Sen. Chris Rothfuss

Maddy summaryHB 185 allows Wyoming corporations to issue digital "certificate tokens" instead of physical stock certificates. It directly affects corporations issuing shares and their shareholders, enabling electronic representation of ownership stored on secure databases or blockchain systems. Key provisions define "certificate tokens" to satisfy legal requirements for share certificates, permit electronic transfer using "network signatures" (digital authorization), and specify that tokens must contain standard share information. The bill updates Wyoming law to treat these digital tokens as legally equivalent to physical certificates for all purposes, including transfers and corporate records. It became effective July 1, 2019.

Maddy summaryHB 220 creates a new income tax on businesses operating in Wyoming, requiring them to pay tax based on their income earned within the state. It uses a three-factor formula (property, payroll, and sales) to calculate how much tax a business owes, especially for companies operating across multiple states. The Wyoming Department of Revenue will administer the tax, with strict confidentiality rules protecting business tax returns. This bill directly affects businesses with operations in Wyoming, including out-of-state companies conducting business there.

Maddy summaryHB 91 corrects a technical error in the legal description of "Prexy's Pasture" (a campus green space at the University of Wyoming), fixing a geometric inconsistency in its boundary coordinates. The bill amends a statute to replace an inaccurate parcel description that incorrectly described the pasture as a parallelogram. This adjustment ensures the written legal description matches the actual land boundaries, without changing any existing restrictions on construction or land use. The pasture remains protected from buildings per current law, and the correction became effective July 1, 2019.

Maddy summaryHB 76, the Wyoming Beer Freedom Act, allows microbreweries to obtain permits for 24-hour alcohol service. It amends licensing laws to permit microbreweries to hold both a microbrewery permit and a separate 24-hour malt beverage permit simultaneously. This directly affects small breweries seeking extended operating hours without losing other license types. The law, effective July 1, 2019, modifies existing statutes to enable this dual permitting structure.

Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 125 classifies digital assets (like cryptocurrencies and digital tokens) as property under state law, directly affecting residents, banks, and courts. It defines three categories: digital consumer assets (personal use), digital securities (investment-based), and virtual currency (used as money), each treated as property under specific sections of the Uniform Commercial Code. The bill establishes rules for banks to offer custodial services for digital assets and allows security interests (like loans using digital assets as collateral) through "control" mechanisms, such as private keys or smart contracts. This creates a legal framework for handling digital assets in transactions, disputes, and banking services within Wyoming.

Maddy summarySF 133 creates a medical assistance buy-in program allowing eligible individuals to purchase coverage similar to Medicaid, with premiums set to cover costs and potentially adjusted by age. It also establishes a prescription drug program for insurers to access pharmacy services at set fees, and requires the Department of Health to conduct outreach about contraceptive services to teens and parents covered under medical assistance or child health insurance programs. The bill mandates seeking federal waivers to operate the buy-in program through the health exchange and requires studies on expanding coverage. It affects low-income residents who don’t qualify for existing Medicaid but can afford a premium, as well as insurers and health providers.

Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 145 requires hunters and anglers to purchase a $6 annual recreation permit to access state trust lands (lands held for public schools and institutions). The permit fee distributes $4 to land beneficiaries (schools/institutions) and $2 to the game and fish commission for access programs. Exceptions include children under 12 with permit holders, public road travel, and state employees on duty. Violating the permit requirement is a misdemeanor punishable by fines up to $200 or up to one week in jail. The law mandates an agreement between the game commission and land board by November 2019 to implement the fee system.