Sen. Stephan Pappas

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution proposes removing a constitutional requirement that bills other than the budget need a two-thirds vote to be introduced during Wyoming's budget sessions. Currently, such non-budget bills cannot be considered without this supermajority vote. The amendment would eliminate this rule and remove outdated language about introducing reapportionment bills during budget sessions. If approved by voters, it would change how the legislature operates during budget sessions by allowing standard introduction procedures for all bills.

Maddy summaryHB 129 amends Wyoming law to remove the requirement that cosmetology licensing exams be conducted by the state board of cosmetology. The bill changes Section 33-12-131(a) to state that exams must be held at designated times and places, without specifying that the board must conduct them. This change directly affects cosmetology license applicants and the state board by altering how exam administration is structured. The bill takes effect July 1, 2022, but does not specify who would conduct exams instead of the board.

Maddy summaryWyoming's HB 124 requires all children under two years old to ride in rear-facing child safety seats in vehicles. It clarifies that rear-facing seats must not be placed in front of active airbags and reinforces that children under nine must use restraints in the back seat (with limited exceptions). The law directly affects parents and caregivers of young children traveling in Wyoming vehicles. It became effective July 1, 2022.

Maddy summaryHB 122 changes how Wyoming fills vacancies in certain elected offices by requiring proportional voting in nomination processes. It mandates that state central committee members' votes for vacancies in U.S. House seats, other state offices (excluding governor, legislature, and judges), and multi-county legislative districts must be weighted by each county's population relative to the state total, using the most recent federal census data. For multi-county legislative vacancies, county commissioners' votes must instead reflect the population of the legislative district within each county. The bill, effective July 1, 2022, applies only to nominations for remaining terms and does not alter the appointment process for vacancies.

Maddy summaryHB 111 requires the Wyoming Retirement Board to study and report on public employee retirement plans, including those for state employees, highway patrol officers, game wardens, and firefighters. The report must examine inflation's impact on retirees since 2012 (when cost-of-living adjustments were restricted), analyze plan funding levels, and recommend adjustments to benefit payments while keeping plans financially sustainable. It directly affects retirees who have not received cost-of-living increases since 2012 and will inform potential future legislation. The bill, introduced in 2022 but failed committee passage, mandates the report be submitted by September 2022.

2021/Summaries/HB0159.pdf

2021/Summaries/HB0231.pdf