Sen. Barry Crago

Maddy summaryHB 136 allows volunteer firefighters, emergency medical technicians, and search/rescue personnel in Wyoming to join the state employees' group health insurance plan without being disqualified due to participation in government health programs - except for the Affordable Care Act marketplace. It permits first responder departments to contribute toward volunteers' insurance premiums and requires volunteers to submit annual proof of their active status to their department. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, and modifies existing rules to streamline enrollment and ongoing eligibility for these volunteers.

Maddy summarySF 152 creates a Wildfire Management Task Force to study wildfire impacts on state lands, local fire agencies, and communities. The task force, including legislative members, state officials, and industry representatives, must report by October 2025 with recommendations for future legislation. The bill also updates the state forester’s duties to include managing fire control programs on state lands, pre-positioning resources during high-risk periods, and setting standards for privately contracted fire services. It appropriates $50,000 total ($25,000 each for legislative and non-legislative members) to fund the task force, which will operate until December 31, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a uniform 9.5% property tax rate for all residential real property in Wyoming, including owner-occupied primary residences, single-family homes, condos, mobile homes, and related land (up to 35 acres). It defines "owner occupied primary residence" as property where the owner lives at least six months annually and clarifies "residential real property" to include dwellings for up to four families. The change applies to all residential property classes, replacing prior differentiated rates, and takes effect for tax year 2025. It directly affects Wyoming homeowners and property assessors by standardizing the tax calculation method.

Maddy summarySF 100 allows children under 16 who are victims of incest, sexual assault, human trafficking, or certain violent crimes to testify remotely in court to reduce emotional distress. The court must hold a hearing and find that in-person testimony would cause more than minimal distress before permitting remote testimony, which uses closed-circuit technology to let the child testify separately from the defendant and jury. The bill also requires courts to provide accommodations like breaks, a supportive adult present (not a witness), or a therapeutic dog to help the child feel comfortable during testimony. It ensures defendants maintain real-time communication with their attorney during the child’s testimony and may exclude the jury from the child’s testimony room if needed. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThe Wyoming Religious Freedom Restoration Act (HB 207) protects individuals and religious organizations from government actions that interfere with their religious practices, unless the government proves it has a compelling reason and uses the least restrictive approach possible. It defines government interference as denying benefits, imposing penalties, excluding from programs, or blocking access to facilities, and requires strict justification for such actions. People affected by these government actions can challenge them in court to seek remedies like injunctions, compensation, or other relief. The law applies to all state and local laws, rules, and policies, effective July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 36 amends Wyoming's Hathaway scholarship program to clarify that "certificate" includes trade programs (like welder or commercial driver training). It requires students receiving the scholarship after July 1, 2025, to either work in Wyoming for one year or attend graduate school at the University of Wyoming for one year for every four academic semesters of scholarship funding. The bill also mandates the Wyoming Department of Education to adopt implementing rules by July 2025. This directly affects new scholarship recipients pursuing certificates or degrees at eligible Wyoming institutions. The changes take effect July 1, 2025, for new awards.

Maddy summarySF 127 requires the Wyoming legislature to approve "major agency rules" before they take effect. This affects state agencies creating significant regulations (like environmental or business rules) and the legislature, which must vote to approve or reject these rules within the next regular or special session after receiving them. The bill establishes a timeline for review, specifies that rules not approved become void, and allows the governor to temporarily bypass this for emergency rules (limited to 120 days). Key provisions include requiring agencies to provide impact analyses and ensuring rules cannot take effect without legislative approval, except for short-term emergencies.

Maddy summarySF 158 regulates dental insurance networks in Wyoming by requiring dental carriers (insurance companies offering dental plans) to allow third-party processors access to network contracts under specific conditions. It mandates that dental carriers must provide written notice to providers 30 days before adding new third parties, maintain updated website lists of all third parties, and require third parties to identify discount sources in payment remittances. The bill also defines "virtual credit card payments" as single-use electronic payments for dental services, replacing physical cards. These changes directly affect dental providers, insurance carriers, and third-party payment processors by standardizing access to network pricing and payment methods.

Maddy summaryHB 188 exempts home-based child care providers who care for up to four children from multiple families (with no more than two children under age two) at one parent's home from standard child care facility certification requirements. This directly affects informal caregivers operating in private residences, allowing them to provide care without full licensing while still meeting basic safety standards. The bill requires the Wyoming Department of Family Services to create implementing rules within 180 days. It takes effect immediately upon becoming law, streamlining oversight for small-scale, family-shared home care arrangements. The legislation does not alter certification rules for licensed child care centers or larger facilities.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Wyoming's cemetery regulations to set specific structural and aesthetic standards for columbariums - above-ground structures containing urns. It requires exterior walls, roofs, and doors to be made of durable materials like granite, concrete, or similar substances that ensure structural safety and weather resistance, with walls needing a minimum six-inch thickness. The bill directly affects cemetery operators planning or constructing new columbariums within established cemeteries. These changes aim to standardize construction quality and appearance without altering burial rules or creating new requirements for existing facilities.