Maddy summaryHB 50, titled "What is a Woman Act," defines "sex" for legal purposes as a person's biological sex at birth, requiring all state laws, rules, and regulations to use this definition. It mandates that "woman" and "female" refer exclusively to individuals born with female biology (XX chromosomes, reproductive system for ova), and "man" and "male" refer to individuals born with male biology (XY chromosomes, reproductive system for fertilization). The bill requires state agencies, schools, and public facilities to collect vital statistics identifying people as male or female based on birth sex and to maintain separate accommodations (e.g., restrooms, shelters, prisons) based on biological sex. It applies directly to Wyoming state agencies, schools, and public entities collecting data or managing facilities. The bill failed its introduction in the Wyoming House on February 15, 2024.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryHB 69 requires written consent from surface landowners (who aren't the mine permit holder or mineral owner) before any mine permit or reclamation plan can be revised. The bill amends Wyoming law to mandate this approval for all permit revisions or plan changes submitted after July 1, 2024, directly affecting landowners whose property is impacted by mining operations. Key provisions include prohibiting revisions without the surface owner's written agreement and applying to all mining permits except surface coal mining. This change shifts decision-making authority to landowners for modifications to existing mining operations on their land.
Maddy summaryHB 105 exempts insurance settlement payments used to purchase replacement vehicles from Wyoming's sales and use taxes. It directly affects Wyoming residents who receive insurance payouts after vehicle damage and use those funds within 90 days to buy a new motor vehicle, house trailer, trailer coach, or similar vehicle. The bill amends tax code sections to exclude the insurance payment amount from the taxable sales price of the replacement vehicle, provided the original vehicle was acquired by the insurance company through a damage settlement. This change applies only to vehicles subject to sales tax and requires the replacement purchase to occur within 90 days of receiving the insurance payment. The bill was introduced in February 2024 but failed committee consideration on February 14, 2024.
Maddy summaryHB 129 establishes a new standing committee within Wyoming's legislature called the "Joint and Standing Committee on Federal Review." This committee will review federal laws, regulations, and actions to determine if they infringe on Wyoming's state sovereignty or violate the U.S. Constitution's specific enumerated powers of the federal government. The committee must report its findings and recommendations to the legislature, including suggesting new state legislation if needed. This bill directly affects Wyoming's legislative process by creating a dedicated body to monitor and respond to federal actions.
Maddy summaryHB 157 clarifies that Wyoming property tax valuations must consistently follow the state law definition of "fair market value" as specified in W.S. 39-11-101(a)(vi). The bill requires county assessors and the Department of Revenue to use appraisal methods aligned with this definition when annually valuing taxable property. It directly affects property taxpayers and local assessors by mandating uniform valuation practices under existing tax statutes. The bill, which failed committee passage in February 2024, takes effect July 1, 2024, if enacted.
Maddy summaryThis joint resolution (SJ 1) is a non-binding request from Wyoming's legislature to the U.S. Congress. It demands that Congress extinguish federal ownership of public lands and subsurface resources within Wyoming (currently covering about 46% of the state's surface area and 69% of its subsurface resources) to fulfill Wyoming's constitutional "equal footing" status as a state admitted to the Union. The resolution requires Congress to confirm its intent to transfer these lands to Wyoming by October 1, 2024, and proposes that the transferred lands remain state public lands. It is a procedural resolution, not a law, and has not advanced beyond the introduction stage in the Wyoming Senate (failed 17-14).
Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 88 requires the attorney general to investigate local government actions (counties, cities, towns) that allegedly violate state law or the Wyoming Constitution, following a legislator's written request and prior notice to the local government. If violations aren't resolved within 60 days of notice, the attorney general must notify the state treasurer to withhold state funds from the violating entity until the issue is fixed. The bill creates a specific process for holding local governments accountable, including mandatory reporting to the governor and legislature. It directly affects counties, cities, and towns that adopt policies conflicting with state law, with the primary enforcement tool being the withholding of state revenue distributions. The law amends existing fund distribution rules to implement this withholding mechanism.
Maddy summaryWyoming's HB 152, the "Life is a Human Right Act," prohibits most abortions by defining "abortion" as the intentional termination of an unborn baby's life from conception. It directly affects pregnant individuals and medical providers in Wyoming by banning abortion except when a physician uses reasonable medical judgment to prevent the death of the pregnant woman, address a serious risk to her life or a life-sustaining organ, or treat an ectopic pregnancy. The bill explicitly excludes contraception from the prohibition and defines "unborn baby" as a living human from fertilization through birth. This law creates criminal penalties for violations and amends existing abortion-related statutes.
Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 109 prohibits the use of specific abortion drugs (like mifepristone and misoprostol) for terminating pregnancies, affecting doctors, pharmacists, and anyone distributing or prescribing these drugs. Exceptions include contraceptive use before pregnancy confirmation, treatment of natural miscarriages under medical guidelines, and cases where a patient faces an immediate physical danger to life or health (excluding psychological conditions), or pregnancy from incest/sexual assault. Violations carry misdemeanor penalties of up to six months in jail or a $9,000 fine. Women seeking abortions using these drugs are explicitly exempt from criminal prosecution under this law.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires Wyoming's state treasurer to accept gold or silver coins (called "specie") as legal payment for state and local taxes, subject to authentication. It mandates the treasurer to set and publish real-time exchange rates between precious metal coins and regular currency, and to exchange these coins for other legal tender. The treasurer must also hold and potentially invest in precious metals, with rulemaking authority to implement these changes. This directly affects taxpayers who pay with coins and the treasurer's office, which gains new duties under the Wyoming Legal Tender Act.