Rep. Scott Smith

Maddy summaryHB 293 repeals Wyoming's School Foundation Program Reserve Account and transfers all existing funds to the Common School Permanent Fund Reserve Account. The bill modifies school finance by redirecting all future revenues that would have gone to the repealed account into the Common School Permanent Fund Reserve Account. It requires the state auditor to report on these transfers to the joint appropriations committee by October 2026 and 2027. This change affects state school funding mechanisms but does not alter current school finance formulas or funding levels.

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.

Maddy summaryHB 128 amends Wyoming's public health emergency laws to require the governor to declare when such an emergency exists or ends, then convene the legislature within two days for a vote on whether to concur with the declaration or terminate it. The bill allows the legislature to meet in person or remotely via electronic means to satisfy quorum and vote during emergencies. It updates the definition of "public health emergency" to include threats like pandemics or biological toxins, and clarifies that temporary health care provider licenses issued during emergencies (e.g., for out-of-state professionals) automatically end when the governor declares the emergency over. The changes apply to emergencies declared on or after July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 111 requires drivers involved in accidents causing serious injury or death to immediately stop at the scene and remain until they fulfill legal requirements. It increases penalties for failing to stop: misdemeanor charges (up to 1 year jail, $5,000 fine) for bodily injury, and felony charges (up to 5 years jail, $50,000 fine) for serious injury or death. The law applies to all motor vehicle accidents occurring on or after July 1, 2025, directly affecting drivers involved in such incidents. The bill clarifies existing duties and strengthens enforcement for hit-and-run violations involving severe harm.

Maddy summaryWyoming's HB 294 amends how the state distributes excess federal mineral royalties (payments from oil, gas, and mineral leases on federal land) received above specific annual thresholds. For fiscal years 2026 and beyond, any revenue exceeding the most recent even-year revenue forecast will be split equally: half goes to the common school permanent fund reserve account, and half to the permanent Wyoming mineral trust fund reserve account. The bill also adjusts thresholds for 2025 ($549.4 million) and 2026 ($530.2 million), repeals outdated distribution provisions (sections k, m, n), and takes effect July 1, 2025. This directly affects state school funding and the mineral trust fund by changing the allocation method for surplus royalty payments.

Maddy summaryWyoming's HB 271 reduces the annual spending rate for the common school account within the state's permanent land fund from 5% to 4.5% of the account's five-year average market value. This change directly affects public school funding by lowering the amount that can be spent each year from this specific account. The bill modifies statutes governing how investment earnings and federal mineral royalties are handled within the school funding system. It takes effect on July 1, 2025, and represents a concrete adjustment to the state's school finance formula. The bill does not change the total funds available but alters the calculation method for annual spending.

Maddy summaryHB 174 lowers Wyoming's minimum age to obtain a concealed carry permit from 21 to 18 years old. It directly affects residents aged 18 and older who wish to carry concealed firearms. The bill amends Wyoming Statute 6-8-104(b)(ii) to reflect this age change, while repealing an outdated section (6-8-104(j)). The law would take effect on July 1, 2025, if passed.

Maddy summaryHB 217 requires Wyoming county clerks to conduct a random hand count audit of ballots in one precinct per county after each primary and general election. The Secretary of State randomly selects the precinct, and the county clerk must compare the hand count results to the electronic tabulation within one week of the election, reporting the findings immediately. This bill adds a new verification step to existing election audits, mandating that the Secretary of State adopt implementing rules by September 2025. It directly affects county clerks (who perform audits) and the Secretary of State (who selects precincts and creates rules), but does not change voting procedures or ballot access.

Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 180 limits supplemental budget requests by the governor and state agencies to five specific situations: revenue shortfalls based on official estimates, funding for natural or human disasters, public welfare emergencies requiring additional funds beyond existing allocations, adjustments to savings accounts, and necessary staffing changes. The bill restricts all other supplemental funding requests, ensuring they align strictly with these defined categories. This change directly affects how state agencies and the governor propose budget adjustments outside the regular annual process. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, and repeals a prior provision about alternative budget preparation.