Rep. Ember Oakley

Maddy summaryHB 181 eliminates coroners' authority to conduct inquests for deaths, shifting responsibility for death investigations to county health officers and accident inspectors. It revises statutes related to death reports (W.S. 7-4-201), postmortem examinations (W.S. 7-4-209), and fatal accident investigations (W.S. 30-2-212) to remove coroner involvement. Counties will no longer handle inquest costs through coroners, instead using health officer procedures for cause-of-death certification. The changes take effect July 1, 2024, impacting how death investigations are conducted across Wyoming.

Maddy summaryHB 179 clarifies that state park superintendents, assistant superintendents, and full-time park rangers at Wyoming state parks, recreation areas, archaeological sites, and historic sites qualify as peace officers when acting within their assigned sites or assisting other peace officers. The bill amends existing definitions in Wyoming law to explicitly include these staff members under "peace officer" status, granting them the same legal authority as other peace officers within their jurisdiction. This change specifically affects park personnel who enforce laws and respond to incidents on state-managed lands. The bill was scheduled to take effect July 1, 2024, but failed committee review in February 2024.

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 summarySF 79 requires healthcare providers in Wyoming to create "plans of safe care" for infants born with prenatal exposure to drugs or alcohol. These plans must address the infant's safety and health needs, connect families to substance use treatment and early intervention services, and be developed with parents or guardians. Hospitals must report the number of infants covered by these plans to the Department of Family Services and share the plans with child protective agencies if safety concerns arise. The bill applies directly to newborns affected by prenatal substance exposure and their families, with requirements effective January 1, 2024.

Maddy summaryHB 101 amends Wyoming's trust laws to modernize administration and clarify roles. It updates definitions (like "qualified trustee" and "power of appointment"), changes who can modify or terminate trusts (allowing settlors, trustees, and beneficiaries to initiate proceedings), and revises procedures for filling trustee vacancies. The bill also clarifies that trust protectors or advisors directing trustee actions are not automatically fiduciaries, reducing liability for trustees following such directions. These changes directly affect trust creators, trustees, beneficiaries, and advisors managing or using Wyoming trusts.

Maddy summaryWyoming bill SF 157 amends a state law to explicitly allow the Eastern Shoshone Tribe and Northern Arapaho Tribe to apply for participation in emergency insect management programs. The bill updates the application process so these tribes, along with state agencies, can submit applications directly to the Department of Agriculture for such programs. This change removes previous barriers by formally including the tribes as eligible applicants under the existing statutory framework. The bill takes effect immediately upon becoming law.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases the dollar threshold requiring legislative approval for projects funded by Wyoming's wildlife and natural resource trust. It raises the "large project" definition from $200,000 to $400,000 for total grants sought or awarded under the trust. Projects under $400,000 no longer need specific legislative authorization, streamlining approvals for smaller initiatives. The trust board must still notify the legislature within 30 days for any additional grants exceeding $200,000 on a single project. The change applies to all projects approved on or after July 1, 2023.

Maddy summaryHB 96 extends existing property insurance coverage to beneficiaries who inherit property through a transfer on death deed (TODD) after the original owner's death. For 60 days after title transfers, the new owner is automatically covered as if they were the named insured, without needing new insurance. The bill requires beneficiaries to notify insurers within 60 days of inheritance and mandates insurers to send written notices 20 days before coverage ends, specifying the exact lapse date. This applies only to insurance policies issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2023, directly affecting TODD beneficiaries, property owners using this tool, and insurers.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HB 134) changes Wyoming's rules for how alcohol retailers and distillers can purchase alcohol. It allows retail liquor license holders to buy up to nine liters per week of alcohol directly from other retail licensees or from distillers (federally licensed manufacturers), removing previous restrictions. The change directly affects licensed liquor stores and distillers by expanding their options for sourcing inventory. The bill takes effect July 1, 2023, and does not alter tax collection or licensing fees.

Maddy summaryWyoming's HB 7 raises the minimum marriage age to 18 by making all marriages involving people under 16 automatically invalid (void). It removes the previous exception that allowed judicial approval for under-16 marriages, which previously made such unions voidable rather than void. The bill affects minors under 16, their families seeking marriage licenses, and county clerks or judges who previously processed such requests. It takes effect July 1, 2023, and maintains existing requirements for 16-17-year-olds (parental consent + court approval).