Sen. Cheri Steinmetz

Maddy summaryHB 150 allows Wyoming meat processors licensed by federal or state authorities to sell compost made from non-edible animal parts (excluding certain high-risk materials like brain, spinal cord, or specific intestines from older cattle) as fertilizer, soil amendment, or soil conditioner. Processors must register this compost with the Wyoming Department of Agriculture and follow existing commercial fertilizer regulations. The bill defines "specified risk materials" to exclude parts posing potential health risks and takes effect July 1, 2025. It directly affects licensed meat processing facilities seeking to repurpose waste materials.

Maddy summaryThis Wyoming bill (SF 84) requires retailers and wholesalers to label beef derived entirely from cattle born, raised, slaughtered, and processed in the United States as "product of the United States of America." It directly affects businesses selling beef within Wyoming by mandating this specific country-of-origin labeling. The bill amends existing meat labeling laws to add this requirement, defining "beef" as meat from cattle including veal. The rule takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 111 requires drivers involved in accidents causing serious injury or death to immediately stop at the scene and remain until they fulfill legal requirements. It increases penalties for failing to stop: misdemeanor charges (up to 1 year jail, $5,000 fine) for bodily injury, and felony charges (up to 5 years jail, $50,000 fine) for serious injury or death. The law applies to all motor vehicle accidents occurring on or after July 1, 2025, directly affecting drivers involved in such incidents. The bill clarifies existing duties and strengthens enforcement for hit-and-run violations involving severe harm.

Maddy summaryHB 194 creates a new misdemeanor crime for distributing material deemed "harmful to minors" to individuals under 18. It directly affects anyone who shares such material - like books, films, or online content - via digital means, in-person, or at events targeting minors. The bill defines "harmful to minors" by three criteria: material appealing to prurient interests in minors, patently offensive to adult standards for minors, and lacking literary/scientific value for minors. It repeals an existing exemption that previously protected school, library, and museum staff from obscenity charges when handling materials in their work. The law imposes fines up to $6,000 or up to one year in jail for violations, effective July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis Wyoming bill (SF 118) allows landowners who hold hunting licenses for elk, deer, antelope, or turkey to sell those licenses to others, subject to specific rules. Landowners cannot sell to immediate family, and buyers must follow all standard hunting license rules. The bill also exempts these sold licenses from a separate landowner coupon fee. The Game and Fish Department must create rules for the sale process, and the changes take effect July 1, 2025. It directly affects landowners with hunting licenses and potential buyers seeking access to these licenses.

Maddy summaryHB 218 requires Wyoming's Public Service Commission to pause all pending rate cases, applications, and related proceedings when a public utility files a lawsuit challenging the commission's rules, regulations, or decisions. This pause continues until the lawsuit is fully resolved, affecting utilities, the commission, and any parties involved in those pending matters. The law does not apply to lawsuits focused on factual disputes (like evidence or witness testimony) or enforcement actions for commission violations. It directly changes how the commission handles active cases during utility litigation.

Maddy summaryHB 270 changes Wyoming's spending policy for the Permanent Mineral Trust Fund by reducing the annual spending rate from 5% to 4.5% of the fund's five-year average market value. This adjustment directly affects how the state calculates and spends earnings from the trust fund's investments each fiscal year. The bill modifies Section 9-4-719(d)(v) of Wyoming law to implement this lower spending percentage. It takes effect on July 1, 2025, applying to all future fiscal years.

Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 175 reduces the maximum duration of unemployment benefits from 26 weeks to 20 weeks for eligible claimants. The bill amends sections 27-3-304 and 27-3-316(c)(ii) to lower the weekly benefit calculation cap from 26 to 20 times a claimant's weekly benefit amount, and reduces extended benefits from 13 to 6.5 times the weekly amount. It also renames the "Unemployment Insurance Commission" to the "Unemployment Reemployment Insurance Commission" and appropriates $18,000 for system updates. The changes apply to all claims filed on or after January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 131 prohibits the use of drop boxes for returning absentee ballots in Wyoming. The bill amends state election law to require voters to mail or hand-deliver absentee ballots directly to county clerks, banning all receptacles designed for ballot collection outside these methods. It directly affects voters and election officials by eliminating a common alternative to postal delivery for absentee voting. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 148 increases the University of Wyoming Board of Trustees from 12 to 19 members, with 14 voting trustees (7 appointed by the governor and 7 elected by voters) and 5 nonvoting ex officio members (including the governor, university president, and education officials). The bill establishes elections for the 7 elected trustees every four years on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, requiring at least one elected trustee per designated district. It specifies that appointed trustees serve six-year terms after 2026, replaces outdated provisions, and clarifies vacancy procedures for elected members. This directly affects how the university's governing board is selected, shifting part of the process from gubernatorial appointment to voter elections.