HB0116 • 2025

Driver's licenses-unauthorized alien restrictions.

AN ACT relating to driver's licenses; specifying that driver's licenses and driving operating privilege cards issued by other jurisdictions to unauthorized aliens are invalid in Wyoming; providing definitions; providing a penalty; making conforming amendments; requiring rulemaking; and provide for effective dates.

Crime

Enacted

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

Sponsor: Representative Ottman
Last action: 2025-02-28
Official status: enrolled
Effective date: 7/1/2025

Plain English Breakdown

The summary text indicates that the bill does not specify rulemaking requirements or provide details for law enforcement agencies to conduct traffic checkpoints.

Driver's Licenses for Unauthorized Aliens

This law makes driver's licenses and driving privilege cards issued to unauthorized aliens from other states invalid in Wyoming, creates penalties for their use, and requires rulemaking by the Department of Transportation.

What This Bill Does

Makes driver's licenses and driving operating privilege cards given to unauthorized aliens from other states invalid in Wyoming.
Defines 'unauthorized alien' as someone who is not a U.S. citizen or lawfully admitted into the United States.
Creates a misdemeanor penalty for using an invalid license or card.

Who It Names or Affects

Unauthorized aliens in Wyoming
Law enforcement agencies

Terms To Know

unauthorized alien: A person who is not a U.S. citizen and has not been lawfully admitted into the United States.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how to check if someone is an unauthorized alien.
It's unclear what happens to people who need licenses but are unable to prove lawful presence in the U.S.

Amendments

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

HB0116H2001

2nd reading • Representative Clouston

Failed

Plain English: The amendment changes the term 'unauthorized alien' to 'illegal alien' in various parts of the bill.

Changes the catch title from 'Driver's licenses-unauthorized alien restrictions' to 'Driver's licenses-illegal alien restrictions'.
Replaces the word 'unauthorized' with 'illegal' at multiple points throughout the bill.

HB0116H3001

3rd reading • Representative Washut

Failed

Plain English: The amendment allows law enforcement agencies in Wyoming to set up traffic checkpoints to check if drivers have the right licenses.

Adds a new section allowing law enforcement to conduct traffic checkpoints for license verification.
Modifies existing text by inserting language that authorizes these checkpoints.

The exact details of how and when these checkpoints will be conducted are not specified in the amendment text.

HB0116SW001

Committee of the Whole • Senator Pappas

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment adds a condition that allows nonresidents to prove their legal status in the U.S. when applying for driver's licenses or driving privileges.

Adds language allowing nonresidents to show they are legally present in the United States.

The amendment does not specify how nonresidents can demonstrate lawful presence, which may leave some details unclear.

Bill History

2025-02-28 LSO
Assigned Chapter Number 83
2025-02-28 Wyoming Legislature
Became Law without Signature
2025-02-25 Senate
S President Signed HEA No. 0033
2025-02-25 House
H Speaker Signed HEA No. 0033
2025-02-25 LSO
Assigned Number HEA No. 0033
2025-02-24 House
H Concur:Passed 52-6-4-0-0
2025-02-24 House
H Received for Concurrence
2025-02-24 Senate
S 3rd Reading:Passed 22-8-1-0-0
2025-02-21 Senate
S 2nd Reading:Passed
2025-02-20 Senate
S COW:Passed
2025-02-18 Senate
S Placed on General File
2025-02-18 Senate
S08 - Transportation:Recommend Do Pass 4-1-0-0-0
2025-02-13 Senate
S Introduced and Referred to S08 - Transportation
2025-01-23 Senate
S Received for Introduction
2025-01-23 House
H 3rd Reading:Passed 45-15-2-0-0
2025-01-22 House
H 2nd Reading:Passed
2025-01-21 House
H COW:Passed 34-23-5-0-0
2025-01-20 House
H Placed on General File
2025-01-20 House
H07 - Corporations:Recommend Do Pass 8-1-0-0-0
2025-01-14 House
H Introduced and Referred to H07 - Corporations
2025-01-06 House
H Received for Introduction
2025-01-03 LSO
Bill Number Assigned

Official Summary Text

Bill Summary - 25LSO-0325

Bill No.:

HB0116

Effective:

7/1/2025

LSO No.:

25LSO-0325

Enrolled Act No.:

HEA No. 0033

Chapter No.:

83

Prime Sponsor:

Ottman

Catch Title:

Driver's licenses-unauthorized alien restrictions.

