Veterans

Wyoming's SF 66 creates two programs for donating hunting licenses. First, it allows free hunting licenses (for antelope, deer, elk, or turkey) for youth aged 12-20 with life-threatening illnesses, sponsored by nonprofits. Second, it lets license holders donate big game licenses (like elk, bison, or deer) to veterans with disabilities, people using wheelchairs, or vision-impaired individuals, via qualifying nonprofits - reissuing the license at no cost. Donated licenses cannot be sold or traded and bypass standard residency, drawing, and fee rules. The bill requires the Game and Fish Commission to create implementing rules and takes effect July 1, 2026.

SF 98 creates a property tax exemption for qualifying Wyoming veterans and military members. It covers honorably discharged veterans who served 18+ consecutive months (active duty or Wyoming National Guard), current active/reserve members of the Wyoming National Guard or U.S. armed forces, and surviving spouses/parents of qualifying veterans. To qualify, applicants must be bona fide Wyoming residents for at least three years. The exemption applies starting January 1, 2026.

This bill updates Wyoming's rules for burying veterans without funds. It allows counties to seek reimbursement from the Department of Family Services for preparing and transporting indigent veterans' bodies, clarifying that veterans eligible for burial assistance under POWER/Medicaid programs also qualify for county payments. The bill increases the maximum burial expense payment from $1,000 to $1,500 and specifies that county payments are a "last resort" after other benefits are exhausted. It directly affects counties handling veterans' burials, the Department of Family Services, and indigent veterans who served in conflicts like WWII, Korea, or Vietnam.

This bill revises Wyoming's homeowner property tax exemption rules. It removes the requirement that homeowners must reside in their property for at least eight months each year to qualify for the exemption, effective for tax year 2026. The bill also adds an exception for active-duty military members: if their service prevents meeting the residency requirement, the property still qualifies if it's the legal domicile of the service member. This change directly affects Wyoming homeowners seeking the property tax exemption, simplifying eligibility for most residents while maintaining a military exception.