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HB0172 • 2025

Repeal gun free zones and preemption amendments.

AN ACT relating to concealed weapons; repealing gun free zones; providing for the carrying of concealed weapons as specified; creating a criminal offense for prohibiting entry to a person carrying a concealed weapon as specified; clarifying that only the state legislature may regulate firearms, weapons and ammunition; providing for exceptions; requiring rulemaking; and providing for an effective date.

Education Firearms Labor
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Representative Haroldson
Last action
2025-02-27
Official status
enrolled
Effective date
7/1/2025

Plain English Breakdown

The official bill text does not provide specific details about private property restrictions.

Repealing Gun-Free Zones and Clarifying State Preemption

This law removes restrictions on carrying concealed weapons in certain places, clarifies state preemption over firearm regulations, and creates penalties for preventing entry to those carrying guns.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows people with a concealed carry permit to bring guns into meetings of government bodies, schools, universities, public airports (except where federal law prohibits it), and public buildings.
  • Makes it illegal for anyone to stop someone from entering a place if they are legally allowed to have a hidden gun there.
  • Clarifies that only the state legislature can make rules about firearms, weapons, and ammunition; no other government body can do this.
  • Gives school districts the power to set their own rules for employees and volunteers who carry guns at work, including training requirements.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People with concealed carry permits
  • School districts and their employees

Terms To Know

Concealed Carry Permit
A document that allows someone to legally hide a gun on them in public.
Preemption
When the state government stops local governments from making their own laws about something.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law does not apply where federal or other specific state laws prohibit carrying guns.
  • School districts can still set rules for employees and volunteers who carry concealed weapons, but these rules must include training requirements.

Amendments

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

HB0172H2001

2nd reading • Representative Campbell, E

Corrected, Failed

Plain English: The amendment adds a new section to the bill that designates early childhood education centers on college campuses as 'gun-free zones', meaning these areas would prohibit concealed weapons.

  • Adds a new subsection (j) to the bill, which specifies that early childhood education centers located on college campuses are gun-free zones.
  • The amendment does not provide details about enforcement or penalties for violating this new designation.
HB0172H3001

3rd reading • Representative Sherwood

Failed

Plain English: The amendment would allow early childhood education centers that have a prevention and protection plan to permit the carrying of both open and concealed weapons inside their premises.

  • Adds a new provision allowing early childhood education centers with specific safety plans to not restrict the carrying of weapons, whether openly or concealed.
  • The amendment does not specify what constitutes an 'early childhood education center' or details about the required prevention and protection plan.
  • It is unclear how this change would be implemented or enforced in practice.
HB0172H3002

3rd reading • Representative Harshman

Failed

Plain English: The amendment allows individuals between 18 and 21 years old to carry concealed weapons on public school grounds with a specific permit.

  • Adds permission for people aged 18 to 21 to carry concealed weapons in public schools if they have the required permit.
  • The amendment does not specify what exceptions or additional requirements might apply beyond obtaining the permit mentioned.
HB0172H3003

3rd reading • Representative Haroldson

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment removes certain restrictions on how employees and students can store firearms at their workplace or school, allowing them to keep firearms without needing to use specific locking containers.

  • Removes the requirement for governmental entities to mandate that employees or students must store firearms in biometric or locking containers when not being carried on their person.
  • Allows employees and students who are authorized to carry concealed firearms to store firearms and ammunition together, without requiring them to be unloaded or separate.
  • The amendment does not specify what happens if an employee or student chooses to use a locking container voluntarily.
HB0172H3004

3rd reading • Representative Campbell, E

Failed

Plain English: The amendment adds an exception that allows a governmental entity to prohibit concealed weapons at meetings if it determines such carrying places the public at risk.

  • Adds language allowing a governmental entity to determine whether concealing weapons at meetings poses a risk to the public.
  • The amendment does not specify what constitutes 'a risk to the public,' leaving this determination up to each governmental entity's discretion.
HB0172HW001

Committee of the Whole • Representative Chestek

Failed

Plain English: The amendment adds a requirement for people who want to carry concealed weapons into school facilities to register at the front office and notify school district personnel about their identity and the type of weapon they have.

