Technology (Consumer Data Protection)

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.

Wyoming's HB 181 prohibits all state and local government entities from using biometric data (like facial recognition or fingerprints) to identify people or verify identities, geolocation data to track individuals or vehicles, and automatic license plate reader systems for vehicle identification or toll collection. The bill requires governments to adopt compliance policies, creates a civil lawsuit option for violations, and amends the Wyoming Governmental Claims Act to address liability. It specifically excludes school bus cameras, anonymized health data, and certain utility infrastructure from the restrictions. The law directly affects all state agencies, counties, cities, and law enforcement entities by restricting their use of these surveillance technologies. The bill is currently in early procedural stages and has not advanced beyond introduction.

Wyoming's SF 20 requires state and local government entities (excluding law enforcement and judicial branches) to adopt policies governing how they collect, secure, and use residents' personal data. The bill prohibits selling or transferring personal data without explicit consent, allows limited transfers to other government entities or contracted service providers (with data protection requirements), and mandates that residents can request copies of their data or challenge inaccuracies within 60 days. It defines key terms like "personal data" (information linked to identifiable individuals) and "deidentified data" (data that cannot be traced back to a person), while clarifying that existing laws like HIPAA and public records access remain unaffected. This bill directly affects all Wyoming government agencies handling resident data and establishes new transparency and privacy standards for their operations.