HB0042 • 2024

Prohibition on private funds for conducting elections.

AN ACT relating to elections; prohibiting government officials and election officials from soliciting, taking or otherwise accepting private funds to conduct elections as specified; providing for an exception for special districts; creating a new misdemeanor offense; and providing for an effective date.

Crime Elections

Inactive

Wyoming marks this bill as inactive, which usually means it is no longer moving in the current session.

Sponsor: Corporations
Last action: 2024-03-05
Official status: inactive
Effective date: 3/1/2024

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details about the misdemeanor offense or its penalties.

Ban on Private Money for Elections

The bill stops government and election officials from getting private money to run elections, with some exceptions.

What This Bill Does

Prohibits government and election officials in Wyoming from soliciting or accepting private funds for conducting elections.
Allows the Secretary of State to make rules that exempt special districts from this prohibition if necessary.
Does not prohibit the acceptance and expenditure of federal funds for elections.

Who It Names or Affects

Government and election officials in Wyoming
People who might want to give private funds to help run elections

Terms To Know

Special districts: Smaller areas within a state that have their own local government for specific purposes.
Misdemeanor offense: A crime that is less serious than a felony and usually results in fines or short jail time.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill only applies to elections after July 1, 2024.
It does not specify the penalties for violating this prohibition.
The bill is inactive as of March 5, 2024, and will not move forward in this session.

Bill History

2024-03-05 House
H:Died in Committee Returned Bill Pursuant to HR 5-4
2024-02-23 House
H No report prior to CoW Cutoff
2024-02-20 Wyoming Legislature
:Recall from Committee failed Pursuant to HR 5-6 28-33-1-0-0
2024-02-13 House
H Introduced and Referred to H07 - Corporations 61-0-1-0-0
2024-01-24 House
H Received for Introduction
2024-01-03 LSO
Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

24LSO-0092
2024
STATE OF WYOMING
24LSO-0092
Numbered
2.0

HOUSE BILL NO. HB0042

Prohibition on private funds for conducting elections.

Sponsored by: Joint Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivisions Interim Committee

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to elections; prohibiting government officials and election officials from soliciting, taking or otherwise accepting private funds to conduct elections as specified; providing for an exception for special districts; creating a new misdemeanor offense; 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 government official or election official in Wyoming 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 with public funds. This subsection shall not apply to meals or food provided or donated in support of election training or education and meals or food provided on election day to poll workers and other election staff. The secretary of state may by rule exempt any particular class of special district elections from all or a portion of this subsection.

(b)

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

Section 2
.

This act is effective July 1, 2024
.

(END)

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HB0042