Rep. Ann Lucas

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 147) expands Wyoming's protections for service and assistance animals by explicitly including animals currently in training under the legal definitions of these animals. It increases criminal penalties for injuring or killing such animals, making it a misdemeanor punishable by up to 6 months in jail or a $5,000 fine. The law applies directly to individuals who harm or kill service animals (including those in training) or assistance animals, and affects all Wyoming residents and businesses serving people with disabilities. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 199, titled the "Wyoming Freedom Scholarship Act" (not "Steamboat Legacy," which appears to be a misreference), creates a state-funded scholarship program for K-12 students in Wyoming. It increases the maximum annual scholarship from $6,000 to $7,000 for students at or below 150% of the federal poverty level, with annual inflation adjustments, and funds it through a new "Wyoming Freedom Scholarship Program Account" using state education revenues. The bill eliminates mandatory certification for private schools and providers but adds voluntary registration, while prohibiting funding from local taxes. It directly affects low-income Wyoming families seeking to use scholarships for public, private, or online education options.

Maddy summaryHB 200 requires Wyoming public schools to notify parents about student health changes and obtain written parental permission before instruction on gender identity, sexual orientation, or diversity, equity, and inclusion topics. It prohibits schools from requiring staff or students to use pronouns inconsistent with biological sex and allows school personnel to opt out of related trainings. Schools must publish curriculum materials online and report complaints to the state education department. The bill directly affects parents' rights to information, student privacy, and school staff obligations in Wyoming public schools.

Maddy summaryHB 269 establishes a licensure system for naturopathic medicine in Wyoming, requiring practitioners to graduate from accredited naturopathic programs (CNME-accredited in the U.S. or Canada) and pass the NABNE licensing exam. It creates the "Wyoming Board of Acupuncture and Naturopathic Medicine" with nine members, including three licensed naturopathic physicians, to oversee licensing, set practice standards, and enforce penalties for unlicensed practice. The bill directly affects naturopathic medicine practitioners, who must obtain a license by January 1, 2026, to legally practice. Key provisions include defining "naturopathic medicine," establishing board authority, and requiring continuing education for license holders.

Maddy summaryHB 262 would limit Wyoming counties' reserve funds to their average annual spending over the previous five years (excluding specific purpose taxes). Counties exceeding this limit must refund excess funds to residents who lived in the county for at least one year, calculated pro rata and paid by August 15 annually starting in 2025. The bill requires counties to report reserve calculations to the Department of Revenue by July 1 each year and mandates refunds for any excess funds held on July 1, 2025, and subsequent years. Noncompliance would trigger the state treasurer withholding twice the excess amount from county payments until refunds are processed.

Maddy summaryWyoming's HB 201 allows the state treasurer to invest up to 3% of the general fund, mineral trust fund, and land fund in Bitcoin or Bitcoin-related exchange-traded products. The bill requires all investments to use a "secure custody solution" with strict security measures, including exclusive state control of private keys and geographically diverse data centers. It mandates annual reports to state committees detailing investment performance, security practices, and financial details. This directly affects how Wyoming manages its public funds, with the state treasurer responsible for implementing the rules and oversight. The bill does not authorize new spending but modifies existing investment policies for state funds.

Maddy summaryWyoming's HB 202, the "Fast Track Permits Act," sets strict deadlines for local governments (cities, counties) to review property development requests that fit within a property's existing zoning. It requires local entities to: (1) notify applicants within 15 days if a request is incomplete, (2) approve or deny complete requests within 60 days (with limited extensions), and (3) automatically approve requests if deadlines are missed. If a local government fails to meet the 60-day deadline, the request is approved by default, and applicants may receive a 10% fee reduction for missed requirements. The bill applies to standard development permits but excludes rezoning, subdivision, and conditional use requests, taking effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 169 creates a temporary property tax exemption for Wyoming homeowners, reducing their tax bill by 50% on the first $1 million of their home's value for tax years 2025 and 2026. It applies to single-family residential properties like houses, mobile homes, and condos, directly benefiting homeowners who own these properties. The state will compensate local governments and schools for lost revenue using $125 million from the general fund, with funds expiring after June 2027. The exemption does not apply to tax year 2027 or later.

Maddy summaryHB 215 would require all Wyoming elections to use paper ballots instead of electronic voting systems, directly affecting voters, election officials, and counties conducting elections. The bill mandates hand counting of paper ballots, bans electronic pollbooks and internet-connected tabulating equipment, and repeals existing provisions allowing electronic voting machines. Key mechanisms include requiring paper ballots formatted for manual tabulation, specifying hand-counting procedures, and establishing penalties for non-compliance. The bill also revises post-election audit processes and election observer protocols. (Note: The bill died in committee on March 3, 2025, and has not become law.)

Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 184 would require all elections to use paper ballots with manual hand counting, banning electronic voting machines and electronic pollbooks. It repeals existing provisions allowing electronic systems and mandates specific procedures for hand-counting ballots, post-election audits, and election observer access. The bill directly affects counties, election officials, and voters by changing how ballots are processed and counted. This bill died in committee in March 2025 and did not become law.