Rep. Lee Filer

Maddy summaryHB 172 repeals restrictions on concealed weapons in specific public spaces, allowing permit holders to carry guns in government meetings, school athletic events on public property, and school facilities (like classrooms and offices). It also strengthens Wyoming’s state law by preventing local governments from regulating firearms, declaring that only the state legislature can set rules for guns, ammunition, and weapons. The bill includes exceptions for health facilities, explosive materials, and private property rules, and adds penalties for blocking someone from entering permitted areas. School districts must establish training rules for employees carrying concealed weapons, requiring 16 hours of initial training and annual 12-hour recertification.

Maddy summaryThis bill repeals a state tax on tobacco products other than cigarettes, such as cigars and smokeless tobacco. It directly affects businesses that sell these non-cigarette tobacco products by removing their tax obligation and eliminating a requirement to dispose of confiscated cigarettes. The bill also amends definitions related to "cigarettes" and "wholesalers" in Wyoming's tax code and sets an effective date of July 1, 2025. These changes simplify tax compliance for affected businesses without altering the existing cigarette tax.

Maddy summaryHB 170 clarifies when documents filed by nonprofit corporations and statutory trusts in Wyoming become effective. It amends two sections of Wyoming law to specify that documents are effective at the time they are received for filing, as shown by the secretary of state's endorsement date and time on the original document. This procedural change directly affects nonprofit organizations and statutory trusts that file documents with the state. The bill does not alter substantive requirements but updates the legal language to remove ambiguity about effective dates. It takes effect on July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 140, the Continuity of Permitting Act, ensures that building permit and land use applications pending at the time a county annexes land into a city or town remain under the county's handling until they are approved or denied. After a decision is made, jurisdiction transfers to the newly annexed city or town. This directly affects property owners, developers, and local governments with pending applications during annexation events. The law applies to all such applications filed on or after July 1, 2025, preventing delays or confusion during the transition.

Maddy summaryHB 257 establishes a formal apprenticeship program for aspiring barbers in Wyoming, directly affecting apprentices, licensed barbers who supervise them, and the Barber Examiners Board. The bill requires apprentices to complete 1,600 hours of training (1-2 years), including 36 hours of safety and sanitation training, hold a high school diploma, pay a registration fee, and pass an exam to qualify for a barber license. Licensed barbers may supervise no more than two apprentices at a time in a licensed barbershop. The program takes effect July 1, 2025, and requires the Board to create implementing rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a competitive grant program for K-12 public schools in Wyoming to fund crossing guard programs. School districts may apply for up to $10,000 per school annually (2025-2028) to cover training, wages for faculty/volunteers, and equipment, with $4.95 million total allocated from the public school foundation fund. Applications require detailed plans for school intersections, staffing, training, and equipment costs, and must be submitted by June 30 each year. The program expires July 1, 2028, and grant funds cannot reduce existing school foundation funding.

Maddy summaryHB 237 modifies Wyoming's license plate issuance process. It shifts responsibility for issuing standard license plates from county treasurers to the Department of Transportation (DOT), clarifies the number of plates provided per vehicle, and eliminates the requirement to replace plates after a fixed time period. The bill also mandates rulemaking by the DOT and updates related statutes. This procedural change primarily affects all vehicle owners who register vehicles in Wyoming by streamlining plate issuance and removal of outdated replacement rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates a 36.5-mile segment of US Highway 16 in Johnson County (between mile markers 52.47 and 89) as the "USMC CPL Seth Rasmuson Memorial Highway" to honor a Marine Corps corporal. It authorizes the Wyoming Department of Transportation to install appropriate signage and appropriates $3,000 from the general fund for this purpose, with funds expiring June 30, 2026. The bill has no policy impact beyond naming the highway segment and installing commemorative signage.

Maddy summaryHB 336 requires parents voluntarily giving up parental rights to sign a written acknowledgment stating that termination does not end their child support obligations. This acknowledgment must be signed by the parent and become part of the court record. The bill clarifies that courts retain full authority to modify, enforce, or terminate child support under existing law. It applies to all voluntary parental rights terminations in Wyoming and takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a "Residential Property Tax Reduction Account" to fund property tax refunds for Wyoming homeowners. It directly affects primary residence owners who paid property taxes in the prior year, capping refunds at $13,300 per household. Key mechanisms include funding the account from unappropriated general fund balances (exceeding 5% of projected receipts) and mineral trust earnings, with refunds paid proportionally if funds are insufficient. Refunds will begin for 2025 taxes in 2026, with even years capped at half the account balance and odd years using the full balance. The program defines "primary residence" as where a homeowner lived at least six months of the tax year.