Sen. Fred Baldwin

Maddy summaryHB 66 requires Wyoming's workers' compensation program to provide annual cancer screenings for firefighters who have worked at least 10 years, including paid, volunteer, and municipal firefighters. It mandates specific screenings: annual mammograms for female firefighters, colon cancer screenings (including stool tests or colonoscopies), and prostate screenings for male firefighters, plus other screenings for cancers more common among firefighters. These screenings are considered work-related injuries under workers' compensation, covering up to 10 years after retirement. The bill creates a new "Aaron Booker Firefighter Cancer Screening Act" and amends existing statutes to implement these benefits.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Wyoming to issue separate hunting licenses and establish distinct hunting seasons for mule deer and whitetail deer. It directly affects hunters of both species, including residents and nonresidents who purchase licenses, by mandating separate management under state wildlife regulations. The key mechanism involves amending existing laws to create new rules for license issuance, season scheduling, and preference point systems specific to each deer type. This change aims to improve wildlife management by allowing targeted conservation efforts for each species, without altering license fees or quotas.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Wyoming county treasurers to issue vehicle registration certificates electronically instead of on paper. It also creates a 30-day grace period for vehicle owners to affix validation stickers to their vehicles after registration, rather than requiring immediate display. The changes directly affect all vehicle owners in Wyoming who must display license plates or validation stickers. The bill amends existing statutes to formalize electronic certificates and the 30-day sticker placement requirement, effective July 1, 2024.

Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 121 establishes a property tax exemption for primary residences, allowing homeowners to exclude up to $300,000 of their home's value from annual property taxes. To qualify, residents must have lived in Wyoming for at least five years and resided in the home for nine months of the prior tax year, and must submit an annual sworn claim by May 4th. The exemption applies to single-family homes only, with no more than one exemption per property per year, and includes penalties for false claims. Funding for the exemption will come from the state's legislative stabilization account, with counties reporting impacts to the state department of revenue. The bill takes effect January 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 175 allows Wyoming school districts to request fingerprint-based background checks for volunteers who regularly interact with or have unsupervised access to minors in K-12 schools. Previously, such checks applied only to school employees, but this bill extends the requirement to volunteers meeting these specific access criteria. School districts must cover all costs for the fingerprinting and background check process. The law takes effect July 1, 2024.

Maddy summaryHB 169 continues Wyoming's Mental Health and Vulnerable Adult Task Force through December 2024. The task force, composed of 3 House members, 3 Senate members, and agency directors (including health, family services, corrections, and education), must study state mental health services, remove interagency barriers, and develop programs addressing unmet needs like adolescent behavioral services and court diversion for mentally ill individuals. It requires a final report by October 1, 2024, and is funded with $55,000 from the general fund for legislative members' expenses. The bill directly affects vulnerable adults and mental health service recipients by mandating coordinated system improvements.

Maddy summaryHB 186 appropriates $40 million from Wyoming's general fund to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline system trust fund, as specified in existing law (W.S. 35-25-506). The funding directly supports Wyoming's 988 suicide prevention hotline operations and is restricted to that purpose. The bill takes effect July 1, 2024, and does not create new policy but provides dedicated financial resources for the existing crisis hotline service.

Maddy summaryHB 65 limits minimum training requirements for public officers handling government accounts to four hours annually, allowing completion via virtual formats on personal time. It removes the possibility of removal from office for failing to meet these training requirements within one year of taking office, though officers must still follow approved training guidelines. The bill applies directly to public officers (such as county clerks or treasurers) responsible for managing public funds, and requires the state auditor to establish rules for approved training courses. The changes take effect July 1, 2024.

Maddy summaryHB 173 requires pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and insurers to include retail pharmacies in patients' network choices without using financial incentives like reduced copays to steer patients toward specific locations. It mandates the Wyoming Department of Insurance to create rules ensuring adequate in-network pharmacy access, including location requirements. The law, effective January 1, 2025, directly affects patients (who gain more pharmacy choice), retail pharmacies (protected from exclusion), and PBMs/insurers (prohibited from using cost-sharing tactics to limit options). It focuses on transparency and network adequacy without altering prescription drug pricing or coverage.

Maddy summaryHB 119 would create a grant program to help Wyoming school districts hire additional mental health staff, including school counselors, nurses, and community mental health providers, for K-12 students during the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 school years. The program, funded by a $37 million appropriation, would provide grants calculated at $206 per student based on each district’s previous year’s enrollment, with applications due by June 30 annually. School districts receiving grants must report on fund usage and student impact, and the state education department would submit annual effectiveness reports to the legislature by 2025.