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SF0030

Compensation for Persons Exonerated by DNA Evidence

Last scannedOct 18, 2026, 2:19 AM

In one sentence

This bill allows people who were wrongly imprisoned and later proven innocent through DNA testing to receive financial compensation from the state.

What it does

  • Allows people to receive money if a court enters an order of actual innocence and exoneration based on DNA testing.
  • Sets the payment amount at $100 for each day the person was actually incarcerated, with a maximum total of $500,000.
  • Requires the Attorney General's office to review applications and determine if a person is eligible for payment.
  • Pays amounts of $50,000 or less in one lump sum, while larger amounts are paid in yearly installments of $50,000.
  • Requires applicants to sign a legal document giving up the right to sue the government for that specific conviction.
  • Appropriates $300,000 from the state general fund to the treasurer's office to pay for these yearly installments until June 30, 2016.

Who it affects

  • People who were convicted of a crime, served time in prison, and were later exonerated by a court order based on DNA testing.
  • The Wyoming Attorney General's office, which is responsible for processing applications and determining eligibility.
  • The State Treasurer's office, which manages the funds for the yearly payments.
  • Government entities and their employees, who are protected from lawsuits related to the conviction if compensation is paid.

Limits and unknowns

  • The bill only provides compensation if the legislature has approved enough money to pay for it.
  • The $300,000 fund is only available until June 30, 2016, and any unused money must be returned to the state.
  • The bill does not specify how the state will pay for lump-sum payments of $50,000 or less, as the appropriation is specifically designated for annuitized payments.

Plain language

Terms to know

Exoneration
A legal decision by a court that a person is actually innocent of the crime they were convicted of.
Annuitized payments
Money paid out in equal, regular installments over time rather than all at once.
Sovereign immunity
A legal rule that prevents people from suing the government for damages in most cases.
Appropriation
The official act of the legislature setting aside a specific amount of money for a specific purpose.

Official record

Sources

Source checked
Official bill pageIntroduced textOfficial digestCurrent bill text

Public statements

Why lawmakers voted

Last checked Aug 7, 6:36 AM

Voted Yes

Why they voted this way

The lawmaker urges support because the amendment addresses a newly identified issue regarding whether an exoneration truly means innocence or if it results from other factors like witness unavailability.

Public statementFloor statement at 33:53 Watch the statement
Voted No

Why they voted this way

The lawmaker opposes concurring because the House amendments added unrelated processes and undisclosed appropriations, causing the bill to stray from its original intent.

Public statementFloor statement at 1:04:09 Watch the statement
Voted Yes

Why they voted this way

The lawmaker supports the bill because DNA technology now exists to prove innocence in cases where it was unavailable during initial proceedings, and a specific exoneration case has already occurred in the state. The legislation clarifies the process for these exonerations.

Public statementFloor statement at 4:44 Watch the statement

If a lawmaker is not listed, we couldn't find a published reason.

Wyoming roll calls

Recorded votes

7 roll calls

S Did Not Concur 0-30-0-0-02014-03-05 · Senate0 yes 30 no
Yes
0
No
30
Absent
0
Excused
0
Conflict
0

No 30

Anderson JD S02Anderson JL S28Bernadine CraftS12Bill LandenR · S27Bruce Burns Jr.S21Cale CaseR · S25Charles ScottR · S30Chris RothfussD · S09Curtis MeierS03Dan DockstaderR · S16Drew A PerkinsS29Eli D BeboutS26Floyd EsquibelS08Fred M EmerichS05Gerald E GeisS20Henry R CoeS18John C SchifferS22John HastertS13John J HinesS23Larry HicksR · S11Leland G ChristensenS17Leslie J NuttingS07Michael J Mr. Von FlaternS24Nicholas POgden DriskillR · S01Paul R BarnardS15Ray R PetersonS19Stan CooperS14Tony RossS04Wayne H JohnsonS06
H Passed 3rd Reading 56-4-0-0-02014-03-05 · House56 yes 4 no
Yes
56
No
4
Absent
0
Excused
0
Conflict
0

Yes 56

Albert P Sommers Jr.H20Allen M JaggiH19Carl R LoucksH59Catherine R ConnollyH13Dan R KirkbrideH04David E NorthrupH50David H BlevinsH25David R MillerH55Dn.Donald E Burkhart JrH15Elaine HarveyH26Eric BarlowR · H03Garry C PiiparinenH49Glenn W MonizH46Gregory R BlikreH53Hans HuntH02James W ByrdH44Jerry D PaxtonH47John L FreemanH60John W PattonH29Katherine K ColemanH30Keith M GingeryH23Ken A EsquibelH41Kendell R KroekerH35Kermit C BrownH14Lee FilerD · H12Lloyd LarsenR · H54Lynn HutchingsR · H42Mark H BakerH48Mark SemlekH01Martha D HalversonH22Mary A ThroneH11Matthias E GreeneH45Matt TeetersH05Michael D GreearH27Michael K MaddenH40Nathan A WintersH28Nicholas BNorine A KasperikH32Richard L CannadyH06Rita CampbellH34Robert M McKimH21Rosie M BergerH51Ruth A PetroffH16Samuel P KroneH24Stanley L BlakeH39Stephen D WattH17Steve HarshmanR · H37Susan S WilsonH07Thomas A LockhartH57Thomas J WaltersH38Timothy M StubsonH56Tom Lubnau IIH31Troy R MaderH52W. Patrick P GogglesH33Zwonitzer

