Rep. Bill Henderson

Maddy summaryThis Wyoming bill (SF 133) prohibits male students from competing on teams designated for female students in K-12 interscholastic sports. It requires schools to designate teams as "male," "female," or "coed" based on biological sex at birth (defined as "genetics and anatomy at birth" in Section 21-25-101(iv)). The bill also creates a commission to determine eligibility if courts invalidate the main prohibition (Section 21-25-202), but its core effect is to bar male students from female-designated teams. It directly affects public and private K-12 schools and student athletes in Wyoming.

Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 174 creates a new Wyoming Charter School Authorizing Board to oversee public charter schools statewide. The board, consisting of five members (including the state superintendent and appointees from the governor, Senate, and House), will approve, renew, and oversee charter schools under specific quality standards. The bill modifies how charter schools are authorized (replacing school district oversight with the state board), adjusts funding rules, and requires transparency in decision-making. This directly affects public charter schools, their governing boards, and the state education department as the local education agency.

Maddy summaryThis bill clarifies that criminal history records must be shared with Wyoming's Board of Occupational Therapy for background checks. It specifically requires criminal justice agencies to send this information directly to the board when verifying the background of currently licensed occupational therapists or those applying for a compact privilege under the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact. The bill modifies existing law to explicitly state that this disclosure is permitted for these purposes, without creating new requirements or changing licensing standards. It affects licensed occupational therapists and their assistants seeking to practice across state lines under the compact.

Maddy summaryHB 140 requires health insurers in Wyoming to reimburse mental health and substance use disorder benefits delivered through the American Medical Association's defined Collaborative Care Model. This model mandates that care must be provided by a team including a primary care provider, a care manager, and a psychiatric consultant. The law applies to individual and group health insurance policies issued, renewed, or modified on or after July 1, 2023, but excludes state-funded plans. Insurers must cover these services as specified, while retaining standard medical management authority.

Maddy summarySF 140 aligns Wyoming's building codes with federal refrigerant standards by prohibiting state or local restrictions on refrigerants approved under federal law (42 U.S.C. 7671k). The bill directly affects building code enforcement agencies and HVAC installers by removing potential local barriers to using federally-approved refrigerants. It requires that equipment containing permissible refrigerants must still comply with all other applicable building and safety laws. The law became effective July 1, 2023, with no new requirements for refrigerant types.

Maddy summaryHB 190 creates a select committee to coordinate Wyoming's energy and industrial development projects, directly affecting state government (legislature and governor) and future project developers seeking state support. The bill establishes a committee with 6 members (3 from each chamber, including committee chairs) to review project proposals and task force recommendations, requiring a November 2023 report to relevant committees. Key provisions include authorizing task forces to study specific projects like natural gas export facilities, manufacturing plants, and market access strategies for Wyoming's energy resources. The committee may also draft new legislation to advance these projects, focusing on maximizing public benefits through coordinated state efforts.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows people with disabilities in Wyoming to receive special license plates for multipurpose vehicles (like SUVs or vans commonly used for mobility needs). It requires these plates to display the international symbol of access and include a distinctive symbol or letters indicating the vehicle type (e.g., "MPV"). The change directly affects disabled vehicle owners who currently cannot get plates specifically designated for multipurpose vehicles. The bill amends existing license plate rules to add this vehicle-type identifier while maintaining size requirements for the plates. It takes effect July 1, 2023.

Maddy summaryHB 56 designates Wyoming public schools as "Purple Star Schools" if they meet specific requirements to support military-connected students - defined as children of active or former military members (including National Guard/Reserve) or those who lost a parent in service. To qualify, schools must appoint a military liaison to identify these students and coordinate services, maintain a dedicated website with relocation, academic, and support resources, implement student transition programs, and provide staff training. Schools must also complete at least one community action, such as hosting military family events or partnering with local military installations. The law takes effect July 1, 2023, and applies to all qualifying Wyoming public schools seeking the designation.

Maddy summaryHB 243 simplifies how creditors (like banks) establish legal claims on vehicles financed through loans. It removes the requirement to use a security agreement to "perfect" (officially record) a security interest, instead allowing a financing statement or a new "transitional ownership document" to be submitted to the county clerk. This affects creditors and vehicle owners involved in secured loans, making the process faster and less paperwork-heavy. The bill, which died in committee in 2023, would have required filing the actual title within 90 days of using the transitional document to maintain validity.

Maddy summaryThis is a non-binding joint resolution (not a law) expressing support for phasing out new electric vehicle sales in Wyoming by 2035. It does not impose any legal requirement but encourages Wyoming industries and citizens to limit new EV purchases toward this goal. The resolution cites concerns about oil/gas industry stability, lack of charging infrastructure, and mineral disposal challenges as justification. The measure died in committee in February 2023 and has no legal effect.