Technology (Emerging Technology)

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 160, the Digital Taxonomy Act, defines key terms and creates a classification system for digital assets (like cryptocurrencies) and "sealed tokens" recorded on distributed ledgers (e.g., blockchain). It establishes legal frameworks for characterizing these assets, including definitions for concepts like "distributed ledger," "digital asset," and "computational indicia," to clarify their legal status. The bill directly affects businesses, developers, and legal entities working with digital assets by providing standardized terminology for transactions, ownership, and jurisdiction. It does not impose new taxes or regulations but aims to create a consistent legal foundation for digital asset use within Wyoming. The bill is currently pending, having died in committee in March 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 HB 70, the GRANITE Act, creates legal protections for Wyoming residents and businesses against foreign governments or international organizations enforcing censorship laws that conflict with U.S. and Wyoming constitutional free speech protections. It establishes a cause of action allowing lawsuits against foreign entities for imposing penalties (like fines or platform shutdowns) on U.S.-based platforms for constitutionally protected speech, such as the UK's threat to 4chan or Brazil's actions against X (Twitter). The bill prohibits Wyoming from recognizing, enforcing, or cooperating with foreign judgments related to such censorship, and imposes civil penalties on foreign entities. It directly affects Wyoming-based digital platforms, blockchain companies, and residents whose speech is targeted by foreign censorship laws. The law aims to prevent foreign coercion of U.S. speech by placing the burden on foreign governments to justify their censorship under strict scrutiny.

Wyoming's HB 17 renames the existing "Select Committee on Blockchain, Financial Technology and Digital Innovation Technology" to the "Select Committee on Blockchain and Emerging Technologies" and clarifies its duties. The committee must develop expertise on these technologies, propose legislation to support blockchain and digital innovation (excluding Title 13 matters), and recommend policies to attract tech companies to Wyoming. The bill also requires the state director to submit reports on Wyoming stable tokens to this committee and the Joint Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee. This is a procedural change to the committee's structure and responsibilities, not a new law affecting citizens or businesses directly.