Sen. Eric Barlow

Maddy summarySF 130 expands Wyoming’s existing civil immunity for emergency responders to include mental health crises. It protects licensed healthcare providers, volunteer ambulance/rescue staff (earning under $1,000 annually or per call), hospitals, and trainees who provide emergency mental health assistance in good faith. The immunity applies to acts or omissions during mental health emergencies but excludes gross negligence or willful misconduct. This change takes effect July 1, 2025, and aligns mental health crisis response with existing emergency medical service protections.

Maddy summarySF 143 allows Wyoming state funds to be deposited in credit unions that meet specific requirements, directly affecting the state treasurer, government entities managing public money, and qualifying credit unions. The bill amends state law to require credit unions seeking to hold state funds to apply through the board of deposits, provide financial statements, and maintain security like bonds or mortgages. Credit unions must submit annual financial updates and notify the state if facing regulatory action. This change expands where public funds can be held beyond traditional banks, while maintaining oversight through the state’s board of deposits.

Maddy summaryHB 214 allows Wyoming cities, towns, and counties to pay claims and demands using electronic payments or fund transfers, instead of physical checks or warrants. It updates existing laws to explicitly permit electronic methods while maintaining current requirements, such as requiring claim certification by a manager and approval by a governing body before payments over $50. The bill ensures electronic payments must still specify the purpose, be payable to specific recipients, and be documented in county payment registers, with effective implementation set for July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 42 creates a new "resort hotel liquor license" category for hotels meeting specific requirements. To qualify, a resort hotel must have a minimum $10 million valuation (including land), include a restaurant, offer at least 35 short-term guest rooms, provide 12-hour daily dining, and have meeting space for 50+ people. The license requires an annual fee between $500 and $3,000, and licensees may not sell alcohol for off-premises consumption except via catering permits. This bill directly affects owners or lessees of large resort hotels seeking to serve alcohol on-site, with provisions taking effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryWyoming's HB 75 reduces the severance tax rate for surface coal mining from 6.5% to 6% effective July 1, 2025. The bill lowers both the constitutional portion (from 1.5% to 1%) and the statutory portion (from 5% to 4.5%) of the tax. This directly affects surface coal mining companies operating in Wyoming by decreasing their tax burden. The change modifies existing tax distribution rules outlined in Wyoming statutes but does not alter how the tax revenue is allocated to the mineral trust fund or severance tax account.

Maddy summaryHB 107 creates the Wyoming Generational Investment Account, a permanent state trust fund designed to manage long-term investments of state funds. Starting July 1, 2025, the state must transfer $100 million annually from the legislative stabilization reserve into this account, with investment earnings from each transfer becoming available for the general fund 14 years later. The account must be invested per specific risk guidelines (85% private equity, 15% private credit), prohibiting withdrawals of principal or earnings for 14 years. The state treasurer must report annually on investments and projected earnings to legislative committees. This bill directly affects state financial management, not individual citizens or businesses.

Maddy summaryHB 140, the Continuity of Permitting Act, ensures that building permit and land use applications pending at the time a county annexes land into a city or town remain under the county's handling until they are approved or denied. After a decision is made, jurisdiction transfers to the newly annexed city or town. This directly affects property owners, developers, and local governments with pending applications during annexation events. The law applies to all such applications filed on or after July 1, 2025, preventing delays or confusion during the transition.

Maddy summaryHB 257 establishes a formal apprenticeship program for aspiring barbers in Wyoming, directly affecting apprentices, licensed barbers who supervise them, and the Barber Examiners Board. The bill requires apprentices to complete 1,600 hours of training (1-2 years), including 36 hours of safety and sanitation training, hold a high school diploma, pay a registration fee, and pass an exam to qualify for a barber license. Licensed barbers may supervise no more than two apprentices at a time in a licensed barbershop. The program takes effect July 1, 2025, and requires the Board to create implementing rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a competitive grant program for K-12 public schools in Wyoming to fund crossing guard programs. School districts may apply for up to $10,000 per school annually (2025-2028) to cover training, wages for faculty/volunteers, and equipment, with $4.95 million total allocated from the public school foundation fund. Applications require detailed plans for school intersections, staffing, training, and equipment costs, and must be submitted by June 30 each year. The program expires July 1, 2028, and grant funds cannot reduce existing school foundation funding.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates a 36.5-mile segment of US Highway 16 in Johnson County (between mile markers 52.47 and 89) as the "USMC CPL Seth Rasmuson Memorial Highway" to honor a Marine Corps corporal. It authorizes the Wyoming Department of Transportation to install appropriate signage and appropriates $3,000 from the general fund for this purpose, with funds expiring June 30, 2026. The bill has no policy impact beyond naming the highway segment and installing commemorative signage.