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HB0023 • 2025

Surrender driver's license-repeal.

AN ACT relating to motor vehicles; repealing requirements to physically surrender a driver's license; repealing temporary licenses; requiring peace officers to submit signed statements to the department of transportation after alcohol concentration tests for persons under twenty-one (21) years of age as specified; clarifying the timeline for contested case hearings as specified; repealing obsolete provisions; making conforming amendments; providing rulemaking authority; and providing for effective dates.

Enacted

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

Sponsor
Transportation
Last action
2025-02-24
Official status
enrolled
Effective date
7/1/2025

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary does not provide information on clarifying contested case hearing timelines or removing obsolete provisions.

Repealing Driver's License Surrender Requirements

This act removes requirements for people to physically surrender their driver's licenses when they violate certain laws and stops police from issuing temporary driving permits after arrests for drunk driving.

What This Bill Does

  • Removes the requirement that a person physically surrender his or her driver's license when violating specific traffic laws.
  • Eliminates the requirement that law enforcement issue temporary licenses to individuals arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
  • Requires peace officers to submit signed statements about breathalyzer tests conducted on persons under 21 years old to the Department of Transportation.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Drivers who violate traffic laws or are arrested for driving under the influence.
  • Law enforcement officers and the Department of Transportation.

Terms To Know

Temporary license
A short-term permit that allows someone to drive while waiting for a hearing about their driver's license suspension.
Contested case hearings
Meetings where people can argue against the decision to suspend or revoke their driving privileges.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The act does not specify what happens if a person loses their physical driver's license.
  • It is unclear how this change will affect digital driver's licenses.

Amendments

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

HB0023HS001

Standing Committee • House Transportation, Highways and Military Affair

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment removes the requirement to physically surrender a driver's license in certain situations.

  • Removes the phrase 'license and' from the bill text on page 8, line 21.
  • It is unclear what specific requirements are being removed by this change.
HB0023SW001

Committee of the Whole • Senator Cooper

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment changes the wording in a bill to specify that multiple officers are involved, not just one, and clarifies which department is responsible.

  • Changes 'officer's' to 'officers', indicating more than one officer may be involved.
  • Adds 'of transportation' after 'department' to clarify the specific department being referred to.
HB0023SS001

Standing Committee • Senate Transportation, Highways and Military Affai

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment changes the word 'his' to 'the' in a specific line of the bill.

  • Changes the pronoun 'his' to 'the' on page 9, line 5 of the bill.
  • This amendment only specifies changing one word and does not provide context about what exactly is being changed, making it difficult to understand its full impact.

Bill History

  1. 2025-02-24 LSO

    Assigned Chapter Number 9

  2. 2025-02-24 Governor

    Governor Signed HEA No. 0014

  3. 2025-02-20 Senate

    S President Signed HEA No. 0014

  4. 2025-02-20 House

    H Speaker Signed HEA No. 0014

  5. 2025-02-18 LSO

    Assigned Number HEA No. 0014

  6. 2025-02-18 House

    H Concur:Passed 60-0-2-0-0

  7. 2025-02-14 House

    H Received for Concurrence

  8. 2025-02-14 Senate

    S 3rd Reading:Passed 29-2-0-0-0

  9. 2025-02-13 Senate

    S 2nd Reading:Passed

  10. 2025-02-12 Senate

    S COW:Passed

  11. 2025-02-11 Senate

    S Placed on General File

  12. 2025-02-11 Senate

    S08 - Transportation:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 4-0-1-0-0

  13. 2025-02-10 Senate

    S Introduced and Referred to S08 - Transportation

  14. 2025-01-31 Senate

    S Received for Introduction

  15. 2025-01-30 House

    H 3rd Reading:Passed 60-0-2-0-0

  16. 2025-01-29 House

    H 2nd Reading:Passed

  17. 2025-01-28 House

    H COW:Passed

  18. 2025-01-23 House

    H Placed on General File

  19. 2025-01-23 House

    H08 - Transportation:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 9-0-0-0-0

  20. 2025-01-16 House

    H Introduced and Referred to H08 - Transportation

  21. 2025-01-02 House

    H Received for Introduction

  22. 2024-12-10 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Official Summary Text

Bill Summary - 25LSO-0072

Bill No.:

HB0023

Effective:

7/1/2025

LSO No.:

25LSO-0072

Enrolled Act No.:

HEA No. 0014

Chapter No.:

9

Prime Sponsor:

Joint Transportation, Highways & Military Affairs Interim Committee

Catch Title:

Surrender driver's license-repeal.

