Sen. Evie Brennan

Maddy summaryThis bill reduces the required minimum school year from 175 to 165 days for Wyoming public schools and mandates that the school year begin after Labor Day and end before Memorial Day, unless an alternative schedule is approved by the state board. School districts seeking alternative calendars must hold two public meetings before submitting proposals and annually evaluate their effectiveness. The bill also adjusts funding eligibility criteria, requiring districts to operate for at least 170 days (instead of 185) to qualify for full foundation account distribution. It applies to all Wyoming public school districts and takes effect for the 2026-2027 school year.

Maddy summaryThis bill removes a requirement that the state reimburse charter schools for leasing facility space when the state construction department determines no adequate district facilities exist. It directly affects charter schools in Wyoming that operate outside their school district's available buildings. The change eliminates the state's obligation to cover these leasing costs, shifting that responsibility to the charter schools themselves.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes how Wyoming charter schools receive funding from their school districts. It requires districts to allocate a portion of their central office nonpersonnel expenses and personnel costs to charter schools based on the charter school's average daily membership compared to the total district membership. For example, if a charter school has 10% of the district's students, it would receive 10% of those allocated district costs. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, and directly affects all Wyoming charter schools operating within public school districts.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a statewide reading assessment and intervention program for kindergarten through fourth grade in Wyoming. It requires schools to use universal screening three times yearly to identify early reading difficulties (including dyslexia), mandates targeted interventions for students not meeting reading benchmarks, and requires parental notification and involvement in intervention planning. Schools with 60% or more students scoring proficient in grade 3 reading for two consecutive years are exempt from certain requirements. The bill also creates new provisions for student retention in grades 3-4 due to reading inadequacies, sets standards for teacher certification related to reading assessments, and prohibits altering proficiency scores on statewide English language arts tests. It directly affects K-4 students, school districts, teachers, and parents.

Maddy summaryHB 170 clarifies when documents filed by nonprofit corporations and statutory trusts in Wyoming become effective. It amends two sections of Wyoming law to specify that documents are effective at the time they are received for filing, as shown by the secretary of state's endorsement date and time on the original document. This procedural change directly affects nonprofit organizations and statutory trusts that file documents with the state. The bill does not alter substantive requirements but updates the legal language to remove ambiguity about effective dates. It takes effect on July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a competitive grant program for K-12 public schools in Wyoming to fund crossing guard programs. School districts may apply for up to $10,000 per school annually (2025-2028) to cover training, wages for faculty/volunteers, and equipment, with $4.95 million total allocated from the public school foundation fund. Applications require detailed plans for school intersections, staffing, training, and equipment costs, and must be submitted by June 30 each year. The program expires July 1, 2028, and grant funds cannot reduce existing school foundation funding.

Maddy summarySF 133 (Wyoming) creates a legal right for parents to challenge government actions that infringe on parental rights in court. It amends state law to allow parents to assert violations of parental rights as a defense or claim in any judicial or administrative proceeding, regardless of whether the government is a party. The bill specifies that parents may seek remedies like court orders, compensation, and attorney fees if their rights are violated. This directly affects parents and government entities in Wyoming, making government liability possible for such violations starting July 1, 2025. The law does not change parental rights themselves but provides new legal tools to enforce them.

Maddy summaryThis constitutional amendment shifts primary responsibility for building public school facilities to local school districts, requiring voter approval for capital projects. It mandates state funding to equalize costs so districts pay no more than a statewide average tax burden (based on per-person valuation), using mechanisms like statewide mill levies. The state may also provide additional funds to address financial hardships for school districts. This change replaces a system previously required by a 2001 court ruling that placed full responsibility on the state, which relied on declining coal lease revenue.

Maddy summaryHB 78 creates a $300,000 grant program to help safe haven providers (like hospitals or shelters) purchase newborn safety devices. These devices alert staff when a newborn is placed inside, ensuring immediate safety for the infant. The program provides one grant per provider for a single device, runs from July 2025 through June 2026, and limits administrative costs to 1% of the funds. It directly affects safe haven providers by funding devices that prevent newborn abandonment risks.

Maddy summaryWyoming HB 272 creates a state housing investment program to address the critical shortage of affordable housing. It establishes a dedicated account funded by annual transfers, allocating 50% of funds to nonprofit organizations for new construction, rehabilitation, transitional housing, homebuyer assistance, and rental vouchers. Another 45% is reserved for loans to Wyoming residents or businesses for similar housing projects, with zero percent interest for nonprofits and capped interest rates for businesses. The program includes reporting requirements, a 1% administrative cost limit, and expires after a set period. It directly affects housing providers and residents seeking affordable housing options in Wyoming.