HB0224 • 2023

Prohibition on private funds for conducting elections.

AN ACT relating to elections; prohibiting state government officials and election officials from soliciting, taking or otherwise accepting private funds to conduct elections as specified; creating a felony; providing for imprisonment and a fine; and providing for an effective date.

Crime Elections Labor

Did Not Pass

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

Sponsor: Representative Singh
Last action: 2023-01-31
Official status: inactive
Effective date: 3/1/2023

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide a detailed summary or digest text for this bill.

Ban on Private Money for Elections

The bill prohibits state and election officials from accepting private funds to conduct elections in Wyoming.

What This Bill Does

Prohibits state government officials and election officials from soliciting, taking or otherwise accepting private funds to conduct elections.
Allows meals and food donations for training and on Election Day for poll workers and staff.
Does not prohibit the use of federal money for elections as allowed by law.
Makes violating this rule a felony with possible imprisonment up to five years or a fine up to $10,000, or both.

Who It Names or Affects

State government officials
Election officials

Terms To Know

Felony: A serious crime that can lead to a long prison sentence and large fines.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill did not pass in the session it was introduced.
It does not specify which officials exactly are covered by this rule, only state government and election officials.

Bill History

2023-01-31 House
H Did not Consider for Introduction
2023-01-24 House
H Received for Introduction
2023-01-23 LSO
Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

23LSO-0599
2023
STATE OF WYOMING
23LSO-0599
Numbered
2.0

HOUSE BILL NO. HB0224

Prohibition on private funds for conducting elections.

Sponsored by: Representative(s) Singh and Senator(s) Biteman and Hutchings

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to elections; prohibiting state government officials and election officials from soliciting, taking or otherwise accepting private funds to conduct elections as specified; creating a felony; providing for imprisonment and a fine; and providing for an effective date.

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

Section 1
.

W.S. 22
‑
2
‑
123 is created to read:

22
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2
‑
123.

Private funds in elections prohibited.

(a)

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no state government official or election official shall solicit, take or otherwise accept from any person any contribution, donation or anything of value for purposes of conducting an election. All costs and expenses relating to elections shall be paid for with public funds. This subsection shall not apply to meals or food provided or donated in support of election training or education or provided on election day to poll workers and other election staff.

(b)

Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the acceptance and expenditure of federal funds for elections as provided by law.

(c)

Any person who violates subsection (a) of this section shall be guilty of a felony punishable by not more than five (5) years imprisonment or a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00), or both.

Section 2
.

This act is effective July 1, 2023
.

(END)

1
HB0224