Sponsored by: Joint Revenue Interim Committee
AN ACT relating to Medicaid; providing for the expansion of Medicaid eligibility; limiting the continued expansion of Medicaid eligibility as specified.
WHY IT MATTERS FOR WOMEN & GIRLS: "The Wyoming Department of Health estimates that women between the ages of 18 and 29 who work full-time will be nearly three times as likely as men to enroll in an expanded Medicaid program. That’s likely because the rate of Wyoming women working in low- and minimum-wage jobs is almost three times higher than that of Wyoming men. Working women under 35 make up the largest group of people in Wyoming’s coverage gap."
Sponsored by: Joint Education Interim Committee
AN ACT relating to the Hathaway scholarship program; amending award timing for the Hathaway scholarship program; amending eligibility requirements as specified; amending the calculation of unmet financial need; amending the calculation of scholarship amounts; deleting obsolete language; specifying applicability.
Sponsored by: Joint Education Interim Committee
AN ACT relating to Hathaway scholarship program; merging the reserve and expenditure accounts; increasing the available balance in the expenditure account; modifying investment of funds; increasing scholarship awards as specified; making conforming amendments; transferring funds.
Sponsored by: Joint Education Interim Committee
AN ACT relating to higher education; creating the Wyoming's tomorrow scholarship program; providing eligibility requirements; authorizing administration and rulemaking; creating an account and a permanent fund; requiring reports; providing for a continuous appropriation; amending a provision regarding permanent funds of the state; making conforming amendments; providing for a transfer of funds; specifying applicability.
WHY IT MATTERS FOR WOMEN & GIRLS: The new scholarship fund this bill would create would expand financial aid options to a demographic of Wyomingites seeking a Bachelor's degree that were not previously eligible for scholarships. We know that with more education, women's wages increase and their chances of reaching self-sufficiency are greater.
Sponsored by: Joint Labor, Health & Social Services Interim Committee
AN ACT relating to public health and safety; modifying prior legislation that amended provisions related to community health services; modifying definitions; delaying the effective date for the community health services redesign; requiring reports; providing a legislative finding; making conforming amendments.
WHY IT MATTERS FOR WOMEN & GIRLS: This bill updates criteria related to youth referrals to behavioral health centers to be inclusive of education, healthcare and service providers that surround the youth on a regular basis and updates the definition of indigent to 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. These changes would help more youth in need access mental health services, which in turn would be beneficial to parents.
Sponsored by: Select Committee on Blockchain, Financial Technology and Digital Innovation Technology
AN ACT relating to the support of broadband internet and telehealth access; appropriating federal funds for broadband access projects and telehealth access projects as specified; providing requirements for projects funded; defining terms; requiring rulemaking; and providing for an effective date.
WHY IT MATTERS FOR WOMEN & GIRLS: Women and girls in rural Wyoming communities, who may otherwise have to travel prohibitively far for services, will have better access to healthcare with broadband and telehealth.
Sponsored by: Representative(s) Neiman, Bear, Gray, Haroldson, Jennings, Rodriguez-Williams and Williams and Senator(s) Biteman, Boner, Driskill, French, Salazar and Steinmetz
AN ACT relating to elections; requiring a runoff election after a primary election for specified offices when no candidate receives a majority of the vote; providing the format of the runoff ballot; changing the date for primary elections; amending related dates; making conforming changes; amending election contribution laws; providing that the act is contingent on adoption of a constitutional amendment.
WHY IT MATTERS FOR WOMEN & GIRLS: If constitutional amendment outlined in HJ0003 (below) is adopted and this bill has passed, then this bill would foreclose instant runoff voting. Instant run-offs happen under a ranked choice voting system when the election is for a single position. Ranked choice voting results in more women elected than winner takes all systems.
Sponsored by: Representative(s) Neiman, Bear, Gray, Haroldson, Jennings, Rodriguez-Williams and Williams and Senator(s) Biteman, Boner, Driskill, French, Salazar and Steinmetz
A JOINT RESOLUTION to amend the time and process for the legislature to reapportion its members in order to accommodate holding primary elections in May and subsequent runoff elections as necessary.
WHY IT MATTERS FOR WOMEN & GIRLS: If the amendment is adopted, and HB0074 (above) passes as drafted, then instant runoffs used in ranked choice voting would not be permitted.