Has Report:

No

Subject:

Repealing the requirement to surrender driver's licenses.

Summary/Major Elements:

This act repeals the requirement that a person physically surrender his driver's license when the person violates certain laws.

This act repeals the requirement that law enforcement issues a temporary license after a person has been arrested for driving or having control of a vehicle while under the influence.

This act requires law enforcement to submit signed statements to the Department of Transportation after alcohol concentration tests are conducted on persons under twenty-one (21) years of age.

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
25LSO-0072

ORIGINAL House

ENGROSSED
Bill No
.
HB0023

ENROLLED ACT NO. 14,

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

SIXTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2025 General Session

AN ACT relating to motor vehicles; repealing requirements to physically surrender a driver's license; repealing temporary licenses; requiring peace officers to submit signed statements to the department of transportation after alcohol concentration tests for persons under twenty-one (21) years of age as specified; clarifying the timeline for contested case hearings as specified; repealing obsolete provisions; making conforming amendments; providing rulemaking authority; and providing for effective dates.

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

Section 1
.

W.S. 31
‑
6
‑
102(f), 31
‑
6
‑
104(b), 31
‑
6
‑
108(f), 31
‑
7
‑
113(e), 31
‑
7
‑
116, 31
‑
9
‑
105 and 31
‑
9
‑
106(a) are amended to read:

31
‑
6
‑
102.

Test to determine alcoholic or controlled substance content of blood; suspension of license.

(f)

In addition to the signed statement submitted under subsection (e) of this section, the peace officer shall
issue the person a temporary license similar to but in lieu of the license authorized under W.S. 31
‑
7
‑
138.

This temporary license shall be valid for thirty (30) days, shall not be renewed, shall contain a
provide
notice
to the person. The notice shall state
that the person has twenty (20) days from the date of
issuance
the notice
within which to request a hearing from the department and that failure to timely request a hearing will result in the suspension automatically commencing
upon expiration
thirty (30) days after the date
of the
temporary license
notice
or upon
expiration
the conclusion
of any existing suspension or revocation if the person's license or privilege is
currently
suspended or revoked at the time the
temporary license is issued. W.S. 31
‑
7
‑
138(d) and (e) apply to a license under this section
peace officer provides notice
. For purposes of this section, the peace officer acts as an agent for the department when providing notice of the suspension and notice of the opportunity for a hearing. W.S. 31
‑
7
‑
137 applies to a notice under this act. Failure to
demand
request
a hearing within the twenty (20) day period is a waiver of the right of hearing, and the suspension shall commence
upon expiration of the temporary license
thirty (30) days after the date of the notice
or upon
expiration
the conclusion
of any existing suspension or revocation if the person's license or privilege is
currently
suspended or revoked at the time the
temporary license is issued
peace officer provides notice
. If a timely
demand
request
for hearing is made, the department shall forward the
demand
request
to the independent hearing examiner who shall schedule a hearing within forty
‑
five (45) days after receipt of the request
from the department
and provide the
arrested
person at least ten (10) days notice of the hearing. The hearing shall be conducted by the hearing examiner. If the hearing examiner fails to schedule the hearing within forty
‑
five (45) days of the request
from the department
, other than at the request of the
licensee
person
, the
licensee
person
, as his sole remedy, shall be given credit against any action upheld at the hearing for the time between the expiration of the forty
‑
five (45) day period and the date the hearing was first scheduled.

31
‑
6
‑
104.

Right to petition for subsequent hearing; suspension applies to all licenses held; persons not required to take test.

(b)

A suspension under this act applies to all driver's licenses held by the person
.
and all driver's licenses shall be surrendered to the department. The department shall physically retain the license or licenses during the period of suspension except as provided in W.S. 31
‑
7
‑
138(f).

31
‑
6
‑
108.

Implied consent requirements for youthful drivers.

