Sen. Larry Hicks

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 166) adjusts Wyoming's school funding formula for the 2019-2020 school year by applying specific inflation-based increases to four categories: professional labor, non-professional labor, educational materials, and energy costs. These adjustments - calculated using Bureau of Labor Statistics indexes - would affect public schools receiving funds through the School Foundation Program (S5 account). It also allocates $15 million from the air service improvement account for commercial air service contracts, pending governor approval. The bill was referred to the Appropriations Committee but died in committee in 2019 without becoming law.

Maddy summarySF 152, the "Transparency in legislative budgeting act," restructures Wyoming's state budget accounts by repealing three specific reserve funds (budget reserve, mineral trust fund reserve, and strategic investments account) and redirecting their funds to the general fund. It requires a 5% reserve from general fund receipts to be maintained in the budget reserve account, mandates that excess general fund funds at the end of each biennium be transferred to this reserve, and changes how withheld funds from community mental health programs are handled. Local governments that fail to submit required financial reports face withheld state distributions, which remain in the budget reserve until compliance is achieved. The bill aims to increase budget transparency by clarifying fund transfers, reserves, and performance-based funding mechanisms for state-supported programs.

Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 145 requires hunters and anglers to purchase a $6 annual recreation permit to access state trust lands (lands held for public schools and institutions). The permit fee distributes $4 to land beneficiaries (schools/institutions) and $2 to the game and fish commission for access programs. Exceptions include children under 12 with permit holders, public road travel, and state employees on duty. Violating the permit requirement is a misdemeanor punishable by fines up to $200 or up to one week in jail. The law mandates an agreement between the game commission and land board by November 2019 to implement the fee system.

Maddy summarySF 39 would have required Wyoming's legislature to approve any changes to interstate water compacts before they take effect. This bill directly affects Wyoming's state government and its water management decisions, as it would have prevented the state from binding itself to new or altered water agreements without legislative consent. Key provisions include mandating legislative approval for amendments to interstate water compacts (excluding court rulings) and requiring the Attorney General to report such actions to the legislature. The bill, introduced in 2019 but never passed, aimed to ensure state lawmakers had a formal role in major water policy decisions involving neighboring states.

Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 68 prohibits misrepresenting non-meat products as "meat" in labeling, advertising, or sales. It requires retailers and wholesalers to clearly label products not derived from harvested livestock or poultry as "imitation food" and foreign meat as "imported" with country of origin. The bill defines "meat" as specific edible muscle parts (excluding lips, snout, or ears) and applies to businesses selling meat or meat-like products. It became effective July 1, 2019, and mandates the Department of Agriculture to create labeling rules.

Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 148 creates a legal framework allowing the state to temporarily seize and operate federal facilities like national parks or wildlife refuges if the federal government cannot do so effectively. During seizure, the governor must maintain public access, protect natural/cultural resources, and allow concessionaires to continue operating, while charging fees to cover costs. The state must return the facility to federal control once the federal government can manage it, and repay any fees collected or profits earned. The bill also establishes a $1 million contingency fund for planning and exempts certain operational plans from public records disclosure.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 147) requires Wyoming's Department of Health to propose budget changes that reduce full-time and part-time staff at five specific state facilities - Wyoming Life Resource Center, Wyoming State Hospital, Wyoming Pioneer Home, Veterans' Home of Wyoming, and Wyoming Retirement Center - and increase the use of temporary contract employees instead. It mandates that the Department of Administration's budget division must base the health department's 2021-2022 budget on these recommendations. The policy directly affects staffing models at these facilities, shifting toward more flexible, short-term contracts for operational roles.

2019/Summaries/SF0078.pdf