  • People wishing to bring concealed weapons into school buildings must now register with the front office and provide information such as their name, contact details, and the kind of weapon they are carrying.
  • The amendment does not specify what happens if someone fails to comply with this registration requirement or how schools should handle the registered information securely.
HB0172HW002

Committee of the Whole • Representative Chestek

Withdrawn

Plain English: The amendment allows the University of Wyoming's board of trustees to designate the Early Childhood Education Center as a gun-free zone, exempting it from certain parts of the bill.

  • Adds an exemption for the University of Wyoming's Early Childhood Education Center to be declared a gun-free zone by the university's board of trustees.
  • The amendment only applies to one specific building and does not provide details on how or when this exemption would be implemented beyond allowing the board of trustees to declare it.
HB0172HW003

Committee of the Whole • Representative Campbell, E

Failed

Plain English: The amendment changes references to 'governmental' in the bill to 'state', modifies conditions for certain restrictions on concealed weapons, and removes specific sections of the original bill.

  • Changes all instances of 'governmental' to 'state' throughout the bill.
  • Adds a condition that meetings must be held on state-owned property for certain restrictions to apply.
  • Removes several lines and pages from the original bill, including exceptions and specific prohibitions.
  • The amendment text does not provide clear explanations of all changes, making some impacts hard to fully understand without additional context.
HB0172HS001

Standing Committee • House Judiciary Committee

Divided

Plain English: The amendment adds new rules that prevent governmental entities from making certain firearm regulations while allowing them to create rules for safe storage and handling of firearms.

  • Adds a new section (vii) which prohibits governmental entities from enacting reasonable rules about the safe storage of firearms when not carried on a person, but allows rules for safe handling by employees, students, or visitors.
  • Modifies language to clarify that prohibitions apply specifically to carrying firearms rather than just allowing them to be carried.
  • The amendment's text is somewhat technical and may require further explanation about the specific contexts in which these rules will apply.
HB0172HS001.01

Standing Committee • House Judiciary Committee

Corrected, Corrected, Adopted

Plain English: The amendment adds new rules that prevent governmental entities from making certain regulations about firearm storage and handling, while also changing some wording related to carrying concealed weapons.

  • Adds a new clause (vii) on page 4 which stops governmental bodies from creating reasonable rules for the safe storage of firearms when not carried by an individual.
  • Prevents governmental entities from making rules about the safe handling of firearms by employees, students, or visitors in specific locations.
  • Modifies wording on page 6 to remove 'subject to' and replaces 'approval by' with 'in consultation with'.
  • Changes the effective date for certain provisions from an immediate implementation to July 1, 2025.
  • The amendment's text does not provide full details on how these changes will be implemented or enforced.
  • It is unclear what specific exceptions might apply to the new prohibitions on governmental rules regarding firearm storage and handling.
HB0172HS001.02

Standing Committee • House Judiciary Committee

Corrected, Failed

Plain English: The amendment adds a new clause to the bill, preventing governmental entities from enacting policies that stop individuals from bringing firearms into certain meetings like disciplinary proceedings and expulsion hearings.

  • Adds a provision prohibiting governmental entities from making rules that prevent people from carrying firearms into specific types of meetings such as disciplinary proceedings or expulsion hearings.
  • The amendment does not specify the consequences for governmental entities if they violate this new prohibition.
HB0172S3001

3rd reading • Senator Boner

Failed

Plain English: The amendment adds a requirement that schools must approve, through their board of trustees, any exceptions to allowing concealed weapons on school property.

  • Adds an exception clause for school facilities, requiring approval by the school district's board of trustees.
  • The exact conditions under which the board of trustees can approve or deny exceptions are not specified in this amendment text.
HB0172S3002

3rd reading • Senator Gierau

Failed

Plain English: The amendment adds an exemption for school districts that have existing rules about weapons before a certain date from having to follow new requirements.

