific standards for construction, operations, and financial planning. All revenues from the facility will fund Wyoming's public school foundation program. This bill affects state government operations and private developers selected through the bidding process.

Maddy summaryHB 9 prohibits counties, cities, and towns in Wyoming from requiring licenses, permits, or other authorizations for businesses operated by minors under 18 years old. It also exempts "occasional" businesses (defined as not habitual or regular activities) from local licensing requirements. The law amends existing statutes to clarify that local governments cannot impose such fees or restrictions on minor-operated businesses or infrequent commercial activities. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2025.