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Wyoming2006Did Not Pass

SF0036

Open Containers of Alcohol in Vehicles

Last scannedOct 18, 2026, 2:19 AM

In one sentence

This bill proposed rules to limit the possession and consumption of open alcoholic beverages in moving motor vehicles, with specific exceptions for storage and certain vehicles.

What it does

  • Prohibits consuming, transporting, or possessing open alcoholic beverages while a motor vehicle is in motion on a public street or highway.
  • Allows unopened drinks to be carried in the vehicle if the seal is intact and the cap or closure has not been removed.
  • Allows open drinks to be stored in a trunk or outside compartment that is not readily accessible to anyone in the vehicle.
  • Allows open drinks to be stored in the unoccupied back of a pickup truck if they are out of reach of the driver.
  • Allows open drinks to be stored in an unoccupied rear compartment of a vehicle without a trunk, provided it is not readily accessible to the driver and not normally occupied by passengers.
  • Allows open drinks to be stored in a secured cabinet or compartment of a recreational vehicle that is not readily accessible to the driver.
  • Exempts passengers in chartered buses (designed for more than 10 people) or chartered limousines from the ban, though drivers in these vehicles are prohibited from having open drinks within their zone of control.
  • Exempts areas within incorporated municipalities that have their own ordinances prohibiting open containers in vehicles.

Who it affects

  • Drivers and passengers of motor vehicles on public streets and highways.
  • Drivers of chartered buses and limousines.
  • Incorporated municipalities that have adopted local ordinances regarding open containers.

Limits and unknowns

  • The bill did not pass in the 2006 session; it failed its final vote in the House on March 8, 2006.
  • The provided text is a working draft and does not include the penalty provisions that were proposed in later amendments but not included in this specific excerpt.
  • The bill text does not specify the exact penalties for violations, as the section regarding penalties was not included in the provided working draft excerpt.

Plain language

Terms to know

Alcoholic beverage
Alcoholic liquor or malt beverage as defined in state law (W.S. 12-1-101).
Recreational vehicle
A self-propelled motor vehicle designed primarily with living quarters for recreational, camping, vacation, or travel use, which must have plumbing and an electrical system operating above 12 volts.
Readily accessible
Easily reached or obtained by a person in the vehicle while it is in motion.

Official record

Sources

Source checked
Official bill pageIntroduced textOfficial digestCurrent bill text

Public statements

Why lawmakers voted

Last checked Aug 8, 8:08 PM

Voted Yes

Why they voted this way

The lawmaker opposes the bill because they believe existing laws already punish bad people and driving under the influence is covered without needing this specific open container restriction.

Public statementFloor statement at 1:00:00 Watch the statement
Voted Yes

Why they voted this way

The lawmaker supports introducing the bill because it addresses issues raised in a previous session by requiring open containers to be kept in locked compartments, specifically for recreational vehicles.

Public statementFloor statement at 1:17:01 Watch the statement

Wyoming roll calls

Recorded votes

7 roll calls

H Failed 3rd Reading 30-29-1-0-02006-03-08 · House30 yes 29 no
Yes
30
No
29
Absent
0
Excused
1
Conflict
0

Yes 30

Becket HinckleyH41Bill ThompsonH60Bruce BarnardH49David R EdwardsH06Debbie HammonsH27Del McOmieH54Douglas OsbornH40Doug SamuelsonH07Elaine HarveyH26EsquibelFrank PhilpH34Gerald GayH36Jeff WasserburgerH32Jerry IekelH29Keith M GingeryH23Kermit C BrownH14Kevin A WhiteH45Larry MeuliH08Layton D MorganH12Mark SemlekH01Monte OlsenH22Owen PetersenH19Pete JorgensenH16Peter S IllowayH42Rodney "Pete" AndersonH10Rosie M BergerH51Stephen D WattH17Thomas A LockhartH57Tom Lubnau IIH31Zwonitzer, DK.

