Sen. Bob Ide

Maddy summaryHB 91 prohibits Wyoming from enforcing health mandates or requirements from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or the World Health Organization (WHO) related to mask-wearing, vaccines, or medical testing for COVID-19 or its variants. The bill explicitly states these federal and international health organizations have "no jurisdiction" in Wyoming, meaning their guidance cannot be used to justify such requirements within the state. It directly affects Wyoming residents, businesses, and local officials who would otherwise be subject to CDC or WHO directives. The law takes effect on July 1, 2024, and applies specifically to pandemic-related health measures.

Maddy summaryHB 177 prohibits natural asset companies from operating in Wyoming. These companies, defined as SEC-recognized entities managing natural or agricultural lands for conservation, are barred from managing any federal, state, or private land within the state. The bill also stops conservation easement holders from using these companies via credits and bans the state treasurer from investing in them. It takes effect July 1, 2024, directly impacting natural asset companies, conservation groups using such structures, and state financial decisions.

Maddy summaryHB 115 requires blood donation centers to ask donors if they've received a COVID-19 or mRNA vaccine during their lifetime. Blood from vaccinated donors must be clearly labeled, and in non-emergency situations, transfusion recipients can request blood based on the donor's vaccination status if available. The bill applies to blood collectors, donation centers, and patients receiving transfusions. It takes effect July 1, 2024.

Maddy summaryHB 107 requires Wyoming's Department of Transportation to downgrade a commercial driver's license (CDL) if a driver fails to provide a current federal medical certificate within 60 days after it expires. The bill mandates that the department must reinstate the CDL without requiring the driver to retake knowledge or driving tests once they provide a valid medical certificate before the original CDL's expiration date. This applies directly to commercial drivers who temporarily lack medical certification. The law takes effect July 1, 2024, and requires the department to create necessary implementing rules.

Maddy summaryHB 195, the "Defend the Guard Act," prohibits the Wyoming National Guard from being deployed into active duty combat unless the U.S. Congress has officially declared war or taken specific constitutional action under Article I, Section 8. It defines "active duty combat" as participating in armed conflicts, hazardous services related to conflicts abroad, or duties involving war instruments. The bill requires the governor to prevent such deployments without these congressional actions, while allowing Title 32 deployments for domestic missions within the U.S. and its territories. This law directly affects Wyoming National Guard members and their deployment authority, taking effect July 1, 2024.

Maddy summaryHB 161 amends Wyoming law to change how vacancies in county commissioner seats, other county elected offices, and state legislature positions are filled. If a county board fails to appoint a replacement within the required timeframe, a qualified voter can petition the district judge to fill the vacancy. The judge must appoint one of three qualified candidates submitted by the county central committee, or, if the committee fails to provide names, a person from the same political party as the previous officeholder (or any qualified person if no party was represented). This process applies to all affected offices starting July 1, 2024.

Maddy summaryHB 123 repeals mandatory immunization requirements for children attending child care facilities (such as daycares and preschools) in Wyoming. The bill removes existing laws requiring immunizations for enrollment at these facilities, effective July 1, 2024. Current requirements will remain in place until that date, after which child care facilities cannot enforce immunization mandates. This change specifically applies to child care settings and does not affect immunization rules for public schools or other health regulations.

Maddy summaryHB 194 is a proposed bill that would repeal Wyoming's current statewide student assessment system and the Wyoming Accountability in Education Act. It would remove requirements for school districts to maintain assessment systems aligned with state standards and eliminate related data collection obligations for the state education department. The bill would affect school districts, the state superintendent, and the state board of education by ending their current roles in administering and enforcing the assessment system. This is a procedural repeal bill, not a new policy, and it remains pending as of February 2024.

Maddy summaryWyoming's HB 167 proposes a legal process for the state to declare federal laws unconstitutional and "nullify" them, based on the bill's argument that such actions violate the U.S. Constitution's separation of powers and Tenth Amendment. It creates new statutes (W.S. 9-14-301-305) requiring the state to issue formal "orders of nullification" after a legislative petition and review process, with duties assigned to the Secretary of State and legislative leaders. The bill directly affects Wyoming's state government by establishing procedures for challenging federal actions it deems unconstitutional, though it does not change federal law or impact citizens directly. Currently inactive (last action: "H Did not Consider for Introduction" on 2024-02-17), it remains a procedural framework without enacted policy effects.

Maddy summaryThis bill repeals a specific exception in Wyoming law (W.S. 6-4-302(c)(ii)) that previously allowed educational institutions to possess obscene materials for "bona fide educational purposes" without facing charges for promoting obscenity. It removes this legal exemption, meaning possessing such materials for educational use would no longer be exempt from obscenity laws. The change takes effect on July 1, 2025, directly affecting schools, libraries, and other educational entities that may handle materials previously covered by this exception.