(f)

If a test discloses an alcohol concentration of two one
‑
hundredths of one percent (0.02%) or more, the peace officer shall
issue the person a temporary license similar to but in lieu of the license authorized under W.S. 31
‑
7
‑
138. This temporary license shall be valid for thirty (30) days, shall not be renewed,
submit his signed statement to the department. In addition to the signed statement submitted under this subsection, the peace officer
shall
contain a
provide
notice
to the person
that the person has twenty (20) days from the date
of issuance
of the notice
within which to request a hearing from the department pursuant to W.S. 31
‑
7
‑
105 and that failure to timely request a hearing will result in the period of suspension or license denial automatically commencing
upon expiration of the temporary license
thirty (30) days after the date of the notice
or upon
expiration
the conclusion
of any existing suspension or revocation if the person's license or privilege is
currently
suspended or revoked at the time the
temporary license is issued
peace officer provides notice
. For purposes of this section, the peace officer acts as an agent for the department when providing notice of the suspension and notice of the opportunity for a hearing. W.S. 31
‑
7
‑
137 applies to a notice under this act. Failure to
demand
request
a hearing within the twenty (20) day period is a waiver of the right of hearing, and the period of suspension or denial shall commence
upon expiration of the temporary license
thirty (30) days after the date of the notice
or upon
expiration
the conclusion
of any existing suspension or revocation if the person's license or privilege is
currently
suspended or revoked at the time the
temporary license is issued. A temporary license issued under this subsection shall afford no driving privilege to a person who is not otherwise licensed to drive a motor vehicle
peace officer provides notice
.
The signed statement submitted by the officer under this subsection shall contain:

(i)

His probable cause to believe the person was driving or in actual physical control of a motor vehicle:

(A)

On a public street or highway in this state;

(B)

In violation of W.S. 31
‑
5
‑
234(b) or any other law prohibiting driving under the influence as defined by W.S. 31
‑
5
‑
233(a)(v).

(ii)

That a test was taken of the person; and

(iii)

The person had an alcohol concentration of two one
‑
hundredths of one percent (0.02%) or more.

31
‑
7
‑
113.

Fees.

(e)

Notwithstanding W.S. 31
‑
7
‑
131(c),
I
f a driver's license is reinstated after a period of suspension or revocation, the fee for the reinstatement shall be fifty dollars ($50.00) unless the final decision by the hearing examiner, or a court reverses the action taken by the department. If a driver's license is reinstated after suspension for nonpayment of child support pursuant to W.S. 20
‑
6
‑
111 or 20
‑
6
‑
112, the fee for reinstatement shall be not more than five dollars ($5.00).

31
‑
7
‑
116.

Carrying and displaying.

Every licensee shall have his driver's license in his immediate possession at all times when driving a motor vehicle and shall display the license upon demand of any judicial officer, municipal court judge, any officer or agent of the division or any police officer as defined in W.S. 31
‑
5
‑
102(a)(xxxiii). However, no person charged with violating this section shall be convicted if he produces in court a driver's license previously issued to him and valid at the time of his arrest. For the purposes of this section "display" of a physical license means the surrender of the physical license to the demanding officer. After examination the officer shall immediately return the license to the licensee
.

except as provided in W.S. 31
‑
5
‑
1205(k).
For purposes of this section
,
"display" of a digital driver's license means that a licensee may provide access to the digital driver's license on the licensee's portable electronic device. No law enforcement or judicial officer demanding display of a licensee's digital driver's license for any licensing or identification verification purpose shall take custody of the licensee's portable electronic device. Display of a digital driver's license shall not serve as consent to search the driver's portable electronic device. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require a person, other than the department if it has chosen to issue a digital driver's license, to accept a digital driver's license or otherwise require the purchase of equipment to verify the accuracy of a digital driver's license.

31
‑
9
‑
105.

Return of registration to division.

Any person whose
license or
registration is suspended under this act, or whose policy of insurance or bond, when required under this act, is cancelled or terminated, or who neglects to furnish other proof upon request of the division shall immediately return
his license and
the
registration to the division. If any person fails to return to the division the
license or
registration as required, the division shall direct any peace officer to confiscate and return the
license or
registration to the division.

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).

Section 2.

W.S. 8
‑
1
‑
102(a)(xvii), 31
‑
5
‑
1205(k), 31
‑
7
‑
131, 31
‑
7
‑
133(a)(iv) and 31
‑
7
‑
138 are repealed.

Section 3.

The department of transportation shall promulgate rules as necessary to implement this act.

Section 4.

(a)

Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, this act is effective July 1, 2025
.

(b)

Sections 3 and 4 of this act are effective immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution.

(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