According to the State Web site, the following bills, except as specifically noted, have been approved for introduction by a committee. Not all bills listed are in final form. Nor have all been assigned a House Bill or Senate File number. Bills that have not been assigned a House Bill or Senate File number are subject to change, depending on the latest committee action. If a House or Senate designation appears without a number, the draft has been approved for introduction in that body, but a number has not yet been assigned. All drafts are listed under their LSO draft number: YYLSO-XXXX. Please Note: this summary has been prepared solely to provide a very quick overview of bills being sponsored by the various committees. In order to keep the overview short, the summaries are acknowledged to be incomplete and make no attempt to address all aspects of the bills. The entire bill must be read if a person wishes to know its full contents and effect.

Judiciary
HB0031 21LSO-0049 Board of coroner standards-investigation authority. This bill provides authority to the Board of Coroner Standards to investigate complaints of coroner misconduct during coroner’s cases.

SF0021 21LSO-0058 Judicial review of agency actions-permissible venues. This bill includes an additional option for where a person can seek judicial review of an agency decision or action. This bill provides that a person can seek judicial review of a final agency decision by filing a petition for judicial review in the district court for the county in which the injury or harm for which relief is sought occurred.

HB0032 21LSO-0060 Ethics and Disclosure Act amendments. This bill amends the Ethics and Disclosure Act. Among other things, the bill expands the definition of “public employee” to include any employee of a governmental entity in Wyoming, including state, local, and county employees. The bill also includes the judicial branch and its judicial officers and employees as being covered by the Ethics and Disclosure Act. The bill amends financial-disclosure requirements under the Act and penalties for certain violations of the Act.

HB0033 21LSO-0073 Interference with public contracting. This bill establishes criminal offenses and penalties related to interference with public contracts, including prohibitions against bid rigging, bid rotating, acquiring or disclosing certain bidding information, interfering with contract submission and award, bribery of officials pertaining to public contracts, and kickbacks.

HB0034 21LSO-0079 Youthful offender program-amendments. This bill would amend the youthful offender program to allow for inmate “peer specialists” to provide positive guided peer support to offenders in the program, extend the eligible participation age in the program to 30, and require that an offender be able to participate in the structured programming, education, work, and physical fitness requirements of the program.

SF0005 21LSO-0081 Driving under the influence amendments. This bill would amend certain driver’s license suspension periods and ignition interlock device time requirements to bring them in line with each other. The bill would create a new misdemeanor crime for refusing to submit to a chemical test and provides administrative and procedural requirements related to that new crime.

SF0022 21LSO-0082 Electronic court filings. This bill would require the courts to accept filings by electronic mail during the period in which the court does not have an electronic filing system available.

HB0035 21LSO-0132 Theft statute-amendment. This bill makes a clarification in the elements of theft regarding the use of the disjunctive instead of the conjunctive for certain elements.

SF0019 21LSO-0108 Public health emergencies-immunity amendments. Current law provides immunity from liability for healthcare providers, businesses, and other persons during public-health emergencies if those entities meet certain requirements. This bill specifies that a person or entity is immune from any liability arising from acts or omissions of the person or entity that caused another person to contract the disease for which a public-health emergency is declared, so long as the person or entity substantially complies with public-health orders or guidance or who acts in good faith in responding to the public-health emergency. The bill clarifies that the immunity is only available when the person’s or entity’s actions or omissions take place during a declared public-health emergency.

SF0020 21LSO-0163 Public records-personnel files. This bill provides that, under the Public Records Act, applications, performance ratings, and elements of performance for specified public employees are available for public inspection. These employees include department directors, presidents of Wyoming community colleges and the University of Wyoming, city managers, and those serving on the Public Service Commission and Board of Equalization. The bill also specifies that, for all employees of governmental entities, personal information that would constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy are not available for public inspection.

