Sen. Dan Laursen

Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 60 revises how sales and use tax revenues are distributed to counties and local governments. It reduces the percentage of sales tax going to the state general fund from 69% to 65%, increases annual county payments from $20,000 to $40,000 (for pre-2004 amounts), and adjusts the share of out-of-state vendor taxes distributed to local areas from 29.5% to 35%. These changes apply to taxes collected on or after July 1, 2025, and affect all Wyoming counties and local municipalities receiving tax distributions based on population and sales data. The bill updates existing distribution formulas without altering the overall structure of tax allocation.

Maddy summaryHB 194 creates a new misdemeanor crime for distributing material deemed "harmful to minors" to individuals under 18. It directly affects anyone who shares such material - like books, films, or online content - via digital means, in-person, or at events targeting minors. The bill defines "harmful to minors" by three criteria: material appealing to prurient interests in minors, patently offensive to adult standards for minors, and lacking literary/scientific value for minors. It repeals an existing exemption that previously protected school, library, and museum staff from obscenity charges when handling materials in their work. The law imposes fines up to $6,000 or up to one year in jail for violations, effective July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 180 limits supplemental budget requests by the governor and state agencies to five specific situations: revenue shortfalls based on official estimates, funding for natural or human disasters, public welfare emergencies requiring additional funds beyond existing allocations, adjustments to savings accounts, and necessary staffing changes. The bill restricts all other supplemental funding requests, ensuring they align strictly with these defined categories. This change directly affects how state agencies and the governor propose budget adjustments outside the regular annual process. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, and repeals a prior provision about alternative budget preparation.

Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 117 establishes a legal presumption that courts should grant "shared custody" in child custody cases unless specific exceptions apply. This means courts would default to ordering arrangements where children spend roughly equal time with both parents and parents share decision-making, unless parents agree otherwise in writing or circumstances like domestic violence, child abuse, or extreme distance between homes exist. The bill defines "shared custody" as combining both joint legal custody (shared decision-making on health/education) and joint physical custody (equal time with each parent). The law would take effect for new custody cases filed on or after July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 270 changes Wyoming's spending policy for the Permanent Mineral Trust Fund by reducing the annual spending rate from 5% to 4.5% of the fund's five-year average market value. This adjustment directly affects how the state calculates and spends earnings from the trust fund's investments each fiscal year. The bill modifies Section 9-4-719(d)(v) of Wyoming law to implement this lower spending percentage. It takes effect on July 1, 2025, applying to all future fiscal years.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Wyoming's state guard laws to remove the requirement that the National Guard must be activated for U.S. service before the Wyoming State Guard can be organized. It eliminates federal oversight by removing the secretary of defense's role in governing the state guard and grants the governor sole authority to establish, maintain, and equip the force. The governor will now fund the state guard through a $25,000 state appropriation (expiring June 2026) instead of federal sources, with members receiving up to 75% of National Guard pay rates. This directly affects the governor, state guard members, and Wyoming's defense structure by shifting control and funding entirely to the state.

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution (SJ 11) requests Wyoming’s state officials to use legal tools to challenge financial institutions that allegedly prioritize non-financial, ideological factors (like "stakeholder capitalism") over financial returns in investment decisions. It specifically directs the attorney general to investigate and litigate against such practices, including joining ongoing antitrust lawsuits (like the coal industry case with Texas), and asks the state treasurer to select asset managers focused solely on maximizing returns. The resolution directly affects Wyoming’s sovereign wealth funds and investment policies by requiring decisions to align with the state’s financial interests under its "prudent investor rule." It does not create new laws but urges state agencies to leverage existing enforcement powers to counter what the resolution describes as collusive investment practices harming Wyoming’s industries.

Maddy summaryThis bill clarifies that multipurpose vehicles (like SUVs or vans used for personal and light commercial purposes) are eligible for existing special license plate programs in Wyoming. It amends multiple statutes to explicitly include "multipurpose vehicle" alongside passenger cars, trucks, and motorcycles in the list of qualifying vehicle types for special plates. This affects owners or lessees of multipurpose vehicles seeking special plates for veterans, firefighters, University of Wyoming affiliation, or other designated groups, ensuring they can apply for these plates without eligibility confusion. The change does not create new plate types but updates current rules to include these vehicles.

Maddy summaryHB 131 prohibits the use of drop boxes for returning absentee ballots in Wyoming. The bill amends state election law to require voters to mail or hand-deliver absentee ballots directly to county clerks, banning all receptacles designed for ballot collection outside these methods. It directly affects voters and election officials by eliminating a common alternative to postal delivery for absentee voting. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 148 increases the University of Wyoming Board of Trustees from 12 to 19 members, with 14 voting trustees (7 appointed by the governor and 7 elected by voters) and 5 nonvoting ex officio members (including the governor, university president, and education officials). The bill establishes elections for the 7 elected trustees every four years on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, requiring at least one elected trustee per designated district. It specifies that appointed trustees serve six-year terms after 2026, replaces outdated provisions, and clarifies vacancy procedures for elected members. This directly affects how the university's governing board is selected, shifting part of the process from gubernatorial appointment to voter elections.