Has Report:

No

Subject:

Makes driver's licenses issued to unauthorized aliens invalid in Wyoming.

Summary/Major Elements:

This bill specifies that driver's licenses and driving operating privilege cards issued by other jurisdictions to unauthorized aliens are invalid in Wyoming.

The bill creates a misdemeanor penalty for the use of a driver's license or driving operating privilege card by an unauthorized alien.

The bill defines "unauthorized alien" to mean a person who is not a United States citizen and who is not lawfully admitted in the United States.

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-0325

ORIGINAL House

ENGROSSED
Bill No
.
HB0116

ENROLLED ACT NO. 33,

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

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

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

Section 1
.

W.S. 31
‑
7
‑
143 is created to read:

31
‑
7
‑
143.

Unauthorized aliens; invalid out
‑
of
‑
state driver's licenses and nonresident operating privileges.

(a)

Any driver's license or nonresident operating privilege document issued by a jurisdiction outside Wyoming to an unauthorized alien or any driver's license or nonresident operating privilege document that is substantially similar to a driver's license or driving operating privilege card that has markings establishing that the license or card holder did not provide proof of lawful presence in the United States shall be deemed invalid as a driver's license or operating privilege document under the laws of this state.

(b)

As used in this section, "unauthorized alien" means a person who is not a United States citizen and is not lawfully admitted in the United States.

Section 2.

W.S. 31
‑
7
‑
107(a)(i) through (iii) and (v) and 31
‑
7
‑
134(a) are amended to read:

31
‑
7
‑
107.

Persons exempted.

(a)

The following persons are exempt from the licensing requirement under this act:

(i)

Any employee of the United States government while operating a motor vehicle owned by or leased to the United States government and being operated on official business unless the employee is required by the United States government or any agency thereof to have a state driver's license
and the state driver's license is not invalid under W.S. 31
‑
7
‑
143(a)
;

(ii)

A nonresident who has in his immediate possession a valid license issued to him by the licensing authority in his place of residence
, if the nonresident's license is not invalid under W.S. 31
‑
7
‑
143(a) or the nonresident can demonstrate lawful presence in the United States
;

(iii)

A nonresident on active duty in the armed forces of the United States who has a valid license issued by his state of residence and the nonresident's spouse or dependent son or daughter who has a valid license issued by the person's state of residence
, if the nonresident's license is not invalid under W.S. 31
‑
7
‑
143(a)
;

(v)

A nonresident full
‑
time student at the University of Wyoming, a Wyoming community college, a school licensed in this state offering post
‑
secondary education or at a parochial, church or religious school as defined by W.S. 21
‑
4
‑
101(a)(iv) offering
post secondary
post
‑
secondary
education, who has in his immediate possession a valid license issued to him by the licensing authority of his place of residence
, if the nonresident's license is not invalid under W.S. 31
‑
7
‑
143(a)
;

31
‑
7
‑
134.

Driving while license cancelled, suspended, invalid or revoked.

(a)

No person shall drive a motor vehicle on any public highway in this state at a time when his driver's license, from this or any other jurisdiction, or nonresident operating privileges are cancelled, suspended
, deemed invalid
or revoked under this act or any other law. Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, a person convicted of violating this section is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), by imprisonment for not more than six (6) months, or both.

Section 3
.

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

Section 4.

(a)

Except as otherwise 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