Sen. Bill Landen

Maddy summaryHB 77 amends Wyoming's simple assault and domestic assault laws to explicitly include "threatening or menacing conduct" that causes someone to reasonably fear immediate physical harm. It expands the definition so that making another person feel in danger of being physically hurt - through words, gestures, or actions - now qualifies as assault, not just physical attempts. This change directly affects individuals accused of simple assault or domestic assault in Wyoming, applying to all offenses committed on or after July 1, 2024. The bill does not alter penalties but clarifies that verbal threats or menacing behavior alone can constitute a crime.

Maddy summaryHB 46 sets a 150-day timeline for resolving most cases in Wyoming's chancery court, requiring courts to settle the majority of complex civil disputes within 150 days of issuing a scheduling order. It directly affects parties filing disputes in chancery court (typically handling business, real estate, or contract cases) by establishing a concrete deadline for case resolution. The law applies to all chancery court cases filed on or after July 1, 2024, and becomes effective on that date.

Maddy summaryHB 54 designates the third Tuesday in May as "Wyoming Reads Day" to recognize efforts supporting early childhood literacy, primarily honoring John and Sue Jorgensen. The bill requires public schools, state/local governments, and organizations to appropriately observe the day through celebrations that promote reading. It mandates the governor issue an annual proclamation for the observance but explicitly states the day does not authorize school or business closures, nor affect legal agreements or court proceedings. This is a ceremonial measure with no new funding or regulatory changes.

Maddy summaryHB 203 creates a property tax exemption for single-family residential properties in Wyoming, covering the first $200,000 of value in 2024 and $1 million annually thereafter. To offset lost local revenue, it adds a 2% sales tax (raising the total rate to 6%) effective July 2024. Funds from this tax are distributed to counties based on their lost property tax revenue from the exemption, with any remaining funds used for sales tax refunds to businesses paying severance and sales taxes. The bill directly affects homeowners with qualifying properties and local governments reliant on property tax revenue.

Maddy summaryHB 207 repeals a lifetime restriction preventing certain hunters from obtaining moose or bighorn sheep hunting licenses. It directly affects individuals who, as of July 1, 2022, were subject to a five-year restriction under Wyoming law for these species. The bill allows these hunters to apply for and receive licenses as if they had never been restricted after July 1, 2022, though they will face the standard lifetime restriction if issued a license after the bill's effective date of July 1, 2024. This change modifies existing provisions in Wyoming's hunting license regulations (W.S. 23-1-703 and 23-1-705) without altering the underlying five-year restriction period.

Maddy summaryHB 199 modifies Wyoming's absentee ballot processing rules. It allows absentee ballots postmarked by election day but received before the county canvassing board meets to be counted, instead of being rejected if received after 7:00 p.m. election day. The bill also changes the deadline for county canvassing boards to convene, requiring them to meet no later than the first Friday after the election. These changes directly affect voters who mail ballots late but have valid postmarks and county election officials handling ballot processing. The law takes effect July 1, 2024.

Maddy summaryHB 164 clarifies that food products made with or infused with alcohol (like candy or desserts) are not considered alcoholic beverages if they contain less than 6.25% alcohol by volume. This directly affects food manufacturers, retailers, and restaurants producing or selling such items. The bill amends Wyoming's alcohol definitions to explicitly exclude these low-alcohol food products from regulations governing alcoholic beverages. The key provision sets a clear 6.25% alcohol threshold to determine when such foods fall outside the state's alcohol beverage laws.

Maddy summaryHB 121 authorizes Wyoming to lease, sell, or exchange a specific 640-acre parcel (the "Kelly parcel" in Teton County) under strict conditions. It requires leases to be for conservation only, with minimum $6 million annual payments and no development allowed, while allowing up to 10 years of renewal. For sales, the bill mandates a minimum $750 million price, with proceeds deposited into the common school fund, and permits exchanges for mineral interests valued at least $1 billion (e.g., coal or trona in Wyoming). The bill directly affects the state lands department, potential lessees, and purchasers of the parcel, with all transactions requiring board approval.

Maddy summaryHB 181 eliminates coroners' authority to conduct inquests for deaths, shifting responsibility for death investigations to county health officers and accident inspectors. It revises statutes related to death reports (W.S. 7-4-201), postmortem examinations (W.S. 7-4-209), and fatal accident investigations (W.S. 30-2-212) to remove coroner involvement. Counties will no longer handle inquest costs through coroners, instead using health officer procedures for cause-of-death certification. The changes take effect July 1, 2024, impacting how death investigations are conducted across Wyoming.

Maddy summaryWyoming's HB 151 prohibits financial institutions from discriminating against firearm retailers by using or requiring special payment codes (like those for firearm sales) to distinguish them from other businesses. It bans financial institutions from keeping records of firearm purchases or owners, or disclosing payment information tied to these codes unless required by law. The bill also prevents banks from refusing payment transactions solely based on a firearm merchant code. Violations could lead to civil penalties up to $10,000 per incident, enforced through the Attorney General's office. The law takes effect July 1, 2024.