SF0031 21LSO-0191 Hospitalization of mentally ill persons-amendments. This bill concerns procedures related to the emergency detention and hospitalization of mentally ill persons. The bill clarifies that persons are placed in emergency custody rather than emergency detention, and renames gatekeepers (those charged with providing guidance and recommendations on the treatment of mentally ill persons during emergency custody or hospitalization) as treatment coordinators. The bill also clarifies the 72-hour time limit for holding a hearing after a person is placed in emergency custody when the emergency custody begins on a weekend day or a holiday.

SF0006 21LSO-0221 Public works contracting requirements-amendments. This bill would amend certain requirements for public works contracting. The bill requires a public entity to specify performance standards for materials and equipment, specifies requirements for allowing substitutions, requires a public entity to accept a bidder as pre-qualified if they meet requirements set by rule, prohibits rejection based on financial strength of the bidder so long as sufficient bonds are secured, and prohibits unbalanced bids.

SF0023 21LSO-0213 Public meetings-executive sessions for security plans. This bill would allow an agency’s governing body to hold those parts of its public meetings dealing with safety and security planning in executive sessions, not open to the public, where disclosure of that planing would pose a threat to the safety of life or property.

Appropriations
SF0032 21LSO-0231 Water permit notice requirements. This bill modifies notice requirements related to water permits. Specifically, the bill allows for notice of a defective application for permit to acquire right to beneficial use of public water and notice of expiration of a water permit to be delivered by United States postal service, by other generally accepted mail delivery method or electronically.

HB0149 21LSO-0229 Veterans’ property tax exemption. This bill amends the value of the veterans’ property tax exemption. Specifically, the annual exemption is changed from $3,000 to $2,700 of assessed property value.

HB0047 21LSO-0235 Department of family services indigent burial program. This bill would specify that the provision of indigent burial and cremation expenses, paid by the Department of Family Services for qualifying individuals receiving aid under the Personal Opportunities with Employment Responsibilities (POWER) Program, Supplemental Security Income, or Medicaid, is subject to the availability of funds.

HB0048 21LSO-0236 Community juvenile services block grant program. This bill would specify that the Community Juvenile Services Block Grant Program administered by the Department of Family Services is subject to the availability of funds.

HB0049 21LSO-0268 Agency fee revisions. This bill modifies fees for the Department of Corrections, the Department of Family Services, the Department of Health, the Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Agriculture. The bill provides for fees for the supervision, testing and transferring of probationers, parolees and persons committed to and supervised by the Department of Corrections. The bill authorizes the Department of Family Services to set the fee for central registry applications. The bill sets in statute and modifies fees for specified health care facilities licensed by the Department of Health. The bill modifies Department of Environmental Quality permitting fees related to air quality, land quality and storage tanks. Finally, the bill sets in statute and modifies Department of Agriculture food licensing and establishment fees.

SF0035 21LSO-0063 State budget department. In the 2020 Budget Session, the State Budget Department was created by transferring the Budget Division within the Department of Administration and Information into the newly created department. This bill would implement the reorganization plan by amending, recreating, and renumbering Wyoming Statutes.

HB0097 21LSO-0346 Interstate compact for education-withdrawal. This bill would withdraw the State of Wyoming from the Interstate Compact for Education. It also requires the Wyoming Secretary of State to transmit a copy of the bill to the Education Commission of the States.

SF0072 21LSO-0350 Financial council and reporting-budget reductions. This bill removes the requirement that the State Auditor provide a preliminary financial report of the fiscal affairs of the State. The date for the final financial report is changed from December 15 to December 31 of each year. The bill also repeals the Financial Advisory Council.

SF0093 21LSO-0362 WICHE repayment program-veterinary medicine students. This bill includes veterinary medicine students under the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) repayment program beginning in the 2021-2022 academic year. The bill specifies that any agreements entered into under this program before the effective date of the bill will not be affected.

