Sen. Tara Nethercott

Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 40 exempts federal political action committees (PACs) from filing state campaign contribution and spending reports if their activities are exclusively for federal candidates or issues and they already comply with federal election reporting rules. This directly affects federal PACs operating solely at the federal level, removing a state-level reporting requirement they would otherwise face. The bill amends Wyoming law to clarify that such committees are not required to submit duplicate reports to the state when federal law governs their activity. The change takes effect July 1, 2023.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Wyoming law to extend the deadline for filling vacancies in chancery court judgeships from January 1, 2024, to January 1, 2025. It modifies the existing requirement in W.S. 5-13-109(b) to delay the effective date of filling these vacancies by one year. The change is procedural, affecting only the timeline for filling judicial positions in Wyoming's chancery courts, with no new eligibility rules or direct impacts on specific groups. The bill became effective July 1, 2023.

Maddy summarySF 7 amends Wyoming's definition of "opiate antagonist" to explicitly include naloxone hydrochloride (marketed as Narcan) and other FDA-approved medications for treating opioid overdoses. This clarifies which substances qualify under the existing Emergency Administration of Opiate Antagonist Act, ensuring consistency for first responders and healthcare providers. The change takes effect July 1, 2023, and does not create new requirements or funding. The bill solely updates terminology in current law without altering enforcement or access provisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Wyoming's criminal fraud law to explicitly include unauthorized use of charge cards and debit cards, which were previously only covered under "credit card" fraud statutes. It defines a "charge card" as one requiring full payment at statement time and a "debit card" as one drawing funds from an existing account. The law now treats unauthorized use of these cards - such as using someone else's card without permission or using a revoked card - as criminal fraud, applying the same penalties as existing credit card fraud rules. This directly affects individuals committing fraud with these payment methods, making such acts punishable under the same legal framework.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Wyoming's financial institution approval process to prevent customer confusion. It requires new banks or credit unions to choose names that don't closely resemble existing institutions in the same county or state. The key change adds a specific naming criterion to the approval standards, effective July 1, 2023, directly affecting applicants seeking state licensing.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 69) allows Wyoming court clerks to digitize physical court records instead of keeping paper copies, directly affecting county court offices. It amends Wyoming Statute 5-7-103 to explicitly permit scanning and retaining digital copies in a case management system, while removing the requirement to store physical documents. The change applies to most court cases but excludes probate matters, and clerks must follow specific disposal rules (W.S. 9-2-411) for original documents. The law takes effect July 1, 2023.

Maddy summaryHB 82 changes Wyoming's rules for mental health examinations of criminal defendants. It specifically requires that defendants charged only with misdemeanors cannot be examined on an inpatient basis at the Wyoming State Hospital; instead, their examinations must be outpatient at the state hospital, a local mental health center, or their detention facility. Courts must choose examination sites considering factors like location, examiner availability, and security needs. This directly affects misdemeanor defendants and the courts managing their cases, with the rule taking effect July 1, 2023. Felony cases remain unaffected by this amendment.

Maddy summaryHB 111 adds fentanyl to Wyoming's list of controlled substances that constitute child endangerment when exposed to children. It prohibits anyone with care of a child from knowingly allowing them to absorb, inhale, or ingest fentanyl or methamphetamine, remain in rooms where these drugs are manufactured/sold, or enter areas used for storing these drugs. The bill removes a previous exception allowing prescriptions to be used as a defense in child endangerment cases involving controlled substances. It directly affects parents, caregivers, and anyone responsible for children's safety in environments where fentanyl or methamphetamine is present. The law takes effect July 1, 2023.

Maddy summaryHB 112 increases penalties for repeat theft offenses by establishing a new felony classification for a fifth or subsequent conviction. It directly affects individuals convicted of a fifth or later theft-related crime, including shoplifting, larceny, or property theft under state or local laws. The bill imposes a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a $10,000 fine, or both for these offenses. This change takes effect on July 1, 2023, modifying existing theft penalty statutes to create a separate felony tier for repeat offenders.

Maddy summaryHB 145 expands access to criminal identification and intelligence information to specific state agencies, including law enforcement, the state board of parole, department of corrections, the office of homeland security (for purposes under W.S. 19-13-105), designated agencies under W.S. 14-6-227, and the department of family services. Agencies holding this information must implement security precautions to prevent unauthorized access, with rules tailored to each agency's specific use and security practices. The bill amends existing law to formalize these access provisions and security requirements. It takes effect on July 1, 2023.