Below are some current house bills being looked at:

SF0101 - Unemployment Compensation exemption-seasonal employment.

• “Seasonal Employment”
  • Regularly recurring period of fewer than 20 weeks in 12 month period.
• Synopsis:  This would require Notice of Exemption to be provided to employee in writing prior to acceptance of seasonal employment.

   

HB0049 - Mountain Daylight Saving Time*

• AN ACT relating to daylight saving time; requiring an application for the state to transfer time zones as specified; establishing a new uniform state time; making legislative findings; and providing for an effective date. 
• Synopsis:  This would establish Wyoming as Mountain Daylight Savings Time.

HB0141 - Daylight Saving Time-Exemption

• AN ACT relating to daylight saving time; exempting the state from the daylight saving time change; providing for the observance of standard time; and providing for an effective date.
• Synopsis:  Effective January 1, 2018 the state is exempt from provisions that require the standard time to be advanced by one hour during a stated period each year.

HB0070 - Occupational Safety and Health Administration Actions

•  AN ACT relating to the administration of government; recognizing limitations on the regulatory authority of the occupational safety and health administration; providing legislative findings in relation to those limitations; specifying the policy of the state in regard to actions of the occupational safety and health administration; authorizing intervention by the attorney general to protect the interests of the state as specified; and providing for an effective date.
  • (iv) The federal occupational safety and health administration has expanded its regulation of highly hazardous chemicals on questionable authority;
• Synopsis:  This gives the ability to protect interest of citizens to challenge unlawful rulemaking.

HB0071 - Unemployment Insurance - Electronic Communications

•  AN ACT relating to unemployment compensation; allowing electronic communications as specified; and providing for an effective date.
• Synopsis:  This allows claimant or employer to elect to have determinations and decisions (including appeals) transmitted electronically in lieu of regular mail.  The delivery date would be the date transmitted electronically.

   

HB0084 - Workers' Compensation-Delinquent Employers

• AN ACT relating to labor and employment; providing for the discretionary recovery of delinquent worker's compensation payments by civil action; providing for the recovery of delinquent payments through installment agreements as specified; modifying the interest rate for delinquent premiums; and providing for an effective date.
• Synopsis:  Potential Civil litigation for employer non-payment after 30-days, interest of 1% (formally 2%) for delinquencies, and ability to make 12 month payment arrangements may be allowed.

HB0085 - Unemployment Compensation-Delinquent Employers

• AN ACT relating to labor and employment; modifying the delinquency rate for unpaid employment wage contributions; allowing employers to enter into installment payment agreements with the department to repay delinquent contributions as specified; providing for the suspension of new penalties and interest when an employer complies with terms of a payment agreement; and providing for an effective date.
• Synopsis:  Delinquent contributions for employers decrease rate from 2% to 1%, allowance for installment payment agreements to be entered with 30 days, no additional interest or penalties unless installments become delinquent.       

HB0092 - Payment of Wages upon Termination-Time Limits

• AN ACT relating to labor and employment; permitting the time period for payment of wages upon termination of employment to be specified in a collective bargaining agreement; and providing for an effective date.
• Synopsis:  Upon termination or resignation, employee is to be paid at employer’s usual practice on regularly scheduled payroll dates or at a time specified under the terms of a collective bargaining agreement between the employer and the employee.

HB0140 - Minimum Wage

•  AN ACT relating to labor and employment; increasing minimum hourly wages; providing for a training wage; increasing minimum wage for tipped employees; requiring employers to pay underpaid tipped wages in a specified time; providing for treble damages, minimum recovery, court costs and attorney fees as specified; repealing an obsolete provision; and providing for an effective date.
• Synopsis: 
  • Minimum wage increase to $9.50 per hour
  • Training wage at rate of not less than $7.50 per hour (to employee who has been employed less than 6 months.
  • Changes to tipped employees (n/a for the City of Casper)

SF0053 - Veterans Hiring Preference

• AN ACT relating to veterans; specifying the hiring preference in public employment for veterans and surviving spouses of deceased veterans; eliminating the residency requirement for the preference; amending archaic language; and providing for an effective date.
• Synopsis:  This act removes much of the language we utilize for the veteran’s preferences points in Civil Service. 
  • The new language references that veterans shall have a preference prior to the interview process (the following was removed:  members of the US Military in any war or conflict, honorably discharged, and widows of members). 
  • Widows of veterans and residency limitations in Wyoming have been excluded. 
  • 5% preference are to be given to veterans (not 5 points) advantage over any nonveteran.
  • Veteran with service connected disability of 10% or more the advantage shall be 10% (not 10 points).
  • In instances where no points are utilized, the veteran shall receive preference over other applicants.

     

SF0054 - Military Spouse-Hiring Preference

• AN ACT relating to military affairs; providing hiring preference in public employment for military spouses as specified; providing applicability; and providing for an effective date.
• Synopsis:  This allows spouse preference points of 5% advantage over any other competitor for same position.

SF0055 - Anti-discrimination-Military Spouses

• AN ACT relating to fair employment practices; defining discriminatory or unfair employment practices to include discrimination on the basis of a person's status as married to an active duty military service member; and providing for an effective date.
• Synopsis:  Includes “status as a military spouse” as a protected class.

SF0069 - Small Employer Health Reinsurance Program Amendments

• AN ACT relating to insurance; amending the small employer health reinsurance program; repealing unnecessary provisions; and providing for an effective date.
• Synopsis:  n/a for the City of Casper

SF0095 - Early Retirement

• AN ACT relating to retirement; creating an early retirement option for state employees to be administered by the Wyoming retirement board; specifying qualifications of state employees eligible for early retirement; specifying payments and benefits for early retirement; providing for restrictions on filling vacant positions; requiring reports; providing for an appropriation; and providing for an effective date.
• Synopsis:  Qualified state employees may elected to take early retirement April 1, 2017 through June 30, 2017.  Qualifications:
  • Continuously employed at least two years
  • Meet any one of the following as of June 30, 2017
    • 52 years of age and 18 years of service
    • 53 years of age and 17 years of service
    • 54 years of age and 16 years of service
    • 55 years of age and 15 years of service
    • Are otherwise qualified under the Wyoming Retirement Act to take retirement

       

SJ0001 - Right of Privacy and Right to Know

• A JOINT RESOLUTION proposing to amend the Wyoming Constitution to provide for a right of individual privacy which shall not be construed to deprive a person of any right provided by law to examine documents or to observe the deliberations of any agency or political subdivision of the state as specified.

SJ0004 - Wyoming Civil Rights Amendment

• A JOINT RESOLUTION proposing to amend the Wyoming Constitution to prohibit discrimination against and to ban preferential treatment to groups or individuals based on their race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin for public employment, public education or public contracting purposes.