No 29

Alan C JonesH25Ann RobinsonH58Colin SimpsonH24David R MillerH55Deborah AldenH03Edward BuchananH04Erin E Mrs. MercerH53George BagbyH15Jack D Landon Jr.H30James C HagemanH05Jane WarrenH13Jim SlaterH46John HastertH39Kathleen DavisonH20Kurt BucholzH47Lorraine K QuarbergH28Marty A MartinH48Mary GilmoreH59Mick PowersH18Pat ChildersH50Randall B LuthiH21Robert A BrechtelH38Ross DiercksH02Roy CoheeH35Steve HarshmanR · H37Tom WalshH56Wayne ReeseH11W. Patrick P GogglesH33Zwonitzer, DL.

Excused 1

Burke JacksonH52
H Reconsidered 32-27-1-0-02006-03-08 · House32 yes 27 no
Yes
32
No
27
Absent
0
Excused
1
Conflict
0

Yes 32

Becket HinckleyH41Bill ThompsonH60Bruce BarnardH49David R EdwardsH06Debbie HammonsH27Del McOmieH54Douglas OsbornH40Doug SamuelsonH07Edward BuchananH04Elaine HarveyH26EsquibelFrank PhilpH34Gerald GayH36Jeff WasserburgerH32Jerry IekelH29Jim SlaterH46Keith M GingeryH23Kermit C BrownH14Kevin A WhiteH45Larry MeuliH08Layton D MorganH12Mark SemlekH01Owen PetersenH19Pete JorgensenH16Peter S IllowayH42Rodney "Pete" AndersonH10Rosie M BergerH51Stephen D WattH17Steve HarshmanR · H37Thomas A LockhartH57Tom Lubnau IIH31Zwonitzer, DK.

No 27

Alan C JonesH25Ann RobinsonH58Colin SimpsonH24David R MillerH55Deborah AldenH03Erin E Mrs. MercerH53George BagbyH15Jack D Landon Jr.H30James C HagemanH05Jane WarrenH13John HastertH39Kathleen DavisonH20Kurt BucholzH47Lorraine K QuarbergH28Marty A MartinH48Mary GilmoreH59Mick PowersH18Monte OlsenH22Pat ChildersH50Randall B LuthiH21Robert A BrechtelH38Ross DiercksH02Roy CoheeH35Tom WalshH56Wayne ReeseH11W. Patrick P GogglesH33Zwonitzer, DL.

Excused 1

Burke JacksonH52
H Failed 3rd Reading 30-28-2-0-02006-03-08 · House30 yes 28 no
Yes
30
No
28
Absent
0
Excused
2
Conflict
0

Yes 30

Becket HinckleyH41Bill ThompsonH60Bruce BarnardH49David R EdwardsH06Debbie HammonsH27Del McOmieH54Douglas OsbornH40Doug SamuelsonH07Elaine HarveyH26Erin E Mrs. MercerH53EsquibelFrank PhilpH34Gerald GayH36Jeff WasserburgerH32Jerry IekelH29Keith M GingeryH23Kermit C BrownH14Kevin A WhiteH45Larry MeuliH08Layton D MorganH12Mark SemlekH01Monte OlsenH22Owen PetersenH19Pete JorgensenH16Peter S IllowayH42Rodney "Pete" AndersonH10Rosie M BergerH51Stephen D WattH17Tom Lubnau IIH31Zwonitzer, DK.

No 28

Alan C JonesH25Ann RobinsonH58Colin SimpsonH24David R MillerH55Deborah AldenH03Edward BuchananH04George BagbyH15Jack D Landon Jr.H30James C HagemanH05Jane WarrenH13Jim SlaterH46John HastertH39Kathleen DavisonH20Kurt BucholzH47Lorraine K QuarbergH28Marty A MartinH48Mary GilmoreH59Mick PowersH18Pat ChildersH50Randall B LuthiH21Robert A BrechtelH38Ross DiercksH02Roy CoheeH35Steve HarshmanR · H37Tom WalshH56Wayne ReeseH11W. Patrick P GogglesH33Zwonitzer, DL.

