Sen. Bob Ide

Maddy summarySF 124, a proposed Wyoming bill, restricts foreign governments and businesses from purchasing or owning agricultural land in the state. It prohibits new foreign ownership after July 1, 2023, requires existing foreign-owned land to be registered with the secretary of state, and mandates selling or converting the land within two years if ownership becomes foreign. Violations could trigger daily civil penalties up to $5,000. The bill directly affects foreign-owned companies, governments, or their agents seeking to hold Wyoming farmland, with exceptions for land owned as of July 1, 2023.

Maddy summaryHB 143 prohibits the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) from having jurisdiction in Wyoming. It explicitly states that requirements, mandates, or guidance from these organizations - such as mask, vaccine, or testing rules - cannot be enforced in the state or used to justify such mandates. The law takes effect July 1, 2023, and directly affects Wyoming residents and state/local authorities by blocking the use of federal or international health directives for public health enforcement. The bill creates a new statutory provision (W.S. 35-4-1001) to nullify CDC and WHO mandates within Wyoming's borders.

Maddy summaryHB 197, the "Defend the Guard Act," would have prohibited the Wyoming National Guard from being deployed into active duty combat unless the U.S. Congress officially declared war or took specific constitutional action under Article I, Section 8, Clause 15. It defines "active duty combat" as participation in armed conflicts, hazardous services related to conflicts abroad, or duties involving "instrumentality of war." The bill allows domestic deployments under Title 32 for civil authority missions within the U.S. but blocks combat deployments without explicit congressional authorization. The bill died in committee in February 2023 and did not become law.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes how Wyoming calculates the maximum duration of unemployment benefits. It bases the maximum benefit period (ranging from 12 to 23 weeks) on the state's average unemployment rate: 12 weeks if the rate is 5% or lower, plus one additional week for every 0.5% above 5%, capped at 23 weeks if the rate reaches 10.5% or higher. The change applies only to unemployment claims filed on or after July 1, 2023. It directly affects Wyoming residents who qualify for unemployment insurance by adjusting how long they can receive benefits based on statewide job market conditions.

Maddy summaryWyoming's HB 253, the "Credit Card Defense Act," requires merchants selling firearms or ammunition in the state to use a "sporting goods" merchant category code for all transactions, instead of codes specifying firearms. Financial institutions, credit cards, and payment processors must not collect or generate personally identifying information beyond this category code for such purchases. The law directly affects firearm retailers, banks, and payment processors handling these transactions in Wyoming. It mandates that all relevant financial institutions adopt this coding standard by July 1, 2023, to limit transaction data collection related to firearm purchases.

Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 126 creates new exemptions from barber and cosmetology licensing requirements for specific services. It exempts professionals performing "blow dry styling," "natural hair braiding," "eyelash extension application," "makeup application," and "threading" from standard licensing, as long as these services are provided for cosmetic purposes only (not medical treatment). The bill defines each exempt service clearly - like specifying blow dry styling cannot involve hair cutting or chemical treatments - and separates these from full cosmetology practice. This directly affects hair stylists, braiders, and makeup artists who can now offer these specific services without obtaining a full cosmetology or barber license.

Maddy summaryThis Wyoming bill (SF 119, "Defend the Guard Act") prohibits deploying Wyoming National Guard members to active combat roles without a formal U.S. Congress declaration of war. It directly affects all Wyoming National Guard members and requires the governor to prevent such deployments. The law allows domestic deployments under Title 32 for civil support missions within the U.S. but mandates that combat deployments only occur after a congressional war declaration or specific constitutional authorization (enforcing laws, repelling invasion, or suppressing insurrection). The bill became effective July 1, 2023.

Maddy summaryThis Wyoming bill prohibits state and local governments from enforcing "extreme risk protection orders" (ERPOs), which are court orders that temporarily restrict firearm access to prevent harm. It blocks the use of state funds or personnel to implement ERPOs and preempts any local laws conflicting with this prohibition. Violating this ban is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail or a $2,000 fine. The bill cites constitutional rights - including the Second Amendment and due process protections - as justification for its provisions.

Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 171, the "Second Amendment Financial Privacy Act," prohibits financial institutions from using or disclosing payment card transaction data to identify lawful firearm or ammunition purchases. It bans assigning "firearms codes" (like special merchant category codes) that would allow banks or payment networks to track gun-related transactions, preventing such data from being shared with government entities. The law defines "protected financial information" as payment records linked to firearm codes and allows civil lawsuits if the ban is violated. It directly affects banks, payment processors, and gun retailers by restricting how they handle transaction data related to firearm sales within Wyoming.

Maddy summaryWyoming's HJ 11 is a joint resolution requesting Congress to change federal regulations so agricultural producers can directly access medically important antibiotics for livestock without needing a veterinarian's supervision. Currently, FDA rules require these antibiotics (used in feed or water) to be dispensed under a licensed veterinarian's oversight, which the resolution claims causes delays in treating livestock. The resolution specifically asks Congress to eliminate this vet-supervision requirement and allow over-the-counter access for Wyoming farmers. This would directly affect Wyoming livestock producers by altering how they obtain antibiotics for animal health care.