Sen. Lynn Hutchings

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Wyoming election code to clarify procedures for voters changing political party affiliation. It allows voters to change their party affiliation at the polls on election day (for general elections) or when requesting an absentee ballot, in addition to the existing 14-day advance filing requirement before primaries. The change must be noted on the poll list by election judges, but voters cannot switch parties between two weeks before absentee voting begins and primary election day. It directly affects Wyoming voters seeking to alter their party affiliation before casting a ballot. The bill took effect July 1, 2019.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires most Wyoming Medicaid recipients to work, attend school, or volunteer for at least 20 hours per week to maintain eligibility, beginning three months after initial approval. Exceptions apply to children under 18, seniors 65+, pregnant individuals, caregivers of young children or disabled dependents, and those in treatment programs. Failure to comply results in a 12-month loss of Medicaid coverage, with verification required every six months. The bill also prohibits similar work requirements for SNAP (food assistance) and mandates that any federal savings from approved waivers fund child care for employed Medicaid recipients.

Maddy summaryHB 147 changes Wyoming law to make foreign language instruction for kindergarten through second grade optional for school districts, rather than mandatory. School districts may choose to offer such programs, but if they do, they must follow state board standards for instruction. This bill directly affects all Wyoming public school districts serving K-2 students. It became effective July 1, 2019, after passing the Education Committee unanimously.

Maddy summaryHB 157 allows biological grandparents who have acted as parents (in loco parentis) to petition a court for termination of a child's parents' rights. To qualify, grandparents must have lived with the child without parents for at least one year, assumed full parental responsibilities (including financial support and care), and demonstrated that parents failed to contribute financially or maintain contact for a year. The court must find parents unfit based on specific criteria, such as continuous failure to support the child or engage in parental duties, and must determine termination is in the child's best interests. This bill modifies Wyoming's termination process to explicitly grant standing to qualifying grandparents, requiring them to state their intent to adopt in the petition.

Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 82 establishes a legal framework for "do not resuscitate" (DNR) directives, allowing any adult with medical decision-making capacity to formally request no CPR in end-of-life situations. The bill enables individuals to have a DNR designation visibly marked on their Wyoming driver's license or ID card, alongside standardized medical bracelets or signed directives. It specifies that DNR orders apply to medical care except in cases of trauma (like car crashes), and protects emergency responders and healthcare providers who follow valid DNR directives in good faith. The law also creates standardized forms for creating, revoking, and removing DNR designations from licenses.

Maddy summaryThis Wyoming bill (SF 127) changes penalties for fleeing police by elevating certain cases to a felony. It makes fleeing a felony if the driver causes bodily injury, damages property over $5,000, or violates another specific traffic law (W.S. 31-5-229). Drivers convicted under these aggravated circumstances face up to 10 years in prison or a $10,000 fine, instead of the previous misdemeanor penalties (up to 6 months or $750). The law directly affects drivers who flee police and cause serious harm or significant property damage. It took effect on July 1, 2019.

2019/Summaries/SJ0003.pdf