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HB0066 • 2026

Judicial deference-agencies.

AN ACT relating to administrative procedure; amending the judicial review process of agency actions; amending standards of review of administrative actions; specifying applicability; and providing for an effective date.

Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor
Representative Singh
Last action
2026-02-23
Official status
inactive
Effective date
3/1/2026

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass and was not considered by the Committee of the Whole.

Judicial Deference for Agency Actions

The bill changes how courts review actions by state agencies and limits the deference given to agency interpretations of laws.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes how district courts can make rules about reviewing decisions from state agencies.
  • Requires courts to interpret statutes, rules, regulations, and final decisions without deferring to an agency's interpretation.
  • Encourages courts to favor interpretations that limit agency power and protect individual freedoms when there is doubt.

Who It Names or Affects

  • State agencies whose decisions are reviewed by the courts
  • Courts reviewing state agency actions

Terms To Know

Deference
The practice of giving respect or consideration to an authority's interpretation.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass and was not considered by the Committee of the Whole.
  • It only applies to judicial review processes in Wyoming state courts.
  • The exact impact on individual cases is unclear until it becomes law.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-23 House

    H COW:H Did not consider for COW

  2. 2026-02-13 House

    H Placed on General File

  3. 2026-02-13 House

    H01 - Judiciary:Recommend Do Pass 7-1-1-0-0

  4. 2026-02-10 House

    H Introduced and Referred to H01 - Judiciary 51-10-1-0-0

  5. 2026-02-05 House

    H Received for Introduction

  6. 2026-01-28 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
26LSO-0285
2026
STATE OF WYOMING
26LSO-0285
Numbered
2.0

HOUSE BILL NO. HB0066

Judicial deference-agencies.

Sponsored by: Representative(s) Singh, Andrew and Banks and Senator(s) Laursen, D

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to administrative procedure; amending the judicial review process of agency actions; amending standards of review of administrative actions; specifying applicability; and providing for an effective date.

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

Section 1
.

W.S. 16
‑
3
‑
114(b), (c)(intro) and by creating new subsections (d) and (e) and 30
‑
2
‑
213(b) are amended to read:

16
‑
3
‑
114.

Judicial review of agency actions; district courts.

(b)

The supreme court's authority to adopt rules governing review from agencies to the district courts shall include authority to determine the content of the record upon review, the pleadings to be filed, the time and manner for filing the pleadings, records and other documents and the extent to which supplemental testimony and evidence may be taken or considered by the district court.
The rules adopted by the supreme court under this provision may supersede existing statutory provisions.

(c)

To the extent necessary to make a decision and when presented, the reviewing court shall decide all relevant questions of law, interpret constitutional and statutory provisions, and determine the meaning or applicability of the terms of an agency action. In making the following determinations, the court shall review the whole record or those parts of it cited by a party
.

and due account shall be taken of the rule of prejudicial error.
The reviewing court shall:

(d)

In interpreting a state statute, rule, regulation or other sub
‑
regulatory document, the reviewing court shall not defer to a state agency's interpretation of the statute, rule, regulation or final decision and shall instead interpret the meaning of the statute, rule, regulation or final decision and effect de novo.

(e)

In actions brought under this section by or against state agencies, after applying all customary tools of interpretation, the reviewing court shall exercise any remaining doubt in favor of a reasonable interpretation that limits agency power and maximizes individual liberty.

30
‑
2
‑
213.

Judicial review of decision of inspector; procedure; payment of costs assessed against inspector; appeal.

(b)

Judicial review shall be in accordance with W.S. 16
‑
3
‑
114(c)
through (e)
. An interested party may obtain review of any final judgment of the district court under this section by appeal to the supreme court. The appeal shall be taken as in other civil cases.

Section 2.

This act shall apply to actions for judicial review filed on and after the effective date of this act.

Section 3.

This act is effective July 1, 2026
.

(END)

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HB0066