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HB0078 • 2020

Firearms in private vehicles.

AN ACT relating to employment; allowing firearms to be stored in a motor vehicle located in an employer's motor vehicle parking area; providing exemptions and immunity; and providing for an effective date.

Education Firearms Labor
Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor
Representative Blake
Last action
2020-02-26
Official status
inactive
Effective date
3/1/2020

Plain English Breakdown

The bill's effective date mentioned in the candidate explanation does not match the official text, which states July 1, 2020.

Allowing Firearms in Employer Parking Areas

The bill allows employees to store firearms in their vehicles while parked at work and provides immunity for employers who comply with this act.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows employees to transport or store firearms in a locked vehicle or container within employer-provided parking areas, provided the firearm is not visible from outside the vehicle.
  • Exempts certain entities like schools, government agencies, and religious organizations from the requirement.
  • Provides that an employer is not liable for damages resulting from storing firearms as allowed by this act.
  • Does not create any additional duties on employers beyond what is already required.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Employees who work at businesses with parking areas
  • Employers who provide parking areas to employees

Terms To Know

Employee
Any person working for salary, wages, or other compensation, including independent contractors and volunteers.
Motor vehicle
A type of vehicle used to transport people or goods on roads.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not apply to certain exempted entities such as schools and government agencies.
  • It is unclear how this act will be enforced in practice.
  • This legislation did not pass during the session it was introduced.

Amendments

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

HB0078HW001

Committee of the Whole • Representative Blake

Corrected

Plain English: The amendment adds a new section to the bill that protects employees from being fired for storing or transporting firearms in their vehicles while at work, as long as they follow certain laws.

  • Adds protection for employees who store or transport firearms in their vehicles on employer property without violating specific state firearm storage laws.
  • The amendment does not specify which exact laws about firearm storage must be followed, only that compliance with them is required.
  • It's unclear how this will affect existing workplace safety policies and regulations.
HB0078HW002

Committee of the Whole • Representative Blake

Filed

Plain English: The amendment adds language that limits the bill's provisions about storing firearms in employer-provided parking areas to only private vehicles, excluding public and business-owned vehicles.

  • Adds new text after 'Exemptions' on page 5 line 5 stating '; applicability'.
  • Inserts a new section (d) that specifies the act applies only to private motor vehicles owned by individuals.
  • Inserts a new section (d)(ii) that states the act does not apply to public or business-owned vehicles.
  • The amendment text is clear and complete, providing specific changes without ambiguity.
HB0078HW003

Committee of the Whole • Representative Newsome

Filed

Plain English: The amendment adds a new exemption for facilities serving youth, which must be certified by the Department of Family Services, allowing firearms to be stored in vehicles parked at these locations.

  • Adds an exception for youth-serving facilities that are certified by the Department of Family Services.
  • The amendment does not specify what types of youth facilities qualify under this exemption or provide details on how certification is obtained from the Department of Family Services.
HB0078HW004

Committee of the Whole • Representative Eklund

Filed

Plain English: This amendment removes previous changes to the bill and makes specific edits to certain sections of the bill text.

  • Removes all content from pages 5 lines 5 through 21 and page 6 lines 1 through 7.
  • Changes references from '27-16-104' to '27-16-103'.
  • Deletes the phrase 'exemptions and' on page 1 line 3.
  • The amendment text does not provide clear explanations for why certain sections are deleted or what specific changes these references imply, making it hard to understand the full impact of the amendments.
HB0078HS001

Standing Committee • House Transportation, Highways and Military Affair

Filed

Plain English: The amendment to HB0078HS001 changes the language regarding where firearms can be stored in employer-provided parking areas and adds specific conditions for commercial or industrial land use.

  • Removes 'otherwise' after 'prohibited' and inserts 'by law', clarifying that only laws prohibit firearm storage in vehicles.
  • Adds a new clause specifying the conditions under which commercial or industrial land can be used, including being fully enclosed with locked gates or monitored access.
  • The amendment's text does not provide full context on how these changes will affect existing laws and regulations.