  • School districts with pre-existing weapon-related rules adopted under Wyoming Statute 21-3-132 by July 1, 2025, will be exempt from the new subsection's requirements.
  • The amendment does not specify what happens to school districts that do not have pre-existing weapon-related rules or adopt them after July 1, 2025.
  • It is unclear how this exemption interacts with other parts of HB0172 and its overall intent.
HB0172S3003

3rd reading • Senator Steinmetz

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment adds a new definition for 'governmental entity' in the bill, which includes the state of Wyoming, the University of Wyoming, and any local government as defined by a specific law.

  • Adds a new section (h) that defines 'governmental entity' to include the state, the University of Wyoming, and any local government as defined by W.S. 1-39-103(a)(ii).
  • Reorganizes the bill's sections by changing the label from (h) to (j) for the existing section that follows.
  • The amendment does not provide details on how this new definition will affect other parts of the bill or its implementation.
HB0172SW001

Committee of the Whole • Senator Hicks

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment adds a new provision to allow concealed weapon carriers in certain areas of public airports where federal laws do not prohibit it.

  • Adds a new clause (iii) that permits carrying concealed weapons in parts of public airports where federal law allows it.
  • The amendment only addresses specific areas within public airports and does not cover all aspects of gun regulations in these locations.
HB0172SS001

Standing Committee • Senate Judiciary Committee

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment adds restrictions on carrying concealed weapons into elementary and secondary school facilities, except for enrolled students as allowed by another law.

  • Adds a new subsection to prohibit people authorized to carry concealed weapons from bringing firearms into elementary or secondary schools, with an exception for enrolled students under specific conditions.
  • Modifies the text to include volunteers alongside employees in certain provisions related to firearm storage and access.
  • The amendment's technical language may be difficult to understand without legal context.
  • It is unclear how this amendment will interact with existing laws regarding school safety and firearm regulations.

Bill History

  1. 2025-02-27 LSO

    Assigned Chapter Number 61

  2. 2025-02-27 Wyoming Legislature

    Became Law without Signature

  3. 2025-02-24 Senate

    S President Signed HEA No. 0024

  4. 2025-02-24 House

    H Speaker Signed HEA No. 0024

  5. 2025-02-21 LSO

    Assigned Number HEA No. 0024

  6. 2025-02-21 House

    H Concur:Passed 47-7-8-0-0

  7. 2025-02-21 House

    H Received for Concurrence

  8. 2025-02-21 Senate

    S 3rd Reading:Passed 25-6-0-0-0

  9. 2025-02-20 Senate

    S 2nd Reading:Passed

  10. 2025-02-19 Senate

    S COW:Passed

  11. 2025-02-19 Senate

    S Placed on General File

  12. 2025-02-19 Senate

    S01 - Judiciary:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0

  13. 2025-02-10 Senate

    S Introduced and Referred to S01 - Judiciary

  14. 2025-01-24 Senate

    S Received for Introduction

  15. 2025-01-23 House

    H 3rd Reading:Passed 50-10-2-0-0

  16. 2025-01-22 House

    H 2nd Reading:Passed

  17. 2025-01-21 House

    H COW:Passed

  18. 2025-01-20 House

    H Placed on General File

  19. 2025-01-20 House

    H01 - Judiciary:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 8-1-0-0-0

  20. 2025-01-14 House

    H Introduced and Referred to H01 - Judiciary

  21. 2025-01-14 House

    H Received for Introduction

  22. 2025-01-13 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Official Summary Text

Bill Summary - 25LSO-0414

Bill No.:

HB0172

Effective:

7/1/2025

LSO No.:

25LSO-0414

Enrolled Act No.:

HEA No. 0024

Chapter No.:

61

Prime Sponsor:

Haroldson

Catch Title:

Repeal gun free zones and preemption amendments.

Has Report:

No

Subject:

Gun free zones and concealed carry.

