Sen. Barry Crago

Maddy summarySF 92 creates Wyoming's False Claims Act, allowing the state to sue individuals or entities that knowingly submit false claims for payment. It imposes penalties of three times the state's damages plus $5,500-$11,000 per false claim, affecting contractors, grantees, and state employees who submit inaccurate claims or fail to repay overpayments. The law includes reduced penalties if the person reports violations within 30 days and fully cooperates with investigations. It defines key terms like "knowingly" and "false claim" to clarify when penalties apply.

Maddy summaryWyoming Senate Bill 125 (SF 125) halts the Wyoming Business Council's (WBC) new funding activities starting April 15, 2027, prohibiting it from accepting new grant, loan, or bond applications for any programs it administers. The bill requires the WBC to submit a detailed report by April 30, 2026, listing all pending grants, outstanding loans, bonds, property, and funds held by the council, itemized by program. This report must include repayment schedules, recipient details, and the status of all financial obligations existing before the effective date. The legislation effectively transitions the WBC away from active funding operations while mandating transparency about its existing financial commitments.

Maddy summaryHB 150 creates a 13-member Wyoming Business Council Strategic Advisory Task Force to evaluate the state's existing Wyoming Business Council (WBC). The task force, including legislative members, business representatives from agriculture, manufacturing, oil/gas, tourism, and local government, will review the WBC's programs, duties, and operations - including those not specified in the Wyoming Economic Development Act - and compare them to other states. It must recommend changes to retain, modify, privatize, or eliminate WBC functions, develop a strategic direction for the council, and improve communication of its work to state leadership. The bill does not change the WBC's current operations but mandates this review process to inform potential future reforms.

Maddy summaryHB 29 clarifies requirements for nonresidents to obtain trapping licenses in Wyoming. It mandates that nonresidents provide a notarized affidavit confirming their home state allows Wyoming residents to trap the same species, along with proof of their state's relevant laws. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department must create implementing rules to enforce this reciprocity standard. This directly affects nonresident trappers who must now verify reciprocal licensing agreements with their home states before obtaining a Wyoming trapping license.

Maddy summaryHB 164 creates the Wyoming Generational Investment Account, a permanent trust fund designed to save state money for future generations. Starting July 1, 2026, the state will transfer $100 million annually from the legislative stabilization reserve into this account, with funds invested per specific rules (85% private equity, 15% private credit). Investment earnings from these transfers cannot be withdrawn for 20 years; after that, half the earnings go to the general fund and half to the stabilization reserve. The bill directly affects state budgeting by redirecting annual transfers and setting long-term investment rules for these funds.

Maddy summaryHB 163 limits the state's annual costs that can be charged against Wyoming's Beef Council to 3% of fees collected by the council that aren't already required by state or federal law. This directly affects the Beef Council (which collects industry fees) and state agencies like the Department of Administration and Information that manage these funds. The bill's key provision sets a hard cap on administrative fees, ensuring the council retains more of its collected revenue. The law will take effect on July 1, 2026, and does not alter how the council spends its funds.

Maddy summaryHB 158, the EV Charging Stations Transparency Act, requires operators of direct current (DC) fast-charging stations in Wyoming to display a clear 3x3 inch label showing the primary energy source (e.g., wind, natural gas, coal) powering the station. This applies to stations connected to public utilities or using on-site generation, with labels updated annually based on the utility’s annual energy mix in the station’s service area. If the primary source accounts for less than 50% of electricity, the label must show the top two sources. The law aims to provide transparency for EV drivers about the energy sources powering charging stations, with violations punishable by fines up to $750.

Maddy summaryHB 142 requires Wyoming public schools to implement literacy screening assessments for students in kindergarten through grade 5, administered three times yearly for K-3 and targeted for grades 4-5. Schools must provide evidence-based interventions for students identified as high-risk for reading difficulties (including dyslexia), with individualized plans requiring parental consent, while also mandating research-backed core literacy instruction in areas like phonemic awareness, decoding, and reading comprehension. The bill repeals Wyoming's previous reading assessment program and requires annual reporting to the state education department on student progress toward an 80% target for low-risk reading scores in K-3, with schools failing to meet goals submitting improvement plans. It directly affects K-5 students, school districts, and parents through new screening, intervention, and reporting requirements.

Maddy summaryThis is a procedural resolution (SJ 2), not a bill with binding provisions. It calls on Wyoming’s three U.S. congressional representatives to support state authority over elections and campaign finance rules. The resolution urges them to advocate for a constitutional amendment affirming states' power to govern their own election processes and campaign finance policies. It does not create new laws or directly affect citizens; it is a symbolic statement from Wyoming’s legislature to federal lawmakers.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all pesticide labels sold in Wyoming to match the health and safety warnings registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), eliminating state-specific variations. It directly affects pesticide sellers and distributors in Wyoming by mandating uniform labeling aligned with federal standards. Key provisions include overriding previous local labeling requirements and ensuring labels don’t differ in material ways from EPA-registered versions. The law does not change Wyoming’s authority to regulate pesticide use, distribution, or sale under existing statutes, and takes effect July 1, 2026.