Sen. Bill Landen

Maddy summaryHB 202 creates a Wyoming community college loan program to cover costs for students pursuing aviation degrees and commercial pilot certificates at Wyoming community colleges. It directly affects Wyoming residents or high school graduates enrolled in eligible aviation programs who commit to working as airline pilots in Wyoming for three years to avoid repaying the loan in cash. Key provisions include requiring applicants to seek federal aid first, limiting loans to tuition/certification costs minus other aid, and allowing debt forgiveness for undue hardship. The program is funded by a $1.5 million state appropriation for 2023-2026, with repayment options deferred for military service.

Maddy summaryWyoming's HB 247 prohibits the intentional waste of edible portions from trophy game animals (like elk or deer) and bans possessing parts of wasted animals. It requires hunters to transport and properly care for carcasses within 48 hours of harvest, and forbids abandoning meat at processing plants for more than 45 days without agreement. Processing plants must report abandoned meat to wildlife authorities, and confiscated meat may be sold to cover storage costs after a conviction. The bill directly affects hunters and meat processing facilities, taking effect July 1, 2023.

Maddy summaryWyoming's HB 272 amends state law to expand the definitions of prostitution and soliciting prostitution to explicitly include "sexual contact" and "sexual intrusion" as defined in other statutes. This change directly affects individuals engaging in or offering money for sexual acts, as these activities would now fall under the existing misdemeanor penalties (up to 6 months in jail or a $750 fine). The bill does not alter penalties or create new enforcement mechanisms - it simply updates the legal language to cover additional sexual acts. The amendment is set to take effect July 1, 2023.

Maddy summaryThis Wyoming bill (SF 183) amends the state's strangulation law to explicitly include intentionally blocking a household member's nose or mouth as a criminal act. It directly affects domestic violence victims and perpetrators by expanding the definition of "strangulation" to cover this specific choking behavior. The key change adds "blocking covering the nose, and mouth or both" to the list of actions that constitute the crime under W.S. 6-2-509. The law defines "household member" using existing statutes (W.S. 35-21-102) and takes effect July 1, 2023. This is a policy change clarifying criminal conduct in domestic violence cases, not a procedural or commemorative measure.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires most health and disability insurance plans in Wyoming to cover hearing aids and related fitting, evaluation, and maintenance services when medically necessary. It mandates coverage for one hearing aid per ear (with associated professional services) and limits coverage to $2,000 per ear every three years, unless a hearing professional determines additional devices are medically needed. Insurance plans must apply the same deductibles and co-pays for hearing aid coverage as for other health services. The law applies to all covered individuals and aims to ensure equitable access to hearing aid care under existing health insurance plans. It takes effect July 1, 2024.

Maddy summaryThis Wyoming bill (SF 100) amends the state's stalking law to explicitly prohibit using electronic devices to surveil others without permission. It directly affects individuals who might use GPS, digital tools, or internet tracking to monitor someone's location or online activity without their authorization. The key provision adds a new section banning unauthorized surveillance via electronic devices, including tracking internet/wireless activity, to the existing stalking statute. The law became effective July 1, 2022.

Maddy summaryHB 55 exempts airports in Wyoming counties outside incorporated cities or towns from a rule limiting retail liquor licenses within five miles of city limits. Normally, such counties could issue no more than three retail liquor licenses in that 5-mile zone, but airports are now allowed to operate liquor sales without counting toward that cap. The bill directly affects airports seeking liquor licenses in rural or unincorporated areas, removing a barrier to serving alcohol on-site. It became effective July 1, 2022, and makes no other changes to liquor licensing rules.

Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 77 reduces the residency requirement for filing a name change petition. It changes the rule from requiring 2 years of county residency to just 60 days immediately before filing. This directly affects individuals seeking to legally change their names in Wyoming county courts. The bill amends Wyoming Statute 1-25-102 and takes effect immediately upon becoming law. The change simplifies the process for residents who have lived in a county for a shorter period.

Maddy summarySF 92 authorizes Wyoming's Department of Transportation to renew or extend the validity of driver's licenses and ID cards for government employees required to work outside Wyoming (including federal, state, or local government roles), active-duty military members, and their spouses or dependent children living with them. The department can extend these licenses for up to five years at a time, subject to its established terms and conditions. This change specifically helps individuals who cannot renew licenses in Wyoming due to work or military service commitments. It does not alter standard renewal requirements for other license holders.

Maddy summaryThis bill removes the December 31, 2022 expiration date for certifications allowing businesses to operate greater sage grouse game bird farms in Wyoming. It directly affects owners of these farms by making their certifications permanent, eliminating the need for renewal. The bill maintains existing rules requiring forfeiting birds if certification is revoked and prohibits reimbursement claims for birds held at expiration (which no longer occurs under this change). The policy change became effective July 1, 2022.