Sen. Chris Rothfuss

Maddy summaryHB 31 requires all Wyoming school districts to adopt formal safety and security policies, including threat assessment procedures, by their boards of trustees. These policies and drafts must remain confidential and not be public records, allowing school boards to discuss them in closed sessions. The bill also limits the state fire marshal's authority by prohibiting bans on door securement devices used under these policies, though the marshal may create rules for their proper use during threats or drills. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, directly affecting school districts and the state fire marshal's regulatory role.

Maddy summarySF 126 establishes a K-8 public lab school on the University of Wyoming’s main campus to serve as a teacher training site and model classroom. It directly affects pre-service teachers (through UW’s education programs), students in the surrounding school district, and the University of Wyoming’s College of Education. Key provisions include creating a governing board with members from the local school district, UW, and community; requiring annual reports on student achievement and teacher placements; and mandating the school operate under state education standards while focusing on developing teaching practices. The bill specifies enrollment preferences for students in the resident school district and requires the school to report to the education committee starting in 2025.

Maddy summarySF 130 expands Wyoming’s existing civil immunity for emergency responders to include mental health crises. It protects licensed healthcare providers, volunteer ambulance/rescue staff (earning under $1,000 annually or per call), hospitals, and trainees who provide emergency mental health assistance in good faith. The immunity applies to acts or omissions during mental health emergencies but excludes gross negligence or willful misconduct. This change takes effect July 1, 2025, and aligns mental health crisis response with existing emergency medical service protections.

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 summaryHB 265, the "Defend the Guard Act," prohibits the Wyoming National Guard from being deployed into active combat without a formal U.S. Congress declaration of war or specific constitutional authorization under Article I, Section 8. It directly affects Wyoming National Guard members and units by requiring the governor to block such deployments. The law allows Title 32 deployments for domestic civil support missions within U.S. territories but explicitly restricts combat-related federal service. The bill takes effect 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 summaryHB 178 increases Wyoming employees' time off to vote from one hour to two hours during election hours (polling hours) for primary, general, or special elections to fill a U.S. House of Representatives seat. It ensures employees do not lose pay for this time off when they cast a legal vote, applying to all eligible voters except those with three or more consecutive nonworking hours during polling. The bill modifies existing law (W.S. 22-2-111) to clarify these provisions and takes effect July 1, 2025. This directly affects Wyoming workers participating in federal elections who need to vote during standard work hours.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Wyoming's Department of Environmental Quality to conduct water quality testing before limited mining operations begin if the department believes drinking water sources might be impacted. It applies specifically to small-scale mining (15 acres or less) for materials like sand, gravel, or limestone, where operators must notify state agencies and nearby landowners 30 days in advance. The department may delay operations to complete required testing, and the Environmental Quality Council must create implementing rules. The law updates existing notification requirements for these operations without changing their basic scope.

Maddy summaryHB 191 shifts certain marijuana possession offenses from criminal to civil penalties in Wyoming. It eliminates criminal charges for possessing small amounts of marijuana (over 3 ounces in plant form, over 16 ounces in edibles/ointments, or over 30 grams in concentrated forms) and for marijuana paraphernalia, instead imposing civil fines. The bill also prohibits practitioners from prescribing marijuana (except for FDA-approved drugs like dronabinol) and updates definitions for cannabis products. These changes apply directly to individuals possessing marijuana within the specified quantity limits, moving enforcement toward civil penalties rather than criminal prosecution.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes how Wyoming school districts calculate "average daily membership" (ADM), the metric used to determine state funding for schools. It lowers the attendance threshold for counting students as full-time from 80% to 75% of full-time equivalent hours and requires proportional calculation for part-time students. Students who withdraw or miss over 10 consecutive days will no longer be counted in ADM totals. These changes apply to school funding calculations starting with the 2025-2026 school year. The bill directly affects Wyoming public school districts receiving state funding based on ADM.