HB0096 • 2025

Prohibiting mask, vaccine and testing discrimination.

AN ACT relating to public health and safety; prohibiting discrimination and publishing or advertising based on a person's vaccination, face covering or medical testing status as specified; providing a civil cause of action; providing definitions; and providing for an effective date.

Healthcare

Inactive

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

Sponsor: Representative McCann
Last action: 2025-03-03
Official status: inactive
Effective date: 3/1/2025

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation includes accurate information but overstates the scope of the bill's applicability by mentioning government subsidies without specifying that it only applies to those receiving such subsidies.

Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Masks, Vaccines, and Tests

This act prohibits businesses receiving government subsidies from discriminating against people based on their mask-wearing, vaccination status, or medical testing for COVID-19.

What This Bill Does

Creates a law that stops businesses getting money from the state or federal government from refusing service to someone because they don't wear masks, are not vaccinated, or do not get tested for COVID-19.
Forbids these businesses from putting up signs or ads saying people need to wear masks, be vaccinated, or take tests to use their services.
Allows anyone who feels they have been treated unfairly under this law to sue the business and get up to $5,000 if they win.

Who It Names or Affects

Businesses that receive government subsidies
People who might be discriminated against based on their mask-wearing, vaccination status, or medical testing for COVID-19

Terms To Know

COVID-19: A disease caused by a virus that can spread from person to person.
Vaccination: Getting a shot or medicine to help your body fight off diseases like COVID-19.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill did not pass and is now inactive, meaning it will not become law in the current session.
It only applies to businesses that receive government subsidies, which may be a small number of businesses.

Amendments

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

HB0096H3001

3rd reading • Representative Clouston

Failed

Plain English: The amendment adds provisions to reimburse people who follow certain health regulations and face consequences due to conflicting federal laws.

Adds language allowing for full reimbursement of damages, fines, or penalties incurred by individuals complying with the bill's requirements despite any conflicting federal laws.

The amendment does not specify how the state will fund these reimbursements or provide details on the process for requesting and receiving such payments.

HB0096H3002

3rd reading • Representative Campbell, E

Failed

Plain English: The amendment adds a provision to fully reimburse individuals and entities who lose federal funding due to complying with the bill's requirements despite conflicting federal laws.

Adds a new clause (d) that requires the state to provide full reimbursement for any person or entity that loses federal funding because they comply with the bill’s provisions, even if there is a conflict with federal law.

The amendment does not specify how the reimbursement will be calculated or when it will be provided.
It's unclear what types of federal funding and grants are covered under this provision.

HB0096HW001

Committee of the Whole • Representative Larsen, L

Failed

Plain English: The amendment to HB0096 would exclude commercial service airports and healthcare facilities from a provision that prohibits discrimination based on vaccination, face covering or medical testing status.

Adds an exception for commercial service airports and health care facilities in the bill's non-discrimination clause.

The amendment text does not provide details about how this exclusion will be implemented or enforced.

HB0096HS001

Standing Committee • House Labor, Health and Social Services Committee

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment to HB0096 changes the bill by specifying that face coverings mentioned in the legislation are for the purpose of preventing the spread of COVID-19.

Adds 'for COVID-19 purposes' after the word 'covering' on page 3, line 13 and again on page 3, line 20.

The amendment does not provide additional context about other aspects of the bill or how this change affects its overall intent.

Bill History

2025-03-03 Senate
S:Died in Committee Returned Bill Pursuant to SR 5-4
2025-02-28 Senate
S No report prior to CoW Cutoff
2025-02-26 Senate
S10 - Labor:Do Pass Failed 2-3-0-0-0
2025-02-10 Senate
S Introduced and Referred to S10 - Labor
2025-01-27 Senate
S Received for Introduction
2025-01-24 House
H 3rd Reading:Passed 45-16-1-0-0
2025-01-23 House
H 2nd Reading:Passed
2025-01-22 House
H COW:Passed
2025-01-20 House
H Placed on General File
2025-01-20 House
H10 - Labor:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 7-1-1-0-0
2025-01-15 House
H Introduced and Referred to H10 - Labor
2025-01-02 House
H Received for Introduction
2024-12-31 LSO
Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

25LSO-0239
2025
STATE OF WYOMING
25LSO-0239
ENGROSSED
3.0

HOUSE BILL NO. HB0096

Prohibiting mask, vaccine and testing discrimination.

Sponsored by: Representative(s) McCann, Allemand, Angelos, Bear, Brady, Heiner, Pendergraft and Webb and Senator(s) Pearson

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to public health and safety; prohibiting discrimination and publishing or advertising based on a person's vaccination, face covering or medical testing status as specified; providing a civil cause of action; providing definitions; and providing for an effective date.

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

Section 1
.

W.S. 35
‑
4
‑
140 is created to read:

35
‑
4
‑
140.

Discrimination based on face coverings, vaccination status and medical testing; penalty.

(a)

As used in this section:

(i)

"COVID
‑
19" means the novel coronavirus identified as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS
‑
CoV
‑
2), any disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS
‑
CoV
‑
2), its viral fragments or a virus mutating therefrom and all conditions associated with the disease that are caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS
‑
CoV
‑
2), its viral fragments or a virus mutating therefrom;

(ii)

"COVID
‑
19 medical testing" means testing performed to detect, diagnose or monitor COVID
‑
19 including, but not limited to, molecular testing, temperature testing, nasal swabbing, nasopharyngeal swabbing, oropharyngeal swabbing, saliva testing, antigen testing, antibody testing, urinalysis and blood testing;

(iii)

"Face covering" means a mask or protective covering for the mouth and nose worn to reduce the spread of COVID
‑
19;

(iv)

"Vaccination" means the act of administering a vaccine;

(v)

"Vaccine" means any substance including live, weakened or dead viruses designed to be administered to a person to produce immunity and prevent infectious viruses and diseases.

(b)

No person who receives subsidies from the state or federal government shall:

(i)

Refuse, withhold from or deny a person any services, goods, facilities, advantages or privileges that are public in nature or that invite the patronage of the public based on a person's COVID
‑
19 vaccination or booster status, whether a person is not wearing a face covering for COVID
‑
19 purposes or whether a person refuses to submit to COVID
‑
19 medical testing;

(ii)

Publish, display or mail, either directly or indirectly, any communication, notice or advertisement that states that a person is required to wear a face covering for COVID
‑
19

purposes, to have a COVID
‑
19 vaccination or booster or to submit to COVID
‑
19 medical testing as a condition for receiving or accessing services, goods, facilities, advantages or privileges that are public in nature or that invite the patronage of the public.

(c)

Any person aggrieved by a violation of subsection (b) of this section may file a civil action to recover a civil award of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000.00).

Section 2
.

This act is 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)

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HB0096