HB0012 • 2020

Motor vehicle violations-penalties.

AN ACT relating to motor vehicle penalties; removing the imprisonment penalty under the general penalty provisions for violations relating to motor vehicles generally, for traffic violations and for violations of the Driver's License Act; removing the imprisonment penalty for failing to return a license or registration after suspension; providing imprisonment penalties for specified violations; and providing for an effective date.

Crime

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Judiciary
Last action: 2020-03-13
Official status: enrolled
Effective date: 7/1/2020

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details about fines for repeat traffic violations within a year.

Motor Vehicle Violations - Penalties

This law changes penalties for motor vehicle violations by removing imprisonment as a punishment and setting fines for certain offenses.

What This Bill Does

Removes the possibility of jail time for most motor vehicle, traffic, and driver's license violations.
Eliminates jail time for not returning a suspended license or registration.
Keeps jail time as an option for third-time offenders of specific traffic rules.

Who It Names or Affects

People who violate motor vehicle laws, including drivers and car owners.

Terms To Know

Misdemeanor: A crime that is less serious than a felony but more serious than an infraction. It can result in fines or jail time.
Penalty: The punishment for breaking a law, such as a fine or imprisonment.

Limits and Unknowns

Does not specify all the details of every possible violation and its penalty.
Only applies to Wyoming state laws.
Effective date is July 1, 2020.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HB0012SS001

Standing Committee • Senate Judiciary Committee

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment to HB0012 removes certain sections of the bill related to motor vehicle penalties.

Removes 'through' from line 12 on page 1 of the bill.
Replaces '(iii)' with 'and (ii)' at line 13 on page 1 of the bill.
Deletes lines 2 through 6 on page 3 of the bill.

The amendment text does not provide enough information to explain the full impact or purpose of these changes in plain English.

Bill History

2020-03-13 LSO
Assigned Chapter Number 96
2020-03-13 Governor
Governor Signed HEA No. 0074
2020-03-12 Senate
S President Signed HEA No. 0074
2020-03-12 House
H Speaker Signed HEA No. 0074
2020-03-11 LSO
Assigned Number HEA No. 0074
2020-03-11 House
H Concur:Passed 58-0-2-0-0
2020-03-10 House
H Received for Concurrence
2020-03-10 Senate
S 3rd Reading:Passed 30-0-0-0-0
2020-03-09 Senate
S 2nd Reading:Passed
2020-03-06 Senate
S COW:Passed
2020-03-05 Senate
S Placed on General File
2020-03-05 Senate
S01 - Judiciary:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 3-1-1-0-0
2020-02-24 Senate
S Introduced and Referred to S01 - Judiciary
2020-02-18 Senate
S Received for Introduction
2020-02-18 House
H 3rd Reading:Passed 59-0-1-0-0
2020-02-17 House
H 2nd Reading:Passed
2020-02-14 House
H COW:Passed
2020-02-13 House
H Placed on General File
2020-02-13 House
H01 - Judiciary:Recommend Do Pass 9-0-0-0-0
2020-02-10 House
H Introduced and Referred to H01 - Judiciary 59-0-1-0-0
2020-02-07 House
H Received for Introduction
2019-12-10 LSO
Bill Number Assigned

Official Summary Text

Bill Summary - 20LSO-0222
Bill No.:

HB0012

Effective:

7/1/2020 12:00:00 AM

LSO No.:

20LSO-0222

Enrolled Act No.:

HEA No. 0074

Chapter No.:

96

Prime Sponsor:

Joint Judiciary Interim Committee

Catch Title:

Motor vehicle violations-penalties.

Subject:

Imprisonment penalties for motor-vehicle violations.

Summary/Major Elements:

Under current law, violations of Wyoming's motor vehicle and driver license statutes are punishable by a fine and imprisonment up to six (6) months.

The act removes the imprisonment penalty from the general penalty provisions for violations relating to motor vehicles, for traffic violations and for violations of the Driver's License Act.

The act retains imprisonment as a penalty option for third offenses of traffic violations and amends the imprisonment penalties for violations associated with duties during a motor vehicle accident.
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.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

20LSO-0222

ORIGINAL House

ENGROSSED
Bill No
.
HB0012

ENROLLED ACT NO. 74,

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

SIXTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2020 Budget Session

AN ACT relating to motor vehicle penalties; removing the imprisonment penalty under the general penalty provisions for violations relating to motor vehicles generally, for traffic violations and for violations of the Driver's License Act; removing the imprisonment penalty for failing to return a license or registration after suspension; providing imprisonment penalties for specified violations; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1.

W.S. 31
‑
4
‑
104, 31
‑
5
‑
1201(b)(i), (ii) and by creating a new subsection (j), 31
‑
7
‑
136 and 31
‑
9
‑
106(a) are amended to read:

31
‑
4
‑
104.

General penalty.

Any person who violates any provision of this act for which no separate penalty is provided upon conviction shall be punished by a fine not to exceed seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00)
.
, imprisonment not to exceed six (6) months, or both.

31
‑
5
‑
1201.

Violation of provisions to constitute misdemeanor; penalties; officer training fee.

(b)

Every person convicted of a misdemeanor for a violation of any of the provisions of this act or rules and regulations authorized under this act for which another penalty is not provided shall:

(i)

For a first conviction be punished by a fine of not more than two hundred dollars ($200.00)
;
, by imprisonment for not more than twenty (20) days, or both;

(ii)

For a second conviction of the same offense within one (1) year thereafter, be punished by a fine of not more than three hundred dollars ($300.00)
;
or by imprisonment for not more than thirty (30) days, or both;

(j)

Any person convicted of a misdemeanor for a violation of any of the provisions under W.S. 31
‑
5
‑
1102 through 31
‑
5
‑
1108 shall:

(i)

For a first conviction be punished by a fine of not more than two hundred dollars ($200.00), by imprisonment for not more than twenty (20) days, or both;

(ii)

For a second conviction of the same offense within one (1) year thereafter, be punished by a fine of not more than three hundred dollars ($300.00) or by imprisonment for not more than thirty (30) days, or both;

(iii)

For a third or subsequent conviction of the same offense within one (1) year after the first conviction, be punished by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500.00) or by imprisonment for not more than six (6) months, or both.

31
‑
7
‑
136.

General penalties.

Except as otherwise provided by this act
,
any person who violates any provision of this act is guilty of a misdemeanor and may be punished by a fine of not more than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00)
.
, by imprisonment for not more than ninety (90) days, or both. On conviction for a second or subsequent violation, the person may be fined not more than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), imprisoned for not to exceed six (6) months, or both.

31
‑
9
‑
106.

General penalties.

(a)

Any person willfully failing to return a license or registration as required in W.S. 31
‑
9
‑
105
,
shall be fined not more than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00)
.
, imprisoned not more than thirty (30) days, or both.

Section 2
.

This act is effective July 1, 2020
.

(END)

Speaker of the House

President of the Senate

Governor

TIME APPROVED: _________

DATE APPROVED: _________

I hereby certify that this act originated in the House.

Chief Clerk

1