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.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryHB 41 changes the title of the University of Wyoming board president to "president chairman" and allows the board's executive committee to have more than three members. It amends specific Wyoming statutes (including those governing board appointments and financial reporting) to update references to this new title and committee structure. The bill directly affects the governance of the University of Wyoming by formalizing this title change and providing flexibility for the executive committee size. It took effect on July 1, 2019, with no new policy or funding changes.
Maddy summaryHB 133 creates the "Hathaway Expand Wyoming Scholarship" to provide financial aid to students from states bordering Wyoming (like Montana and Colorado) attending Wyoming colleges. To qualify, applicants must have a 3.75+ GPA, score in the top 4% nationally on standardized tests, and graduate from a rigorous high school curriculum in a contiguous state. The scholarship covers up to the cost of attendance (capped at University of Wyoming's trustee scholarship amount) but requires recipients to either work in Wyoming for one year per four semesters received or repay funds with interest (capped at 8%) if they don't meet academic requirements or leave Wyoming institutions. This expands eligibility beyond Wyoming residents while adding service and repayment conditions to ensure long-term benefits for the state.
Maddy summaryHB 101 allows joint powers boards (formed by two or more Wyoming municipalities) to create and operate natural gas systems. It directly affects local governments and joint powers entities that want to provide natural gas service, including extending systems beyond city limits. The bill amends Wyoming law to exempt these municipal or joint powers utility systems from certain public utility regulations outlined in Chapter 37. This change became effective July 1, 2019, enabling collaborative infrastructure development for natural gas service.
Maddy summaryHB 294 requires Wyoming's Office of State Lands to study specific school trust land parcels near major highways (I-25, I-80, I-90) and the Grand Teton National Park Kelly parcel. The study must evaluate development options - including commercial, residential (including affordable housing), sustainable resource use, and limited gaming - to maximize land value, while preserving the state's royalty interests. The office must solicit proposals from development firms, estimate costs/revenue, and submit a final plan to state committees by November 2019. This is a preparatory study; it does not authorize development but sets the framework for future decisions.
Maddy summaryWyoming's HB 310 creates a state endowment fund and a task force to study how to make two years of community college or University of Wyoming education as free as possible for Wyoming residents. The task force will examine models like Tennessee Promise, review existing scholarship programs, and determine funding needs to cover tuition and mandatory fees for two years of undergraduate study. The program would be funded by earnings from the endowment, which must reach $400 million before implementation. It aims to provide free education regardless of academic achievement for entry, though it may consider academic standards for continued enrollment.
2019/Summaries/HB0073.pdf