HB0050 21LSO-0357 Local government distributions-revisions. This bill would reduce the appropriation authorized in the 2020 Budget Session for cities, towns, and counties for Fiscal Year 2022 from $52,500,000 to $47,250,000. The reduced funding would be directly distributed to local governments in accordance with the funding formulas described in 2020 Session Laws, Chapter 33.

SF0082 21LSO-0364 Local impact assistance payments. This bill would amend the impact assistance payments program that provides funding to local governments to address impacts caused by industrial facilities. The bill would amend requirements for the industrial siting council to determine the amount of the payments and how to distribute the payments to cities, towns and counties. The bill would also reduce the maximum amount of the payments from 2.76% of the total estimated material costs of the facility to 2% of the total estimated material costs of the facility. The bill would apply prospectively and not apply to impact assistance payments already approved by the industrial siting council.

SF0079 21LSO-0365 Medicaid billing for school-based services. This bill would expand the state Medicaid program to include school-based services. School districts that meet a certain threshold of Medicaid-eligible students who receive special education services would be able to bill the state Medicaid program for the costs of special education school-based services. The bill would provide appropriations to facilitate administration of the program.

HB0087 21LSO-0393 Provider recruitment grant program. This bill repeals the health care provider recruitment grant program administered by the Department of Health. The bill also reverts unexpended and unobligated funds in the repealed Wyoming Provider Recruitment Account to the Budget Reserve Account.

HB0121 21LSO-0400 State funded capital construction. This bill provides appropriations for state funded capital construction projects administered through the State Construction Department and the University of Wyoming. The bill authorizes the Northern Wyoming Community College District to accept the transfer of ownership of two facilities to be used to house a construction technology program. The bill authorizes Central Wyoming Community College to purchase land to be used as the site for the Central Wyoming Community College Jackson Outreach Center. The bill reappropriates money to the Department of Family Services for purposes of the remodel of the Emerson building on the campus of the Wyoming Life Resource Center. Lastly, the bill recreates the Casper State Office Building Advisory Task Force.

HB0121 21LSO-0400 State funded capital construction. This bill provides appropriations for state funded capital construction projects administered through the State Construction Department and the University of Wyoming. The bill authorizes the Northern Wyoming Community College District to accept the transfer of ownership of two facilities to be used to house a construction technology program. The bill authorizes Central Wyoming Community College to purchase land to be used as the site for the Central Wyoming Community College Jackson Outreach Center. The bill reappropriates money to the Department of Family Services for purposes of the remodel of the Emerson building on the campus of the Wyoming Life Resource Center. Lastly, the bill recreates the Casper State Office Building Advisory Task Force.

Revenue
HB0030 21LSO-0042 Public utility assessment. This bill would allow the Public Service Commission to apply an additional utility assessment, not to exceed two-thousandths of the gross intrastate utility revenues of certain types of public utilities, to fund the Public Service Commission.

SF0027 21LSO-0055 Essential health product dignity act. This bill would provide a tax exemption for feminine hygiene products and diapers.

HB0055 21LSO-0138 Tobacco tax. This bill would increase the tax on cigarettes and moist tobacco snuff. The tax on cigarettes would increase from sixty cents per pack of twenty cigarettes to eighty-four cents per pack of twenty cigarettes. The tax on moist tobacco snuff would increase from sixty cents per ounce to seventy-two cents per ounce.

HB0026 21LSO-0139 Fuel tax. This bill would increase the tax on gasoline and diesel fuel by nine cents per gallon. The bill makes corresponding changes to monetary distributions that are based on the amount of each tax.

SF0045 21LSO-0304 Monthly ad valorem tax revisions. This bill addresses the payment of monthly ad valorem taxes by mineral producers by codifying the payment schedule that was previously in noncodified law. The bill also clarifies when payments are collected by counties and when payments are collected by the department of revenue and specifies that penalties are calculated from the date the payment was due under the payment schedule.

SF0060 21LSO-0305 Monthly ad valorem tax revisions-2. This bill begins the monthly payment of ad valorem taxes on mineral production on January 1, 2022. The bill provides for the repayment of taxes unpaid and due under the previous payment schedule at a rate of eight percent per year. The bill also provides for loans to counties to makeup for any shortfall due to the change in the payment schedule.