No 4

Gerald GayH36John C EklundH10Kathleen DavisonH18Thomas F ReederH58
H01 Recommended Amend and Do Pass 9-0-0-0-02014-02-28 · House9 yes 0 no
Yes
9
No
0
Absent
0
Excused
0
Conflict
0

Yes 9

Catherine R ConnollyH13David R MillerH55Keith M GingeryH23Kendell R KroekerH35Mark H BakerH48Martha D HalversonH22Samuel P KroneH24Stephen D WattH17Thomas J WaltersH38
S Passed 3rd Reading 26-4-0-0-02014-02-25 · Senate26 yes 4 no
Yes
26
No
4
Absent
0
Excused
0
Conflict
0

Yes 26

Anderson JD S02Bernadine CraftS12Bill LandenR · S27Bruce Burns Jr.S21Cale CaseR · S25Charles ScottR · S30Chris RothfussD · S09Curtis MeierS03Drew A PerkinsS29Floyd EsquibelS08Fred M EmerichS05Gerald E GeisS20Henry R CoeS18John C SchifferS22John HastertS13John J HinesS23Larry HicksR · S11Leland G ChristensenS17Leslie J NuttingS07Michael J Mr. Von FlaternS24Nicholas POgden DriskillR · S01Ray R PetersonS19Stan CooperS14Tony RossS04Wayne H JohnsonS06

No 4

Anderson JL S28Dan DockstaderR · S16Eli D BeboutS26Paul R BarnardS15
S02 Recommended Amend and Do Pass 5-0-0-0-02014-02-18 · Senate5 yes 0 no
Yes
5
No
0
Absent
0
Excused
0
Conflict
0

Yes 5

Curtis MeierS03Dan DockstaderR · S16Drew A PerkinsS29Eli D BeboutS26John HastertS13
S01 Recommended Amend and Do Pass 5-0-0-0-02014-02-14 · Senate5 yes 0 no
Yes
5
No
0
Absent
0
Excused
0
Conflict
0

Yes 5

Bruce Burns Jr.S21Floyd EsquibelS08John C SchifferS22Larry HicksR · S11Leland G ChristensenS17
S Introduced and Referred to S01 30-0-0-0-02014-02-11 · Senate30 yes 0 no
Yes
30
No
0
Absent
0
Excused
0
Conflict
0

Yes 30

Anderson JD S02Anderson JL S28Bernadine CraftS12Bill LandenR · S27Bruce Burns Jr.S21Cale CaseR · S25Charles ScottR · S30Chris RothfussD · S09Curtis MeierS03Dan DockstaderR · S16Drew A PerkinsS29Eli D BeboutS26Floyd EsquibelS08Fred M EmerichS05Gerald E GeisS20Henry R CoeS18John C SchifferS22John HastertS13John J HinesS23Larry HicksR · S11Leland G ChristensenS17Leslie J NuttingS07Michael J Mr. Von FlaternS24Nicholas POgden DriskillR · S01Paul R BarnardS15Ray R PetersonS19Stan CooperS14Tony RossS04Wayne H JohnsonS06

Official activity

Bill history

  1. H Appointed JCC01 MembersHouse
  2. S Indefinitely PostponedSenate
  3. S Appointed JCC01 MembersSenate
  4. S Did Not ConcurSenate
  5. S Received for ConcurrenceSenate
  6. H Passed 3rd ReadingHouse
  7. Amendment AdoptedHouse
  8. Amendment AdoptedHouse
  9. H Passed 2nd ReadingHouse
  10. Amendment FailedHouse
  11. Amendment AdoptedHouse
  12. Amendment AdoptedHouse
  13. H Passed CoWHouse
  14. H Amendments AdoptedHouse
  15. Amendment AdoptedHouse
  16. H Placed on General FileHouse
  17. H01 Recommended Amend and Do PassHouse
  18. H Introduced and Referred to H01House
  19. H Received for IntroductionHouse
  20. S Passed 3rd ReadingSenate

Changes

Amendments

12 stored

SF0030H2001

Adopted 2nd reading by GINGERY

SF0030H2002

Adopted 2nd reading by LUBNAU

SF0030H2003

Failed 2nd reading by NICHOLAS,B

SF0030H3001

Adopted 3rd reading by GINGERY

SF0030H3002

Adopted 3rd reading by NICHOLAS,B

SF0030HS001

Adopted Standing Committee by H01

SF0030SW001

Adopted Committee of the Whole by SCHIFFER

SF0030SW002

Adopted Committee of the Whole by BEBOUT

SF0030SS001

Filed Standing Committee by SCHIFFER

SF0030SS001.01

Adopted, Corrected Standing Committee by SCHIFFER

SF0030SS001.02

Failed, Corrected Standing Committee by SCHIFFER

SF0030SS002

Failed, Corrected Standing Committee by BEBOUT