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All of the following, except as noted under the Education Committee, have been approved for introduction, by a Committee. The Education Committee still has a meeting scheduled. There are also some unique situations for Revenue Committee bills as noted under the specific drafts. Not all drafts are in final form or have been assigned a House Bill or Senate File number at this time. If no House Bill or Senate File number appears, the number referenced is the latest 2002 LSO number and some changes may be made to the referenced draft depending on the latest Committee action. One caveat – this summary has been prepared solely to provide a very quick overview of bills being sponsored by the various committees. In order to keep the overview short, the summaries are acknowledged to be incomplete and absolutely make no attempt to address all aspects of the bills. The entire bill must be read if a person wishes to know its full contents and effect.
JOINT AGRICULTURAL, PUBLIC LANDS AND WATER RESOURCES INTERIM COMMITTEE
HB0008 Importation of domestic animals. Gives the livestock board authority to regulate rabies in domestic animals
HB0009 Beginning agricultural producer development bonds. Creates an agricultural development bonding authority and provides for issuance of agricultural development bonds.
HB0017 Farm loans. Increases the maximum loan amount of farm loans by the state loan and investment board; provides for a reduced interest rate and collateral requirements for beginning ag producers.
SF0005 Brands-conforming language. C
SF0006 Predator control fees. A
SF0007 Agriculture land-classification. C
SF0008 In-state movement permit. Modifies provisions for authorizing movement of livestock to accustomed range within the state.
SF0011 Out-of-state accustomed range permits. T
JOINT APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE
Development of funding recommendations for school capital construction projects (called pipeline projects) forwarded by the 2001 Legislature, including projects for Fremont #38, Natrona #1, Johnson #1 and Washakie #1. (NOT YET FINALIZED)
SELECT COMMITTEE ON CAPITAL FINANCING AND INVESTMENTS
126.C1 Family college savings program. Modifies penalty provisions for nonqualified withdrawals in the state family college savings program. Provides for refund of certain penalties.
128.C1 Investment earnings–spending policy. Modifies state spending policy amounts for earnings from the permanent mineral trust fund and common school account.
200.W4 Capital finance commission. Creates a capital finance commission. Repeals state building commission. Modifies bonding authorities for state and school capital construction projects.
232.C1 Transportation commission–bonding authority. Grants the transportation commission authority to issue GARVEE bonds and repeals current bonding authority.
JOINT CORPORATIONS, ELECTIONS AND POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS INTERIM COMMITTEE
HJ0001 Initiative and referendum signature requirements. Proposed constitutional amendment to eliminate the signature requirements from two-thirds of the counties. Statewide requirement stays the same.
HJ0002 Constitutional initiative. Proposed constitutional amendment to allow the constitution to be amended by initiative.
HB0019 Election code revisions-2. Authorizes political parties to set their own convention and meeting dates; prohibits an unsuccessful candidate at a primary election from seeking the same office at the ensuing general election; modify election forms.
HB0030 Election code revisions-3. Modifies requirements of various election officers; registration; canvassing; and other voting provisions.
69.C1 New political party petition signatures. Repeals current law to allow an elector to sign more than one petition to form a new political party.
70.C1 Contesting presidential elections. Allows the Wyoming Legislature to resolve contests of presidential electors.
72.C1 Campaign finance reporting. Modifies filing requirements for campaign receipt and expenditure reports and modifies enforcement provisions.
253.C1 Redistricting of the legislature. Modifies legislative districts after the federal census as required by the state constitution.
JOINT EDUCATION INTERIM COMMITTEE
HB0034 School finance-bus purchases. Modifies reimbursement for school district bus purchases/leases under the school foundation program, and establishes a statewide bidding process for bus acquisitions.
HB0033 Public schools-student performance standards. Provides for multiple endorsements on high school grade transcripts and statutory reference to the body of evidence as a component of student assessments for purposes of establishing proficiency of the required educational program.
315.W2 School finance-amendments. Working document for development of recommendations on required reconfiguration of school finance cost-based funding model, as well as funding model modifications in response to the February 23, 2001, Supreme Court decision on school finance.
JOINT JUDICIARY INTERIM COMMITTEE
HB0011 Theft detection shielding devices. Corrects an oversight in a statute that was created last year. As enacted in 2001, W.S. 6-3-411(e) only provided a penalty for "the first offense". This bill would remove that limiting language.
HB0012 Children in need of supervision-sunset. Extends the repeal date for the Children in Need of Supervision Act from June 30, 2003 to June 30, 2005.
HB0014 Powers of magistrates. Expands and clarifies the powers of full-time and part-time magistrates to ease the workload of judges. The judge would still be required to review orders entered by the magistrate.
SF0016 Penalty for interference with custody. Modifies the maximum penalty for interference with custody, to reduce the penalty to a misdemeanor with maximum imprisonment for one year, which would thus be served at a county correctional facility.
SF0017 Adult protective services. Makes significant changes to the Adult Protective Services Act, including creating the crime of abuse, neglect, abandonment or exploitation of a vulnerable adult. Also separates provisions with respect to child protection, adult protection and central registries for each group.
