More than 100 new bills to take effect July 1

The new laws include a statewide ban on diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, programs and practices in governmental entities, new regulations targeting the transgender community and a repeal of most gun-free zones across the state.

Roughly 60 of the other new laws either went into effect immediately or have a start date in 2026.

While the Wyoming Tribune Eagle can’t list every law effective July 1, here are a few notable bills readers should know about.

A list of all new laws going into effect is available on wyoleg.gov. Find the complete list by clicking on “session” and selecting “enrolled bills” in the filter bar.

Education

House Bill 46, “Homeschool freedom act”: Rep. Tomi Strock, R-Douglas, was the primary sponsor of this bill. As enacted, the Homeschool Freedom Act removes the annual requirement for parents or guardians to submit their homeschool curriculum to their local school board.

Parents/guardians whose child is not previously enrolled in a public school are not required to notify the school district of their intent to homeschool, under this act. In other words, a child who was never a public school student is not required to notify the district they will be homeschooled.

HB 94, “Charter school authorizations- amendments”: Rep. Ocean Andrew, R-Laramie, was the primary sponsor of this bill.

As enacted, this act removes the cap on the number of charter schools that can be approved by the Wyoming Charter School Authorizing Board. Gov. Mark Gordon originally vetoed this bill, stating that the state should focus on fully funding its public K-12 schools. However, his veto was overridden by the Legislature.

Senate File 73, “Charter school funding-amendments”: Sen. Evie Brennan, R-Cheyenne, was the primary sponsor of this bill.

Central office resources funded by the K-12 school block grant, including personnel and non-personnel, may now be allocated to charter schools based on average daily membership of the charter school.

Under current law, central office resources under the block grant model are not required to be allocated to charter schools. This bill passed the Legislature with bipartisan support.

DEI, anti-trans, abortion, guns

HB 72, “Protecting privacy in public spaces act”: Rep. Martha Lawley, R-Worland, was the primary sponsor of this bill.

As passed by the Legislature, Lawley’s bill requires individuals to use public multi-occupancy restrooms, changing areas and sleeping quarters in accordance with their assigned biological sex.

This includes public facilities within state or local government jurisdiction, public colleges and the University of Wyoming.

The new law does not apply to K-12 public schools, single-occupancy areas, employees cleaning or acting within their official duties, people rendering medical or caregiving assistance, in times of natural disasters or athletic competitions under specific circumstances.

It provides a civil cause of action against an entity found in violation of this act.

SF 44, “Fairness in sports-intercollegiate athletics”: Sen. Wendy Schuler, R-Evanston, was the primary sponsor of this bill.

In 2023, the Legislature passed a law prohibiting public school students in grades 7 through 12 from participating on sports teams not aligned with their biological sex.

Schuler’s bill applies this law to the University of Wyoming and public Wyoming community colleges. Women are allowed to participate on men’s sports teams if a corresponding athletic activity is not available for them.

The bill provides a civil cause of action against institutions found in violation of this act.

HB 147, “Prohibition of institutional discrimination”: Sen. Lynn Hutchings, R-Cheyenne, was the primary sponsor of this bill. It prohibits governmental entities from engaging in diversity, equity and inclusion programs or practices, from engaging in institutional discrimination and from requiring employees to receive training in institutional discrimination.

“Institutional discrimination” is defined in multiple parts in the bill. Essentially, a person cannot be discriminated against, morally judged or have assigned bias based on their “race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity or national origin.”

Federally recognized Native American tribes are exempt from this bill.

SF 77, “Compelled speech is not free speech”: This bill was also primarily sponsored by Hutchings. It prohibits state and local government entities from compelling employees to refer to another employee by their preferred pronouns “as a condition of employment, as a condition of receiving a grant or other funding or under threat of adverse action by the state or a political subdivision.”

It authorizes a civil cause of action for a person aggrieved by violation of this law.

HB 164, “Medical prescriptions- off-label purposes”: Rep. Gary Brown, R-Cheyenne, was the primary sponsor of this bill.

The new law bans the practice of doctors prescribing off-label medication to induce an abortion or providing gender-affirming treatment for minors. Schedule I and II controlled substances are also excluded from off-label prescriptions.

All other prescriptions for off-label purposes are protected under this bill.

Off-label medical prescriptions are “drug treatments for conditions other than those stated in the labeling” as approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration.

HB 172, “Repeal gun-free zones and preemption amendments”: Rep. Jeremy Haroldson, R-Wheatland, was the primary sponsor of this bill.

It enacts a statewide repeal of most gun-free zones and allows concealed carry in a majority of public buildings, including public schools, public college campuses, and governmental and legislative meetings.

A person who knowingly blocks entry to an individual who is lawfully concealed carrying a weapon where concealed carry is authorized can be charged with a misdemeanor, punishable with a maximum $2,000 fine, up to one year imprisonment or both.

Private property, public school events where alcohol is served, certain health and human services facilities, areas where guns are federally prohibited and facilities containing explosive or volatile materials are exempted under the bill.

Other legislation

HB 116, “Driver’s licenses-unauthorized alien restrictions”: Rep. Pepper Ottman, R-Riverton, was the primary sponsor of this bill.

Under the new law, out-of-state driver’s licenses and driving operating privilege cards issued to non-U.S citizens who live in the country unlawfully are considered invalid in Wyoming.

Individuals found driving in Wyoming with a license or driving operating privilege card in violation of this act can be charged with a misdemeanor, fined up to $750, sentenced up to six months imprisonment, or both.

SF 32, “Unpaved roads speed limits-amendments”: This bill was sponsored by the Legislature’s Joint Transportation, Highways and Military Affairs Committee. The final version passed by the Legislature and signed into law by the governor allows cities and counties to set a maximum speed limit on unpaved roads of not less than 35 mph without first conducting a speed study.

A temporary speed limit of less than 35 mph on unpaved roads may be set for one year without first conducting a speed study. It must be done in consultation with the local engineer or road and bridge superintendent and law enforcement within the road’s jurisdiction.

HB 275, “Treatment of animals”: Rep. Andrew Byron, R-Jackson, was the primary sponsor of this bill.

The legislation comes on the heels of international backlash over the treatment of a wolf in Sublette County, after a Wyoming man injured it with his snowmobile and brought it to a bar before killing it. Killing predator animals with snowmobiles, a practice known as “coyote whacking,” is legal in Wyoming.

Byron’s bill creates “a new offense for cruelty to animals if a person knowingly, and with intent to cause undue suffering, tortures, torments, or mutilates living wildlife, including predatory animals and predacious birds, after taking the living wildlife into their possession.”

It requires people who use a vehicle “or other conveyance device” to kill a predatory animal to make reasonable effort to kill the animal immediately. Violation of this act is considered a misdemeanor, punishable by a maximum $5,000 fine, up to six months imprisonment, or both.

SF 74, “Immunity for drug overdose reporting”: This bill was sponsored by the Legislature’s Joint Labor, Health and Social Services Committee.

It provides conditional immunity from criminal prosecution under the Wyoming Controlled Substances Act to persons reporting or experiencing a drug overdose.

The new law allows immunity from overdose reporting only twice a year. Anyone who experiences a reported overdose more than twice will be eligible to receive immunity only upon completing a drug treatment program approved by the district attorney, after the second qualifying drug overdose event.