Summary/Major Elements:

This bill allows the concealed carry of a gun in any meeting of a governmental entity and the Legislature or at a legislative committee meeting, public school and university, certain areas of public airports and any public building if not otherwise prohibited by law. It clarifies that the Legislature preempts the regulation of firearms and amends the existing preemption to generally prohibit state agencies and other political subdivisions from regulating firearms. It provides exceptions for private property, public school events where alcohol is served, certain health and human services facilities, facilities where explosive or volatile materials are present, facilities where carrying a gun is otherwise prohibited by law, and for students of an elementary or secondary school.

This bill creates a misdemeanor offense for any person who knowingly prohibits entry to a person lawfully carrying a concealed weapon into a place where concealed carry is authorized.

The bill allows school districts to regulate concealed carry of employees and volunteers, including requiring training, and provides requirements for the allowance of concealed carry by employees and volunteers if the school district does not adopt related rules and regulations.

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-0414

ORIGINAL House

ENGROSSED
Bill No
.
HB0172

ENROLLED ACT NO. 24,

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

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

AN ACT relating to concealed weapons; repealing gun free zones; providing for the carrying of concealed weapons as specified; creating a criminal offense for prohibiting entry to a person carrying a concealed weapon as specified; clarifying that only the state legislature may regulate firearms, weapons and ammunition; providing for exceptions; requiring rulemaking; and providing for an effective date.

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

Section 1
.

W.S. 6
‑
8
‑
105 is created to read:

6
‑
8
‑
105.

Exceptions for state issued concealed carry permits; penalty.

(a)

This section shall be known as and may be cited as the "Wyoming Repeal Gun Free Zones Act."

(b)

Persons lawfully carrying concealed weapons in Wyoming under W.S. 6
‑
8
‑
104(a)(ii) through (iv) may carry a concealed weapon in the following places:

(i)

Any meeting of a governmental entity;

(ii)

Any meeting of the legislature or a committee thereof;

(iii)

Any public airport in areas of the airport where the carrying of concealed weapons is not prohibited or restricted under federal law or federal regulation;

(iv)

Any public building not otherwise prohibited under W.S. 6
‑
8
‑
104(t) or regulated under this section.

(c)

Subject to W.S. 6
‑
8
‑
104(t)(ix) and subsection (f) of this section, persons lawfully carrying concealed weapons in Wyoming with a permit issued under W.S. 6
‑
8
‑
104(a)(ii) may carry a concealed weapon in the following places:

(i)

Any public school, public college or university athletic event taking place on public property that does not sell alcoholic beverages;

(ii)

Any public elementary or secondary school facility;

(iii)

Any public college or university facility.

(d)

Nothing in this section shall be construed to:

(i)

Allow the carrying of a concealed weapon where otherwise prohibited under W.S. 6
‑
8
‑
104(t);

(ii)

Prohibit a private property owner from restricting firearms on his private property;

(iii)

Prohibit a governmental entity from prohibiting the open carry, display or wearing of a firearm in its facilities or on its campus;

(iv)

Allow the carrying of a concealed weapon into facilities where otherwise prohibited by law;

(v)

Allow the carrying of a concealed weapon within state agency operated health and human services settings, health and human services facilities that are exempt from licensure or licensed by the department of family services or department of corrections or health and human services facilities that are certified by the behavioral health division of the department of health to provide residential services;

(vi)

Allow the carrying of a concealed weapon within any facility where explosive or volatile materials are present.

For purposes of this paragraph "explosive or volatile materials" shall not include materials that are either in an insufficient amount or in a form such that the material could not reasonably cause serious bodily injury due to the materials explosive or volatile nature;

(vii)

Prohibit a governmental entity from requiring any employee or student to store firearms within a concealed biometric container or a lock box within the employee's or student's direct control at all times when the firearms are not being carried on the employee's or student's person, except said rules shall not:

(A)

Prohibit the storage of firearms and ammunition in public campus housing by any employee or student authorized to carry a concealed firearm pursuant to this section; or

(B)

Require that a firearm be stored unloaded or separate from its ammunition.

