Governor Mark Gordon signed the first bills of the 2023 Legislative session during a public signing ceremony at the Capitol Wednesday.
The first bill to be signed by the Governor was Senate File 0023- Treatment courts – transfer to judicial branch. The “Court Supervised Treatment Programs Act” transfers responsibility and oversight of court-supervised treatment programs from the Wyoming Department of Health to the Wyoming Supreme Court.
Governor Gordon praised the legislation as an example of a collaborative effort between the Legislative, Judicial and Executive Branches, and said it offered an opportunity to strengthen the state’s drug treatment courts. At the signing, Chief Justice of the Wyoming Supreme Court Kate Fox expressed her support for the legislation, saying the bill will help improve the way the judicial branch addresses mental health and substance abuse issues.
The Governor also signed House Bill 0069 Coal-fired facility closures litigation funding-amendments. That bill provides additional flexibility for the Governor to utilize an account dedicated to funding litigation against entities that “impede Wyoming’s ability to export coal, that cause the early retirement of coal-fired electric generation facilities located in Wyoming, that result in the decreased use of Wyoming coal or the closure of coal-fired electric generation facilities that use Wyoming coal.”
“Coal has a future in Wyoming. Thank you to the Legislature for helping to make a broader use of these funds, so we can be much more proactive in protecting our coal industries’ future,” Governor Gordon said.
The Governor signed the following bills Wednesday:
HEA0001 HB0112 Theft-penalty for fifth or subsequent offense.
HEA0002 HB0111 Endangering children-fentanyl.
HEA0003 HB0097 Chancery court jurisdiction amendments.
HEA0004 HB0050 Solid waste cease and transfer program funding.
HEA0005 HB0045 Peace officer retirement and rehiring.
HEA0006 HB0039 Verifying the veteran designation on a WY driver’s license.
HEA0007 HB0029 Community college funding-distance education credit hours.
HEA0008 HB0028 Community college capital construction.
HEA0009 HB0012 Presumptive child support amounts-updated tables.
HEA0010 HB0010 County officers-bond amounts and surety requirement.
HEA0012 HB0069 Coal-fired facility closures litigation funding-amendments.
HEA0013 HB0070 Definition of home-based educational program.
HEA0014 HB0026 School facilities-appropriations.
SEA0001 SF0002 Wyoming telecommunications act-sunset date.
SEA0002 SF0004 North American Industry Classification System amendments.
SEA0003 SF0023 Treatment courts-transfer to judicial branch.
SEA0004 SF0077 Public works apprenticeship programs-repeal.
SEA0005 SF0013 Bar and grill liquor license phaseout
SEA0006 SF0026 Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact
SEA0007 SF0122 Nonresident workers-vehicle registration extension
SEA0008 SF0118 Fund balance calculations-federal encumbrances excluded
SEA0009 SF0057 State held drainage district bonds
SEA0010 SF0036 Investment funds committee-selection panel amendments
SEA0011 SF0033 Defining aircraft for purposes of hunting prohibitions
SEA0012 SF0028 Livestock infectious disease control-tribal inclusion
SEA0013 SF0017 Off-road recreational vehicles-safety and insurance
SEA0014 SF0015 Military leave for state employees
SEA0015 SF0014 Wyoming national guard professional malpractice liability
SEA0016 SF0005 Medical malpractice statutory update
SEA0017 SF0006 Insurance rebating modernization
SEA0018 SF0024 Financial exploitation of vulnerable adults
SEA0019 SF0063 Tax administration revisions
SEA0020 SF0059 State parks account-agency expenditure authority
SEA0021 SF0020 Driver’s license and ID card photo quality
SEA0022 SF0018 Benefits for spouses of law enforcement members
SEJR1 SJ0007 Support for Taiwan