Rep. Tomi Strock

Maddy summarySF 105 requires public utilities in Wyoming to have a written customer allocation agreement with both utilities before providing service to a customer located within another utility's designated service territory. This directly affects utilities that might otherwise serve customers in areas legally assigned to another provider, such as when a customer's point of delivery is outside one utility's territory but consumption occurs within it. The bill allows the affected utility to sue for damages, lost income, and legal fees if this rule is violated. It became effective July 1, 2023, and aims to clarify service territory boundaries for utilities.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes how Wyoming calculates the maximum duration of unemployment benefits. It bases the maximum benefit period (ranging from 12 to 23 weeks) on the state's average unemployment rate: 12 weeks if the rate is 5% or lower, plus one additional week for every 0.5% above 5%, capped at 23 weeks if the rate reaches 10.5% or higher. The change applies only to unemployment claims filed on or after July 1, 2023. It directly affects Wyoming residents who qualify for unemployment insurance by adjusting how long they can receive benefits based on statewide job market conditions.

Maddy summaryWyoming's HB 253, the "Credit Card Defense Act," requires merchants selling firearms or ammunition in the state to use a "sporting goods" merchant category code for all transactions, instead of codes specifying firearms. Financial institutions, credit cards, and payment processors must not collect or generate personally identifying information beyond this category code for such purchases. The law directly affects firearm retailers, banks, and payment processors handling these transactions in Wyoming. It mandates that all relevant financial institutions adopt this coding standard by July 1, 2023, to limit transaction data collection related to firearm purchases.

Maddy summarySF 156, a proposed Wyoming bill, would have required oil and gas operators to negotiate in good faith with mineral owners who are not already under lease or contract before applying for drilling units. This amendment to Wyoming law (W.S. 30-5-109) aimed to directly affect operators and uncontracted mineral owners by establishing a formal negotiation step. The bill did not become law, as it died in committee in February 2023 without further legislative action. It focused on procedural requirements for drilling applications, not on altering mineral rights or financial terms.

Maddy summaryHB 282 created Wyoming's Critical Infrastructure Resiliency Initiative and a new board to strengthen the state's critical systems against prolonged disruptions like extended power outages. The bill targeted infrastructure including water, transportation, electrical grids, oil/gas facilities, and telecommunications, requiring systems to remain functional during "grid-down events" (months-long outages). The appointed board - comprising Homeland Security, utilities, oil/gas, telecom, and defense representatives - would coordinate with federal programs (like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act) to adopt defense technologies, ensure water/wastewater systems operate without power, and leverage federal funding for resilience upgrades. The bill died in committee in February 2023 and never became law.

Maddy summaryHB 194, the Wyoming Freedom Scholarship Act, creates education savings accounts (ESAs) providing eligible Wyoming students with $6,000 annually (adjusted for inflation) to cover approved educational expenses. It directly affects K-12 students who are Wyoming residents and not yet graduated, allowing parents to use funds for tuition at qualified schools, online programs, tutoring, textbooks, technology, and other approved educational services. The state treasurer administers the program, prohibits using local tax revenues for funding, and requires parents to sign agreements outlining permitted uses. The bill died in committee in February 2023 and was never enacted.

Maddy summaryWyoming's HJ 11 is a joint resolution requesting Congress to change federal regulations so agricultural producers can directly access medically important antibiotics for livestock without needing a veterinarian's supervision. Currently, FDA rules require these antibiotics (used in feed or water) to be dispensed under a licensed veterinarian's oversight, which the resolution claims causes delays in treating livestock. The resolution specifically asks Congress to eliminate this vet-supervision requirement and allow over-the-counter access for Wyoming farmers. This would directly affect Wyoming livestock producers by altering how they obtain antibiotics for animal health care.

Maddy summaryWyoming's HB 87 updates the state's definition of "child pornography" to explicitly include cartoons, drawings, and other depictions alongside photographs or videos. It removes a previous exemption that allowed school, college, university, museum, or public library employees to promote obscenity during work activities. The bill directly affects educational and cultural institutions by eliminating this employment-related exception. Key provisions amend statutes to broaden the definition of child exploitation materials and repeal the specific exemption, effective July 1, 2023. The change clarifies that such materials in any visual form (including digital or drawn content) fall under the legal definition.

Maddy summaryHB 105 repeals restrictions on carrying concealed weapons in certain public spaces, allowing permit holders to carry in government meetings, legislative sessions, and most public schools (excluding specific areas under existing school district rules). It clarifies that only the Wyoming state legislature can regulate firearms, precluding local governments from enacting their own gun laws. The bill also establishes penalties for barring entry to someone lawfully carrying a concealed weapon in permitted locations. This changes prior "gun-free zone" policies by expanding where concealed carry is allowed while maintaining state-level control over firearm regulation.

Maddy summaryHB 212 establishes a new standing committee on federal review in Wyoming's legislature, directly affecting state lawmakers by creating a dedicated body to monitor federal actions. The committee must review all federal laws, regulations, and executive orders to assess whether they infringe on Wyoming's sovereignty or violate the U.S. Constitution's enumerated powers, without considering Supreme Court interpretations of those actions. This procedural bill creates a formal mechanism for the legislature to evaluate federal overreach and potentially sponsor related legislation, effective immediately upon enactment.