(e)

Any person who knowingly prohibits entry to another person for lawfully carrying a concealed weapon into a place authorized pursuant to subsection (b) or (c) of this section, unless otherwise prohibited under subsection (d) of this section, when the person would otherwise be permitted entry is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than one (1) year, a fine of not more than two thousand dollars ($2,000.00), or both.

(f)

The board of trustees in each school district may adopt rules and regulations to govern employees and volunteers lawfully carrying concealed weapons in Wyoming under W.S. 6
‑
8
‑
104 on or in any property or facility owned or leased by the school district. If no rules and regulations are adopted under this subsection, an employee or a volunteer with a permit to conceal carry under W.S. 6
‑
8
‑
104(a)(ii) may carry a concealed weapon under W.S. 6
‑
8
‑
105(c)(ii) or (iii) onto school property. Any rules and regulations adopted under this subsection shall only apply to persons who are volunteers or employees, as defined by subsection (g) of this section. The rules under this subsection shall:

(i)

Require any person carrying a firearm pursuant to this section to maintain the firearm on his person at all times or in a concealed biometric container or lock box within the direct control of the person at all times;

(ii)

Establish ongoing training requirements, curricula and instructor qualifications, in consultation with local law enforcement, including:

(A)

An initial course of training comprised of not less than sixteen (16) hours of live fire handgun training, and eight (8) hours of scenario based training using nonlethal training, firearms and ammunition; and

(B)

Annual firearm qualification and documented recurrent training of not less than twelve (12) hours with an approved instructor.

(g)

For purposes of subsection (f) of this section, "employee" means any person employed by a school district, including but not limited to, superintendents, assistant superintendents, principals, assistant principals, teachers, guidance counselors, librarians, teacher's aids, coaches, business managers, secretaries or administrative assistants, janitors, bus drivers or other employees of a school district.

(h)

For purposes of this section, "governmental entity" means the state, the university of Wyoming and any local government as defined by W.S. 1
‑
39
‑
103(a)(ii).

(j)

The board of trustees in any school district may waive all or part of the training requirements of paragraph (f)(ii) of this section for isolated rural schools and employees in those schools.

Section 2.

W.S. 6
‑
8
‑
104(t)(ix) and 6
‑
8
‑
401(c) are amended to read:

6
‑
8
‑
104.

Wearing or carrying concealed weapons; penalties; exceptions; permits.

(t)

No person authorized to carry a concealed weapon pursuant to paragraphs (a)(ii) through (iv) of this section shall carry a concealed firearm into:

(ix)

Any elementary or secondary school facility
, except as provided in W.S. 21
‑
3
‑
132

if the person is enrolled as a student at any elementary or secondary school
;

6
‑
8
‑
401.

Firearm, weapon and ammunition regulation and prohibition by state.

(c)

The sale, transfer, purchase, delivery, taxation, manufacture, ownership, transportation, storage, use and possession of firearms, weapons and ammunition shall be authorized, regulated and prohibited by the state, and regulation thereof is preempted by the
legislature of the
state
of Wyoming
. Except as authorized by W.S. 15
‑
1
‑
103(a)(xviii) and
21
‑
3
‑
132
23
‑
1
‑
302
, no
state agency,
city, town, county, political subdivision or any other entity shall authorize, regulate or prohibit the sale, transfer, purchase, delivery, taxation, manufacture, ownership, transportation, storage, use, carrying or possession of firearms, weapons, accessories, components or ammunition except as specifically provided by this chapter. This section shall not affect zoning or other ordinances which encompass firearms businesses along with other businesses. Zoning and other ordinances which are designed for the purpose of restricting or prohibiting the sale, purchase, transfer or manufacture of firearms or ammunition as a method of regulating firearms or ammunition are in conflict with this section and are prohibited.

Section 3.

W.S. 6
‑
8
‑
104(t)(iv) through (vi) and (x) and 21
‑
3
‑
132 are repealed.

Section 4
.

The state building commission shall begin promulgating any rules necessary to administer this act not later than thirty (30) days after the effective date of this act.

Section 5.

This act is effective July 1, 2025.

(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