This joint resolution encourages Wyoming's Law Enforcement Memorial Committee to add Patrolman Michael A. Rosa's name to the Wyoming Law Enforcement Fallen Officer Memorial at the Wyoming Law Enforcement Academy in Douglas. Rosa, a Rock Springs police officer killed in 1978 while working undercover, was not included on the state memorial despite meeting national memorial criteria (his name appears on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial and the Officer Down Memorial Page). The resolution requests the committee rectify this omission before the next memorial service. It is a commemorative measure with no policy changes, formally recognizing Rosa's sacrifice.
HB 144 clarifies and updates Wyoming law regarding fire protection districts' tax authority. It amends statutes to specify that districts may levy up to 3.10 mills (three ten mills) annually for operations, plus additional mills needed for debt payments on approved bonds, without exceeding limits set in other sections. This directly affects fire protection districts across Wyoming by defining their tax levy limits for funding operations and debt service. The bill makes no change to the existing mill levy cap but ensures consistent language in related statutes. It takes effect July 1, 2026.
HB 115 requires all Wyoming school districts (including charter schools) to create and implement cardiac emergency response plans for general school settings and separate plans for athletic events. Key provisions mandate that schools place and maintain AEDs in unlocked, accessible locations (within 3 minutes), train staff in CPR and AED use per American Heart Association standards, and rehearse athletic venue protocols annually. The bill allocates $50,000 for reimbursement of implementation costs during the 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 school years, with priority for districts serving higher percentages of students eligible for free meals. It applies directly to school staff, students, and emergency medical providers by standardizing cardiac emergency protocols across all school properties and athletic events.
Wyoming's HB 109 changes the rules for claiming the homeowner property tax exemption. Starting in 2026, homeowners must actually live in their primary residence for at least eight months each year to qualify, unless they or an immediate family member are active-duty military personnel whose service prevents meeting this requirement (in which case the property must be their legal home address). Homeowners must submit exemption claims to their county assessor by May 2 each year. The bill applies to tax years beginning January 1, 2026, and modifies existing law (W.S. 39-11-105(a)(xlvi)).
Wyoming's SF 96 clarifies that tobacco wholesalers cannot sell nicotine products to anyone under 21. It extends tobacco taxation to cigars and pipe tobacco, setting a maximum tax rate of 20% or $0.30 per cigar, and requires remote sellers (online retailers) to obtain a license and pay this tax on sales to Wyoming consumers. The bill also defines key terms like "remote retail sale" (online orders with delivery) and "wholesaler" to clarify who must comply. This directly affects tobacco wholesalers, remote online sellers, and consumers purchasing cigars or pipe tobacco in Wyoming.
HB 29 clarifies requirements for nonresidents to obtain trapping licenses in Wyoming. It mandates that nonresidents provide a notarized affidavit confirming their home state allows Wyoming residents to trap the same species, along with proof of their state's relevant laws. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department must create implementing rules to enforce this reciprocity standard. This directly affects nonresident trappers who must now verify reciprocal licensing agreements with their home states before obtaining a Wyoming trapping license.
HB 42 amends Wyoming law to make failing to stop after a vehicle accident causing death or serious injury a felony, rather than a misdemeanor. Drivers involved in accidents resulting in death or "serious bodily injury" (as defined in state law) would face up to 5 years in prison or a $10,000 fine, compared to the current maximum of 1 year or $5,000 for injuries alone. The bill directly affects drivers involved in collisions with fatal or severe injury outcomes, increasing legal consequences for hit-and-run behavior. It takes effect on July 1, 2026.
HB 61 prohibits the manufacture, sale, and distribution of cultivated meat (meat grown from animal cells in a laboratory) for human consumption in Wyoming. The bill requires businesses to label cell-cultured products as "containing cell cultured product" and plant-based alternatives as "vegetarian," "vegan," or similar terms. It also allows health authorities to immediately suspend business licenses for establishments selling cultivated meat. The ban takes effect on July 1, 2026, with administrative provisions effective upon the bill's enactment.
HB 66 changes how Wyoming courts review state agency decisions. It requires courts to interpret statutes and regulations without giving extra weight to agency interpretations (de novo review), and to favor interpretations that limit agency power and protect individual rights. This affects courts, state agencies (like environmental or business regulators), and people challenging agency actions. The law applies to judicial review cases filed after July 1, 2026.
HB 62, titled "The Christian Smith Safety Act," amends Wyoming's Governmental Claims Act to increase maximum liability limits for claims against state and local governments. It raises the per-claimant limit from $250,000 to $1,000,000 and the total claim limit from $500,000 to $2,000,000 for any single incident. These limits will be adjusted annually for inflation using the consumer price index or 3%, whichever is lower. The changes apply to claims arising from events on or after July 1, 2026, affecting how government entities handle compensation for injuries or damages.
HB 68 expands Wyoming's property tax exemption for veterans with permanent, total service-connected disabilities. It allows eligible veterans certified as having a 100% service-connected disability to claim a full exemption on the assessed value of their primary residence, including up to 10 acres of associated land - replacing the previous $6,000 annual limit. Surviving spouses who haven't remarried and keep the property as their primary residence also retain this full exemption. The change applies to tax years beginning January 1, 2027, and does not affect veterans who qualify only for the standard $6,000 exemption.
HB 11 (Wyoming's "Landowner's Bill of Rights" bill) requires anyone seeking to take private property through eminent domain (like government agencies or private entities) to provide landowners with a written brochure detailing 11 specific rights before initiating proceedings. Key provisions include mandating written notice of the right to adequate compensation, proof of fair market value, the requirement for good-faith negotiations, and access to legal or appraisal assistance before condemnation. The bill applies to all eminent domain actions starting July 1, 2026, ensuring landowners receive clear information about their legal protections during the process. It directly affects property owners facing potential condemnation, making the process more transparent without changing the underlying eminent domain standards.
