Rep. Bill Henderson

Maddy summaryHB 176 requires Wyoming's Department of Health to develop science-based tobacco prevention, cessation, and treatment programs using CDC best practices and peer-reviewed materials. It mandates that these programs address the comparative risks of all nicotine products (including vaping, smokeless tobacco, and cigarettes) and prioritize cost-effective strategies based on annual funding. The bill, introduced in 2019 but not passed, aimed to standardize how tobacco settlement funds are used to reduce tobacco-related health issues. It does not create new funding but sets implementation guidelines for existing settlement dollars.

Maddy summaryHB 183 repeals restrictions that previously banned concealed weapons in certain public spaces, allowing permit holders to carry concealed firearms in government meetings, the legislature, and most public schools (with exceptions for specific school district policies under existing law). It establishes that only the Wyoming state legislature can regulate firearms, weapons, and ammunition, preempting local governments from creating their own firearm restrictions. The bill explicitly preserves private property owners' rights to ban firearms on their land and maintains existing prohibitions in courtrooms. This directly affects concealed carry permit holders, local governments seeking to regulate firearms, and school districts managing firearm policies on school property.

Maddy summaryHB 42 amends Wyoming's hunting license laws to establish a preference point system for resident and nonresident hunters seeking big game licenses (like moose, bighorn sheep, or elk). It allows the Game and Fish Commission to award points based on years of unsuccessful applications and adds a new provision (subsection j) granting one point to resident youth or first-time residents who complete a state-approved hunter safety course. The bill also authorizes nonresidents to pay a nonrefundable fee (up to $75 per species) to accumulate preference points for future license drawings. These changes apply specifically to licenses issued through preference point systems, not random drawings, and affect all hunters applying for limited-quota species in Wyoming.

Maddy summaryHB 303 creates a tax credit for Wyoming businesses in healthcare, energy, manufacturing, mining, agriculture processing, research, telecommunications, and tourism that have operated in the state for at least three consecutive years. The credit covers up to 50% of approved costs for employee skills training programs, such as instructor fees and materials, designed to enhance productivity or prepare workers for new roles. Businesses must submit detailed training proposals to the Wyoming Business Council for pre-approval before starting programs, and approved costs are then forwarded to the state tax department. Unused credits can be carried forward for up to 10 years, but businesses cannot claim more than one credit per 10-year period.

Maddy summaryHJ 8 is a Wyoming legislative resolution urging Congress to propose a constitutional amendment to regulate political spending. It argues that corporations should not have the same constitutional rights as natural persons regarding election funding, based on Wyoming's constitution. The resolution does not create new laws but asks Congress to clarify that states can regulate campaign contributions and expenditures. Introduced in 2019, it was referred to a committee but remains a non-binding request.

Maddy summaryHB 91 corrects a technical error in the legal description of "Prexy's Pasture" (a campus green space at the University of Wyoming), fixing a geometric inconsistency in its boundary coordinates. The bill amends a statute to replace an inaccurate parcel description that incorrectly described the pasture as a parallelogram. This adjustment ensures the written legal description matches the actual land boundaries, without changing any existing restrictions on construction or land use. The pasture remains protected from buildings per current law, and the correction became effective July 1, 2019.

Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 82 establishes a legal framework for "do not resuscitate" (DNR) directives, allowing any adult with medical decision-making capacity to formally request no CPR in end-of-life situations. The bill enables individuals to have a DNR designation visibly marked on their Wyoming driver's license or ID card, alongside standardized medical bracelets or signed directives. It specifies that DNR orders apply to medical care except in cases of trauma (like car crashes), and protects emergency responders and healthcare providers who follow valid DNR directives in good faith. The law also creates standardized forms for creating, revoking, and removing DNR designations from licenses.

2019/Summaries/SF0116.pdf

2019/Summaries/SF0083.pdf