Sen. Bo Biteman

Maddy summaryHB 194 is a proposed bill that would repeal Wyoming's current statewide student assessment system and the Wyoming Accountability in Education Act. It would remove requirements for school districts to maintain assessment systems aligned with state standards and eliminate related data collection obligations for the state education department. The bill would affect school districts, the state superintendent, and the state board of education by ending their current roles in administering and enforcing the assessment system. This is a procedural repeal bill, not a new policy, and it remains pending as of February 2024.

Maddy summaryWyoming's HB 137 would require healthcare providers to show a pregnant person an ultrasound (including the heartbeat if audible) at least 48 hours before providing medication for a chemical abortion. The law mandates providers document the ultrasound details (date, time, physician, and fetal age) and verify the ultrasound occurred before dispensing abortion drugs. Violations could result in felony charges with fines up to $20,000 or up to five years in prison, though pregnant people would not face criminal penalties. This bill directly affects medical providers and individuals seeking medication-based abortions in Wyoming.

Maddy summaryWyoming's HB 190 requires schools to notify parents about student health changes, name/pronoun adjustments, and well-being questionnaires, while prohibiting classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity for K-12 students. The bill mandates parental consent for school health services and prohibits schools from restricting parental access to student records or discouraging parent involvement in student welfare decisions. School staff violating these provisions face disciplinary action, and schools may be subject to civil penalties of up to $5,000 per violation. The law directly affects K-12 students, parents/guardians, and school staff, with implementation set for the 2024-2025 school year. It also establishes legal remedies for parents alleging violations by schools or staff.

Maddy summaryHB 201 requires Wyoming's State Auditor to publish detailed vendor payment information on the auditor's public website. It mandates posting, within 30 days of payment, the date, vendor name, state agency, total amount, and payment description for all payments made over the previous five fiscal years. This applies to all state payments made on or after July 1, 2024, directly affecting state agencies and vendors receiving public funds. The bill aims to increase transparency by making vendor payment data accessible for public inspection and download.

Maddy summaryHB 132 bans public school teachers, administrators, and state employees from teaching or using public funds for instruction on specific concepts related to race, ethnicity, sex, or national origin. It prohibits lessons that claim any group is inherently superior/inferior, blame individuals for past actions of their group, or label people as inherently racist or oppressive - except when teaching historical oppression or using approved primary sources. The bill allows private lawsuits against violators and imposes civil penalties up to $5,000 per violation for schools or state agencies. It also prohibits public employers from requiring training on these concepts and exempts sexual harassment training. The law directly affects K-12 educators, school districts, and state agencies using public funds for instruction or employee training.

Maddy summaryWyoming's HJ 6 is a joint resolution requesting Congress to call a convention under Article V of the U.S. Constitution to propose constitutional amendments. The convention would be limited to addressing federal fiscal issues (like debt and spending), restricting federal power over states, and setting term limits for federal officials and Congress. The resolution includes specific safeguards, such as requiring two-thirds of states to agree on the same purpose before Congress acts, ensuring states vote one state, one vote, and explicitly excluding any changes to the Bill of Rights. This resolution serves as Wyoming's continuing application until two-thirds of states support identical proposals.

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 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 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 summarySF 112, the Wyoming Freedom Scholarship Act, would have created an Education Savings Account (ESA) program providing $6,000 annually per eligible student (adjusted for inflation) to cover education expenses. It directly affected Wyoming students in grades K-12 who hadn't graduated or earned a high school equivalency, allowing parents to use funds for tuition at qualified private schools, online programs, tutoring, textbooks, technology, and other approved educational costs. The state treasurer would manage the accounts, funded by state appropriations (not local taxes), with excess funds above $30 million transferred to school foundation programs. The bill was withdrawn by its sponsor on February 16, 2024, and never became law.