Excused 2

Burke JacksonH52Thomas A LockhartH57
H01 Recommended Do Pass 9-0-0-0-02006-02-27 · House9 yes 0 no
Yes
9
No
0
Absent
0
Excused
0
Conflict
0

Yes 9

Ann RobinsonH58Deborah AldenH03Edward BuchananH04George BagbyH15Jack D Landon Jr.H30Kevin A WhiteH45Monte OlsenH22Stephen D WattH17Tom Lubnau IIH31
S Passed 3rd Reading 25-5-0-0-02006-02-22 · Senate25 yes 5 no
Yes
25
No
5
Absent
0
Excused
0
Conflict
0

Yes 25

Austin "Kit" JenningsS28Bill Mr. VaseyS11Bruce Burns Jr.S21Charles ScottR · S30Chuck TownsendS01E. Jayne MocklerS08Gerald E GeisS20Grant C LarsonS17Henry R CoeS18Jim AndersonS02John BarrassoS27John G HanesS05Kathryn L SessionsS07Kenneth J DecariaS15Michael J Mr. Von FlaternS24Mike MassieS09Patricia L AullmanS16Phil A NicholasS10Rae L JobS12Ray R PetersonS19Robert A PeckS26Stan CooperS14Tex BoggsS13Tony RossS04Wayne H JohnsonS06

No 5

Bill HawksS29Cale CaseR · S25Curtis MeierS03John C SchifferS22John J HinesS23
S01 Recommended Do Pass 5-0-0-0-02006-02-16 · Senate5 yes 0 no
Yes
5
No
0
Absent
0
Excused
0
Conflict
0

Yes 5

Bruce Burns Jr.S21John G HanesS05Kathryn L SessionsS07Kenneth J DecariaS15Tony RossS04
S Introduced and Referred to S01 24-6-0-0-02006-02-13 · Senate24 yes 6 no
Yes
24
No
6
Absent
0
Excused
0
Conflict
0

Yes 24

Austin "Kit" JenningsS28Bill Mr. VaseyS11Bruce Burns Jr.S21Charles ScottR · S30E. Jayne MocklerS08Gerald E GeisS20Grant C LarsonS17Henry R CoeS18Jim AndersonS02John BarrassoS27John G HanesS05Kathryn L SessionsS07Kenneth J DecariaS15Michael J Mr. Von FlaternS24Mike MassieS09Patricia L AullmanS16Phil A NicholasS10Rae L JobS12Ray R PetersonS19Robert A PeckS26Stan CooperS14Tex BoggsS13Tony RossS04Wayne H JohnsonS06

No 6

Bill HawksS29Cale CaseR · S25Chuck TownsendS01Curtis MeierS03John C SchifferS22John J HinesS23

Official activity

Bill history

  1. H Failed 3rd ReadingHouse
  2. H ReconsideredHouse
  3. H Failed 3rd ReadingHouse
  4. Amendment FailedHouse
  5. H Passed 2nd ReadingHouse
  6. Amendment FailedHouse
  7. H Passed CoWHouse
  8. H Placed on General FileHouse
  9. H01 Recommended Do PassHouse
  10. H Introduced and Referred to H01House
  11. H Received for IntroductionHouse
  12. S Passed 3rd ReadingSenate
  13. Amendment FailedSenate
  14. S Passed 2nd ReadingSenate
  15. S Passed CoWSenate
  16. Amendment FailedSenate
  17. Amendment AdoptedSenate
  18. S Amendments AdoptedSenate
  19. S Placed on General FileSenate
  20. S01 Recommended Do PassSenate

Changes

Amendments

6 stored

SF0036H2001

Failed 2nd reading by HAGEMAN

SF0036H3001

Withdrawn 3rd reading by HAGEMAN

SF0036H3002

Failed 3rd reading by ZWONITZER

SF0036S3001

Failed 3rd reading by MEIER

SF0036SW001

Adopted Committee of the Whole by DECARIA

SF0036SW002

Failed Committee of the Whole by BURNS