Criminal Justice

This Wyoming bill prohibits state and local government agencies from using artificial intelligence to assign "social scores" based on personal behavior or characteristics, which could lead to unfair treatment (like denying services for unrelated reasons). It specifically bans AI systems from identifying individuals using biometric data (e.g., fingerprints, facial recognition) without consent, except for health data covered under HIPAA. The law applies broadly to all government entities - including counties, schools, and departments - excluding universities and certain health districts. It takes effect July 1, 2026.

HB 47 requires any person who reasonably believes another person faces immediate risk of serious injury or death to attempt to contact emergency services (like 911) if doing so doesn't endanger themselves or the other person. It directly affects all Wyoming residents who witness such emergencies. The law creates a misdemeanor offense for failing to assist under these conditions, with penalties of up to 6 months in jail and $750 for causing serious injury, or up to 1 year and $2,000 if death occurs. Exemptions include those who provide assistance under other laws or would self-incriminate by reporting. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.

HB 14 requires Wyoming counties to reimburse individuals for legal costs (including attorney fees and bail) when they successfully defend against criminal charges by reasonably using self-defense, resulting in a not-guilty verdict, dismissed charges, or release from prosecution. It also mandates automatic expungement (permanent removal) of criminal records for these individuals without requiring a court hearing, including no filing fees for either reimbursement petitions or expungement requests. The bill directly affects people prosecuted for crimes but acquitted or having charges dismissed due to lawful self-defense. Key provisions include county-funded reimbursement for defense costs and streamlined court orders to erase all related arrest and prosecution records. The law applies to cases where self-defense was used to prevent injury or property damage, as defined in the bill.