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Wyoming2025Enacted

SF0042

Resort Hotel Liquor Licenses

Last scannedOct 14, 2026, 2:19 AM

In one sentence

This law allows resort hotels to obtain special liquor licenses if they meet certain criteria, and sets specific requirements for these licenses.

What it does

  • Allows counties, cities, or towns to issue special liquor licenses to owners or lessees of a resort hotel that meets specified requirements.
  • Requires the resort hotel to have an actual valuation of at least $5 million, include a full-service restaurant open during regular business hours (seasonal variances may be granted), and offer room service for at least twelve hours daily.
  • Requires the hotel to provide meeting spaces for up to 50 people and have at least twenty sleeping rooms available for short-term stays.
  • Exempts resort hotels from population limits that usually apply to liquor licenses in cities or towns.
  • Sets an annual fee of between $500 and $3,000 for the special liquor license.

Who it affects

  • Owners or lessees of resort hotels who want to get a special liquor license.
  • Counties, cities, or towns that issue these licenses.
  • Registered guests at resort hotels who can buy unopened bottles of alcohol for on-premises consumption.

Limits and unknowns

  • The law only applies to resort hotels meeting specific criteria.
  • It does not specify how the licensing authority will decide on variances for restaurant hours.
  • The exact impact on local economies and tourism is uncertain.

Plain language

Terms to know

Resort hotel
A large hotel with many amenities and services, often in a scenic location.
Liquor license
A permit that allows businesses to sell alcoholic drinks.

Official record

Sources

Source checked
Read the official summary

Bill Summary - 25LSO-0287 Bill No.: SF0042 Effective: 7/1/2025 LSO No.: 25LSO-0287 Enrolled Act No.: SEA No. 0007 Chapter No.: 37 Prime Sponsor: Gierau Catch Title: Resort hotel liquor licenses. Has Report: No Subject: Authorizing the issuance of resort hotel liquor licenses. Summary/Major Elements: This act authorizes the appropriate licensing authority in counties, cities, and towns to issue resort hotel liquor licenses to the owners or lessees of a resort hotel. In order to qualify for a resort hotel liquor license, the resort hotel must: Have an actual valuation of (or a commitment to expend or have actually expended) five million dollars ($5,000,000.00). Include a full-service restaurant that generally is open during business hours. Include at least twenty (20) sleeping rooms for short-term occupancy. Providing in-room dining services for at least twelve (12) hours each day. Provide facilities for business meetings for at least fifty (50) participants. Resort hotel liquor licenses are not subject to the population formula that limits retail liquor licenses in counties, cities, and towns. The annual fee for a resort hotel liquor license is between five hundred dollars ($500.00) and three thousand dollars ($3,000.00). Resort hotels are authorized in the act to sell an unopened bottle of liquor or wine to a registered guest for consumption on the premises of the resort hotel. The above summary is not an official publication of the Wyoming Legislature and is not an official statement of legislative intent. While the Legislative Service Office endeavored to provide accurate information in this summary, it should not be relied upon as a comprehensive abstract of the bill.

Public statements

Why lawmakers voted

Last checked Aug 5, 3:31 AM

Voted Yes

Why they voted this way

The lawmaker changed their vote from conflict to yes because they determined the bill does not impact their business, despite holding a liquor license.

Public statementFloor statement at 1:36:47 Watch the statement

Bob Ide

R · S29

Voted No

Why they voted this way

The lawmaker argues that lowering financial and facility requirements will expand economic opportunities for remote dude ranches currently ineligible under the current rules.

Public statementFloor statement at 18:59 Watch the statement

Bill Landen

R · S27

Voted Yes

Why they voted this way

The lawmaker opposes the amendment because he believes it jeopardizes a balanced agreement reached in committee between opposing forces.

Public statementFloor statement at 29:08 Watch the statement

Brian Boner

R · S02

Voted Yes

Why they voted this way

The lawmaker supports lowering the room count requirement because it helps smaller communities dealing with population growth and reduces an arbitrary licensing system.

Public statementFloor statement at 31:31 Watch the statement

Gary Crum

R · S10

Voted Yes

Why they voted this way

The lawmaker opposes the amendment because it creates unnecessary barriers that exclude people from participating in the program, similar to how industries try to fence out competitors.

Public statementFloor statement at 39:13 Watch the statement
Voted Yes

Why they voted this way

The lawmaker opposes the amendment because it is a wildly restrictive poison pill from retail liquor groups that unfairly limits business operations and menu choices.

Public statementFloor statement at 42:58 Watch the statement

Jared Olsen

R · S08

Voted Yes

Why they voted this way

The lawmaker opposes the amendment because the new definition lacks the operative language requiring sales to be primarily for food rather than alcohol, which is present in the existing statute.

Public statementFloor statement at 45:00 Watch the statement

Tim French

R · S18

Voted No

Why they voted this way

The lawmaker urges support for the bill by noting that previous concerns raised decades ago regarding similar restaurant liquor licenses did not materialize.

Public statementFloor statement at 51:58 Watch the statement

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

Wyoming roll calls

Recorded votes

5 roll calls

S Concur:Passed 20-8-1-0-22025-02-18 · Senate20 yes 8 no
H 3rd Reading:Passed 43-18-1-0-02025-02-18 · House43 yes 18 no
H06 - Travel:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 9-0-0-0-02025-02-11 · House9 yes 0 no
S 3rd Reading:Passed 23-5-0-0-32025-01-29 · Senate23 yes 5 no
S07 - Corporations:Recommend Do Pass 3-1-0-0-12025-01-22 · Senate3 yes 1 no

Official activity

Bill history

  1. Assigned Chapter Number 37LSO
  2. Governor Signed SEA No. 0007 Governor
  3. H Speaker Signed SEA No. 0007House
  4. S President Signed SEA No. 0007Senate
  5. Assigned Number SEA No. 0007LSO
  6. S Concur:Passed 20-8-1-0-2Senate
  7. S Received for ConcurrenceSenate
  8. H 3rd Reading:Passed 43-18-1-0-0House
  9. H 2nd Reading:PassedHouse
  10. H COW:PassedHouse
  11. H Placed on General FileHouse
  12. H06 - Travel:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 9-0-0-0-0House
  13. H Introduced and Referred to H06 - TravelHouse
  14. H Received for IntroductionHouse
  15. S 3rd Reading:Passed 23-5-0-0-3Senate
  16. S 3rd Reading:Laid BackSenate
  17. S 3rd Reading:Laid BackSenate
  18. S 2nd Reading:PassedSenate
  19. S COW:PassedSenate
  20. S Placed on General FileSenate

Changes

Amendments

5 stored

SF0042HS001

The amendment changes the requirements for resort hotel liquor licenses by adding specific criteria for a full-service restaurant.

SF0042S3001

The amendment changes requirements for resort hotel liquor licenses by modifying distance restrictions, financial thresholds, and removing certain local government references.

SF0042S3001.01

The amendment changes the financial requirements for resort hotel liquor licenses by lowering certain monetary thresholds.

SF0042S3001.02

The amendment removes references to cities and towns in certain sections and adds a requirement for resort hotels to be at least five miles away from any city or town's limits.

SF0042S3002

The amendment changes the requirements for resort hotel liquor licenses by specifying that hotels must have a full-service restaurant open at least twelve hours daily and six days weekly.