SF0018 Wyoming Public Records Act. Revises the Wyoming Public Records Act in recognition that many public records are being stored in electronic format. The bill also limits release of investigative records under specified conditions.
SF0019 E-portal system. Authorizes the government on-line commission to contract with a single credit card processor to allow state agencies to accept credit card payments for transactions made under the e-portal program.
52.C2 Retirement-law enforcement. Creates a law enforcement retirement program administered by the State Retirement System. Procedures for participation in the law enforcement retirement system are specified.
172.C1 Expungement of criminal records. Authorizes courts to expunge records of arrest or conviction for adults under specified conditions. Currently, courts may only expunge criminal records of juveniles.
JOINT LABOR, HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES INTERIM COMMITTEE
SF0022 Wyoming state training school-medication aides. Authorizes the use of medication aides at the Wyoming State Training School to dispense medications to residents under supervision of a licensed professional.
SF0023 Limits on construction of nursing home beds. Eliminates the sunset date on the limitation of construction or expansion of nursing care facilities for purposes of Medicaid reimbursement and amends the criteria under which construction or expansion of nursing care facilities may occur.
63.C1 Workers' compensation-industry classifications. Amends the workers' compensation program by replacing the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes with the North American industry classification system (NAICS) for purposes of classifying extra-hazardous occupations.
85.C1 Workers' compensation–amendments. Makes numerous amendments to the workers' compensation program, including: authorizing coverage for student interns; amending requirements for coverage for corporate officers or members of limited liability companies; increasing burial benefits for deceased workers; and authorizing the Division to make redeterminations after benefits have been denied.
101.C1 Prescription drug assistance program. Authorizes a prescription drug assistance program under Medicaid, including providing eligibility criteria, specifying drugs covered under the program and providing limitations and an appropriation.
103.C1 Genetic testing–limitations on disclosure of information. Establishes limitations on the disclosure of information obtained as a result of a genetic test.
167.C2 Substance abuse control plan. Creates a comprehensive approach to address alcohol and substance abuse problems in the state, including establishing standards for programs, authorizing pilot projects, requiring treatment for specified persons, authorizing inspections of facilities dispensing alcoholic beverages.
183.C2 Nursing education. Establishes a nursing education loan program, funds additional nursing educators at community colleges and the University of Wyoming, and creates a mobile licensed practical nurse education program for isolated areas of the state.
192.C1 Criminal background checks-nursing facilities. Requires potential and current employees of nursing care facilities to provide information necessary to complete criminal history record checks.
235.C1 Department of workforce services. The Department of Workforce Services was created by the 2001 Legislature. This bill specifies the duties of the Department of Workforce Services and the programs that are to be transferred to the Department. Also provides an appropriation for the start-up costs of the new Department.
286.C1 Medicaid expenditures. Requires the recalculation of nursing home reimbursement rates under Medicaid; provides for Medicaid reimbursement for extraordinary care services in nursing homes and provides wage increases for nursing home direct patient care personnel.
JOINT MINERALS, BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INTERIM COMMITTEE
SF0009 Taxation-point of valuation for coal bed methane gas. Clarifies point of valuation for coal bed methane gas for purposes of severance taxes.
SF0010 Public records-business council report and risk analysis. Clarifies that certain reports submitted by the Wyoming Business Council to the legislature are public records.
228.C1 Business council-repeal of sunset. Repeals sunset of Wyoming Business Council which otherwise would sunset on July 1, 2003.
279.W1 Clarifications relating to the severance tax distribution account. Repeal of provision depositing an additional portion of severance tax on certain natural gas wells to the Permanent Mineral Trust Fund and makes various clarifications relating to distributions to the account.
JOINT REVENUE INTERIM COMMITTEE
SF0012 Special districts-reporting. Makes changes as recommended by the Dept. of Audit regarding the reporting and audit requirements for special districts.
SF0013 Oilfield services-taxation. Clarifies certain oilfield services which are taxable under the excise tax.
SF0020 School finance-local revenues. Implements a recommendation of MAP contained within the July 2001 Implementation Issues report, which redirects revenues currently distributed to districts and considered in computing local district foundation guarantee and recapture payments, to the state and provides payment of these revenues through foundation payments on a regular basis.
50.C1 Fuel tax revision. Reorganizes the fuel tax statutes in the same manner in which other tax statutes are organized in Title 39 (note: there is no increase in the fuel tax in this bill).
67.C1 Excise tax amendments. Changes and clarifications to the excise tax laws.
98.C1 Sales & use tax distribution. Changes sales and use tax distribution from 72% to the general fund to 69% to the general fund with the remainder to local governments. (Note: Committee voted to sponsor the bill, then voted to withdraw support of the bill and replace it with 142.W4.)
142.W4 Sales & use tax distribution-2. Makes the same change as the bill above (98.C1), except it adds an additional 1% to be distributed to the county where the sale was made in the case of an out-of-state vendor. (Note: this bill replaces 98.C1.)