Education
SF0058 21LSO-0067 Wyoming investment in nursing funding. This bill authorizes the expenditure of CARES Act funding for the Wyoming investment in nursing program to the extent it is determined that CARES Act funds are authorized for that purpose.

SF0057 21LSO-0066 School finance-dates for fund transfers. This bill revises the recapture payment date for school districts and specifies an additional annual distribution from the county school fund in order to address a change in the payment of ad valorem taxes by mineral producers and to avoid cash flow shortages within the school foundation program.

SF0059 21LSO-0093 Hazing. This bill requires school districts to adopt a policy on hazing in addition to existing policies on harassment, intimidation or bullying. The bill also requires the University of Wyoming and the community colleges to adopt policies on hazing.

HB0062 21LSO-0188 Suicide prevention. This bill requires school districts to provide suicide prevention education.

HB0063 21LSO-0270 Early childhood education. This bill provides a process for the transfer of early childhood education programs from the department of health and the department of workforce services to the department of education and the department of family services.

Agriculture, State and Public Lands & Water Resources
SF0025 21LSO-0006 Animal impound proceedings – bond and disposition. This bill creates bonding provisions for owners of domesticated animals charged with a criminal offense. The bill requires a defendant to post a bond to pay for the reasonable costs of impoundment, provides for the renewal of a posted bond, and allows for the disposition of an animal when bond isn’t posted or renewed. The bill creates a procedure to allow for a forfeiture hearing related to the impounded animal and conforms current bonding provisions relating to livestock animals to the new language for domesticated animals.

SF0024 21LSO-0005 Bond for impounded animals. This bill creates bonding provisions for owners of domesticated animals charged with a criminal offense that mirror the bonding process for livestock animals.

SF0050 21LSO-0105 COVID-19 business relief programs agriculture. This bill reappropriates CARES Act money to the Wyoming Business Council to extend funding for the Wyoming business interruption stipend program. The additional funding must be used for agriculture businesses.

HB0051 21LSO-0106 Meat processing programs. This bill creates a business relief program aimed at assisting eligible businesses experiencing business interruptions due to the COVID-19 public health crisis. The bill would provide stipends to address supply problems created by COVID-19 through planning, expanding, and maintaining mobile and modular meat processing units or facilities. The bill provides legislative findings, definitions, application requirements, and funding limitations. The bill would require the attorney general to review the legality of any program created pursuant to the bill and provides an appropriation.

SF0026 21LSO-0111 Animal abuse statutes reorganization and update. This bill would repeal W.S. 6-3-203, which addresses crimes for cruelty to animals, and would recreate and reorganize that section by creating separate offenses, penalties, and exceptions in a new article. The bill creates definitions and new sections for the offenses of cruelty to animals, aggravated cruelty to animals, and other misdemeanor and felony offenses. The bill also recreates provisions related to penalties for the various offenses, separate counts, the household pet cruelty to animals account, and practices that are not prohibited.

HB0052 21LSO-0145 Wyoming school protein enhancement project. This bill would create a permanent program, based on an existing temporary program, under which the state pays all or a portion of processing costs for school districts that have received donated meat. The program would require matching funds and is contingent on available funding.

HB0053 21LSO-0146 Invasive plant species. The bill creates duties for the Wyoming Weed and Pest Council based on recommendations in the Governor’s Invasive Species Initiative Report. The duties include providing support to county weed and pest control districts by developing data systems that can assist with decision making, assessing impacts of invasive plant species, coordinating with the University of Wyoming and other state agencies for support and educational outreach, working with federal partners, providing recommendations to the Joint Agriculture Committee on revisions to the funding model, and encouraging and incentivizing landscape-scale projects. The bill would repeal a provision that allows special management programs to addressing only two types of weeds or pests at one time.