Rep. Jeanette Ward

Maddy summaryHB 182 prohibits payment processors from assigning special merchant category codes to firearm or ammunition retailers, requiring them to be classified as general merchandise or sporting goods retailers instead. This directly affects payment entities (like banks and credit card networks) and firearm retailers who must use standard retail codes. Violations carry a $1,000 fine per violation. The bill does not change gun laws or purchase requirements but modifies payment processing rules, effective July 1, 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill would allow Wyoming minors aged 14-16 to obtain restricted class C or M driver's licenses with expanded driving permissions. It increases the permitted driving radius from 50 to 150 miles from their home and adds two new qualifying circumstances for "extreme inconvenience": needing to commute more than 5 miles to school or working in a parent's business. The bill maintains existing restrictions, including driving only between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. and requiring parental/guardian consent. The Department of Transportation must create implementing rules, and the changes would take effect July 1, 2024.

Maddy summaryHB 140 changes how the University of Wyoming's board of trustees is structured and selected. It increases the board from 12 to 19 members (14 voting trustees and 5 non-voting ex-officio members), requiring seven voting trustees to be elected by Wyoming voters instead of appointed by the governor. The bill establishes election rules for these seven elected trustees, including four-year terms, voting districts, and non-partisan ballot placement. This directly affects Wyoming voters who will elect trustees and the university's governance structure, replacing the current system where most trustees are appointed by the governor. The changes take effect after the 2024 general election.

Maddy summaryHB 78 requires websites publishing over one-third material harmful to minors to implement age verification for access, using government ID or transaction data. It prohibits retaining personally identifying age information after verification and bans websites from allowing minors to access such content without verification. Violations carry fines of up to $1,000 per day for non-compliance with age verification or data retention rules. The law applies to websites accessible in Wyoming and becomes effective July 1, 2024. It directly affects website operators hosting content meeting the defined "material harmful to minors" standard.

Maddy summaryHB 158 requires Wyoming's governor to rescind all existing refugee resettlement plans by July 1, 2024, and submit new plans to the legislature for approval before they take effect. The bill mandates that proposed plans include specific details on promoting refugee economic self-sufficiency, language training, employment services, coordination of resources, care for unaccompanied minors, medical needs, and detailed funding projections. A legislative committee must review these plans, hold public hearings, and report recommendations to the legislature. This bill directly affects state agencies and the governor's office by shifting authority for refugee resettlement oversight from executive action to legislative approval and public input.

Maddy summaryWyoming HB 128, the Wyoming Freedom Scholarship Act, creates education savings accounts (ESAs) providing eligible students with $6,000 annually (adjusted for inflation) to cover qualified educational expenses. It directly affects Wyoming residents who are public school-eligible but haven’t graduated high school, allowing parents to use ESA funds for tuition at qualified schools (including private or online programs), textbooks, tutoring, technology, and other approved educational costs. The state treasurer administers the accounts, which are funded by state appropriations - not local tax revenues - and require parental agreements specifying eligible uses. The bill explicitly states qualified schools are not considered state or federal agents and establishes oversight mechanisms for the program.

Maddy summaryThis bill would repeal Wyoming's existing low-carbon energy standards for public utilities. It requires utilities to refund customers for rates collected under those repealed standards (with an exception for costs already spent on carbon capture technology before the bill's effective date). The Public Service Commission would establish rules to implement these changes. The bill directly affects all public utilities operating in Wyoming and their customers who paid the now-repealed rates.

Maddy summaryThis Wyoming legislative bill (SJ 3) proposes amending the state constitution to require future constitutional amendments to be approved by a majority of voters in at least three-fourths of Wyoming's counties (not just statewide). It would directly affect all future constitutional amendment proposals by adding this county-level approval requirement. The key change modifies Article 20, Section 1 of the Wyoming Constitution, which currently only requires statewide voter approval. The bill failed to advance after a 14-17 vote against introduction on February 16, 2024.

Maddy summaryHB 50, titled "What is a Woman Act," defines "sex" for legal purposes as a person's biological sex at birth, requiring all state laws, rules, and regulations to use this definition. It mandates that "woman" and "female" refer exclusively to individuals born with female biology (XX chromosomes, reproductive system for ova), and "man" and "male" refer to individuals born with male biology (XY chromosomes, reproductive system for fertilization). The bill requires state agencies, schools, and public facilities to collect vital statistics identifying people as male or female based on birth sex and to maintain separate accommodations (e.g., restrooms, shelters, prisons) based on biological sex. It applies directly to Wyoming state agencies, schools, and public entities collecting data or managing facilities. The bill failed its introduction in the Wyoming House on February 15, 2024.

Maddy summaryHB 53 amends Wyoming law to clarify the process for declaring and managing public health emergencies. It requires the governor to immediately call the legislature into session within two days of declaring an emergency, allowing lawmakers to vote remotely via video/audio conference to either confirm the emergency or end it. The bill updates the definition of "public health emergency" to include epidemics, pandemics, or biological threats posing significant health risks, and specifies that healthcare provider exemptions (like out-of-state physical therapists or acupuncturists) during emergencies apply only to declarations after July 1, 2024. These changes directly affect the governor, legislature, and healthcare providers seeking temporary practice authorization during declared emergencies.