Wyoming State Laws
✅ Law #1: Protecting Privacy in Public Spaces Act — HB 0072
Statute / Bill: Wyoming House Bill 72 — Protecting Privacy in Public Spaces Act (Wikipedia)
Effective: July 1, 2025 (Wyoming Public Media)
📝 What it does
Bans people in Wyoming from using restrooms, showers, locker rooms, sleeping quarters in public facilities that do not match their biological sex at birth. (Wikipedia)
Applies to facilities managed by the state, including government facilities and the University of Wyoming; excludes some places like K-12 schools. (Wikipedia)
Contains exceptions (e.g. facility staff) and allows civil lawsuits when violations occur. (Wikipedia)
💰 Cost to taxpayers / state budget
Minor administrative cost (signage, updating policies).
Potential legal costs if lawsuits challenge the law.
👥 Who it helps / affects
Helps: those who prefer sex-segregated spaces defined by biological sex; supporters of privacy in such facilities.
Affects: transgender and non-binary people; public facility operators; University of Wyoming; individuals wanting access aligned with gender identity.
⚙️ Who sponsored / who opposed
✅ Pros:
Provides clarity in facility regulations.
Aligns with views of those who believe sex at birth should determine access in private spaces.
❌ Cons:
Seen by critics as discriminatory / exclusionary.
Likely legal challenges; potential emotional or social harm to affected individuals.
🗳️ The Ballot Beacon Takeaway:
Wyoming HB 72, effective July 1, 2025, prohibits use of public restrooms, locker rooms, etc., based on gender identity for biological sex not matching. In short: privacy defined strictly by sex at birth, sparking rights vs. inclusion debates.
✅ Law #2: Ultrasound Requirement Before Medication Abortion — HB 64 (Override)
Statute / Bill: HB 64 — mandating an ultrasound at least 48 hours before prescribing medication abortion pills. (The Washington Post)
Effective: Immediately upon being signed / overridden in early 2025. (The Washington Post)
📝 What it does
Requires women seeking medication abortion (abortion with pills) in Wyoming to undergo an ultrasound at least 48 hours beforehand. (The Washington Post)
Provides for viewing the ultrasound or hearing the fetal heartbeat if audible. (The Washington Post)
💰 Cost to taxpayers / state budget
Possible increased costs for clinics due to added procedure and travel / scheduling burdens.
May increase healthcare costs or delays for patients.
👥 Who it helps / affects
Helps: supporters who believe in more information before abortion decision; legislators who want stricter regulations.
Affects: people seeking medication abortions (especially those far from ultrasound services), clinics; may impose travel, delay, cost burdens.
⚙️ Who sponsored / who opposed
Passed by Legislature; the governor vetoed but the Legislature overrode the veto. (The Washington Post)
Support from pro-life / conservative groups. Opposition from reproductive rights advocates and medical professionals who warn of burden or access issues.
✅ Pros:
More chances for patients to understand fetal development; aligns with views of those emphasizing “informed consent.”
❌ Cons:
Creates delay; may be traumatic in certain circumstances (rape, incest); logistical and access challenges.
🗳️ The Ballot Beacon Takeaway:
Wyoming’s HB 64 requires an ultrasound 48 hours before medication abortion — imposing pre-procedure delay and possibly cost on patients, despite strong legislative support.
✅ Law #3: Regulation of Surgical Abortions — HB 42
📝 What it does
Requires abortion clinics to meet ambulatory surgical center standards. (Wikipedia)
These rules impose facility licensing and infrastructural requirements.
💰 Cost to taxpayers / state budget
Clinics must invest in facility upgrades, licensing, infrastructure to meet surgical center standards.
Possible increases in cost of care / fewer clinics able to comply, affecting access.
👥 Who it helps / affects
Helps: proponents who believe stricter safety standards improve patient outcomes.
Affects: abortion providers (especially smaller ones), patients needing surgical abortions, people living far from compliant clinics.
⚙️ Who sponsored / who opposed
Passed by Wyoming Legislature; supported by conservative legislators and anti-abortion advocacy. Opposition from abortion rights advocates and reproductive health organizations.
✅ Pros:
Adds safety standards; may reassure those concerned about clinic quality.
❌ Cons:
Might reduce availability / access; increased travel & cost for patients; possibility of clinic closures.
🗳️ The Ballot Beacon Takeaway:
Wyoming’s HB 42 mandates surgical abortion clinics meet stricter surgical center standards — boosting facility regulation at the cost of potential access, especially for rural or small providers.
✅ Law #4: Bona Fide Residency for Voters — HB 0156
📝 What it does
Voters must have resided in Wyoming for at least 30 days before the election they vote in. (LegiScan)
Proof of residence/documentation required for voter registration/eligibility.
💰 Cost to taxpayers / state budget
Administrative cost for election offices to verify documentation.
Potential costs of public education and signage to inform voters.
👥 Who it helps / affects
Helps: supporters of stricter election rules / voter integrity advocates.
Affects: new residents, people who recently moved; individuals without stable housing or documentation; election offices.
⚙️ Who sponsored / who opposed
Passed in the Legislature; part of election law reforms 2025. (LegiScan)
Support from those emphasizing election security; opposition from voting-rights advocates concerned about disenfranchisement.
✅ Pros:
Adds certainty about voter eligibility; may discourage fraud.
❌ Cons:
Can disenfranchise legitimate voters who recently moved; documentation fburdens; might be confusing for some voters.
🗳️ The Ballot Beacon Takeaway:
Wyoming’s HB 0156 requires voters to live in the state at least 30 days and prove residence — stricter eligibility rules for voting, with risks of excluding recent movers or those lacking documents.