Bill History

  1. 2020-02-26 House

    H COW:H Did not consider for COW

  2. 2020-02-20 House

    H Placed on General File

  3. 2020-02-20 House

    H08 - Transportation:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 6-3-0-0-0

  4. 2020-02-11 House

    H Introduced and Referred to H08 - Transportation 57-2-1-0-0

  5. 2020-02-07 House

    H Received for Introduction

  6. 2020-01-29 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
20LSO-0142
2020
STATE OF WYOMING
20LSO-0142
Numbered
2.0

HOUSE BILL NO. HB0078

Firearms in private vehicles.

Sponsored by: Representative(s) Blake, Clem, Duncan, Harshman, Larsen, Lindholm and Olsen and Senator(s) Driskill, Hicks and Nethercott

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to employment; allowing firearms to be stored in a motor vehicle located in an employer's motor vehicle parking area; providing exemptions and immunity; and providing for an effective date.

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

Section 1
.

W.S. 27
‑
16
‑
101 through 27
‑
16
‑
104 are created to read:

CHAPTER 16
PROTECTION OF SECURED FIREARMS IN PRIVATE VEHICLES

27
‑
16
‑
101.

Title.

This act shall be known as the "Right to Keep and Bear Arms in Private Vehicles Act."

27
‑
16
‑
102.

Definitions.

(a)

As used in this act:

(i)

"Employee" means any person who:

(A)

Works for salary, wages or other compensation;

(B)

Is an independent contractor; or

(C)

Is a volunteer, intern or other similar individual.

(ii)

"Employer" means any business that is a sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, professional association, cooperative,
joint venture, trust, firm, institution, entity or association that has employees;

(iii)

"Firearm" means as defined by W.S. 6
‑
8
‑
403(a)(iii);

(iv)

"Motor vehicle" means as defined by W.S. 31
‑
1
‑
101(a)(xv);

(v)

"Motor vehicle parking" means an area available for temporary or long
‑
term parking or storage of motor vehicles that is available to employees, customers or invitees;

(vi)

"This act" means W.S. 27
‑
16
‑
101 through 27
‑
16
‑
104.

27
‑
16
‑
103.

Protection of certain activities; firearms.

(a)

An employer shall not establish, maintain or enforce any policy or rule that has the effect of
prohibiting any employee from transporting or storing a firearm in a motor vehicle on any property designated for motor vehicle parking, if:

(i)

The employee is not otherwise prohibited from transporting, possessing, purchasing, receiving, transferring or storing the firearm;

(ii)

The firearm is in a motor vehicle that is securely locked or is in a locked container attached to the motor vehicle while the motor vehicle is not occupied; and

(iii)

The firearm is not in plain view from the outside of the motor vehicle.

(b)

An employer has no duty of care to any person as a result of complying with the provisions of this act.

(c)

An employer that complies with this act is not liable in any criminal or civil action for damages resulting from or arising out of an occurrence involving the transportation or storage of a firearm in a motor
vehicle on property designated for motor vehicle parking. This immunity shall not apply to acts or omissions unrelated to compliance with this act, constituting gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct.

(d)

Nothing in this act shall be construed to expand any existing duty, or create any additional duty, on the part of an employer or that employer's agent.

27
‑
16
‑
104.

Exemptions.

(a)

The provisions of this act allowing the transportation or storage of firearms in motor vehicles shall not apply to:

(i)

The University of Wyoming, community colleges and schools, including any school building or school grounds in Wyoming and other properties owned or leased by a school;

(ii)

Government entities, including the federal government and its agencies, state agencies, cities, towns, counties and political subdivisions of the state;

(iii)

Religious organizations, including religious organizations acting as an employer.

(b)

Nothing in this act shall affect restrictions on the carrying of concealed weapons as provided in W.S. 6
‑
8
‑
104(t).

(c)

This act shall not apply to any property owned or leased by an employer upon which possession of a firearm is prohibited under federal law.

Section 2
.

This act is effective July 1, 2020
.

(END)

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HB0078