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 bill did not pass and is marked as inactive in its current session.

Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Masks, Vaccines, and Tests

This act prohibits businesses receiving state or federal subsidies from discriminating against people based on their mask use, vaccine status, or test results for COVID-19.

What This Bill Does

Creates a new law that stops businesses getting state or federal money from refusing service to someone because of their mask use, vaccine status, or test results for COVID-19.
Forbids these businesses from advertising requirements for masks, vaccines, or tests as conditions for receiving services or goods.
Allows people who face discrimination to sue and get up to $5,000 if the law is broken.

Who It Names or Affects

Businesses that receive state or federal subsidies
People who might be discriminated against based on their mask use, vaccine status, or test results for COVID-19

Terms To Know

COVID-19 medical testing: Tests to detect, diagnose, or monitor COVID-19, including molecular tests and blood tests.
Face covering: A mask worn for the purpose of reducing the spread of COVID-19.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill did not pass in its current session and is marked as inactive.
It does not provide specific details on how to handle conflicts with federal laws.

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 for costs related to complying with certain public health measures despite conflicting federal laws.

Adds language allowing the state to fully reimburse any person who complies with the bill's requirements, even if it conflicts with federal law, for damages, fines, or penalties incurred as a result of compliance.

The amendment does not specify how the reimbursement process will work in practice or what criteria are used to determine eligibility for reimbursement.

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 happens if the state cannot fully reimburse due to lack of funds.

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 bill 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 parts of the bill or how this change affects its overall purpose.

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