212.C1 Telecommunication services-taxation. Response to the federal Mobile Telecommunications Sourcing Act of 2000. It imposes an excise tax on the use of mobile telecommunications services based upon the taxpayer's place of primary use. (Note: Committee voted to sponsor the bill, then voted to withdraw support of the bill and replace it with 372.W1).
372.W1 Telecommunications-fees & taxes. Response to the federal Mobile Telecommunications Sourcing Act of 2000. Provides for taxes and fees to be imposed on the use of mobile telecommunications services based upon the taxpayer's place of primary use. (Note: this bill replaces 212.C1.)
245.W1 Homestead tax exemption. Modifies the homestead exemption law to only apply to persons 65 and over who meet certain federal poverty level income requirements.
369.W1 Omnibus revenue bill. The Committee voted to combine the following 7 drafts into one bill at the last Committee.
139.W1 Sales & use tax increase. Increases the sales and use tax by 1% so the state sales/use tax rate is increased from 4% to 5%.
247.W2 Sales & use tax increase-school foundation program. Increases the sales and use tax rate by 1% to go to the school foundation program.
137.W1 Statewide mill levy. Imposes a statewide mill levy (4 mills) to be deposited in the school capital construction account.
138.W1 Electrical generation tax. Imposes a ˝ mill levy upon each kilowatt hour of electricity produced in this state.
140.W2 Fuel tax increase. Increases fuel tax by 7 cents per gallon with all exemptions in place.
141.W1 Real estate transfer tax. Imposes a tax (in graduating rates) upon the transfer of real estate.
136.W1 Nuclear fuel rod storage. Provides that the Department of Revenue is to recommend a fair and equal taxation system for a nuclear fuel rod storage facility.
SELECT SCHOOL CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION COMMITTEE
HB0042 School capital construction-local bonding. Terminates the mill levy supplement for school district bonded indebtedness for bonds issued after February 23, 2001, and limits the state bond guarantee program to local district bonds issued on or before November 1, 2001. The bill responds to the October 2, 2001 Supreme Court decision on rehearing pertaining to capital construction issues, and continues the guarantee of all district bonds currently guaranteed by the state.
HB0043 School capital construction. Establishes a new state capital construction program which assesses and prioritizes school building needs on a statewide basis, and provides a process for developing remedies addressing needs on a statewide basis through major maintenance payments and if necessary, minor and major capital outlay through renovation or construction projects. The recommendation responds to the February 23, 2001 Supreme Court decision on school capital construction, as well as the October 2 decision on rehearing.
JOINT TRANSPORTATION AND HIGHWAYS INTERIM COMMITTEE
HB0016 Restricted travel. Creates requirements for restricting travel (requiring snow tires or chains) on highways; provides a penalty for disobeying restricted travel requirements.
HB0032 Two cent fuel tax. Continues the two cents of the gasoline tax currently going to schools, but earmarks the monies to the department of transportation for the maintenance and construction of multiple lane highways instead.
HB0036 WYDOT consultant-public communications. Appropriates an initial amount of $300,000.00 to hire a consultant to begin designing a state-wide safety mobile communications plan.
SF0014 Multi-lane highways. Appropriates $200,000,000.00 to the department of transportation for the construction of multiple lane state highways.
118.C1 Funding for multi-lane highways. Designates a yearly revenue stream of $22,000,000 from federal mineral royalties and severance taxes to the department of transportation for the construction and maintenance of multiple lane highways.
JOINT TRAVEL, RECREATION, WILDLIFE AND CULTURAL RESOURCES INTERIM COMMITTEE
HB0002 Free fishing day. Authorizes the game and fish commission to designate one day each year during which fishing licenses and conservation stamps are not required for resident and nonresident sport fishermen.
HB0013 Off-road recreational vehicles. Addresses the permitted use of off-road recreational vehicles.
HB0025 Game and fish restitution payments. Changes deposit of restitution payments for game and fish violations from the general fund to the game and fish fund.
99.C1 Park rangers-peace officer status. Expands peace officer authority of state park rangers, park superintendents and assistant superintendents.
164.C1 Complimentary big game licenses. Requires governor complimentary big game hunting licenses to be issued to nonprofit organizations. Requires a portion of proceeds from governor and commission complimentary licenses to be remitted to the game and fish fund.
176.C1 Wolf reintroduction-effect on elk populations. A resolution calling for federal authorities to manage reintroduced wolves in a manner to preserve the elk population and elk feed grounds and to reimburse the state for the loss of elk to wolves.
240.C1 Recreation enhancement act of 2002. Authorizes certain activities related to the development and restoration of recreational areas and provides an appropriation.
The committee agreed to sponsor a joint resolution to Congress supporting a pilot program for tribal health care.
323.W2 Omnibus water bill-planning. Authorizes all the approved water projects for Level I (reconnaissance studies) and Level II (feasibility studies) for the upcoming year.
322.W2 Omnibus water bill-construction. Authorizes the funding of all approved water projects for Level III (construction and operation) for the upcoming year.