No foreign law in Wyoming.

26LSO-0261
2026
STATE OF WYOMING
26LSO-0261
Numbered
2.0

HOUSE BILL NO. HB0119

No foreign law in Wyoming.

Sponsored by: Representative(s) Rodriguez-Williams, Hoeft and Webber and Senator(s) Hutchings and Laursen, D

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to the common law, statutes and rules of construction; limiting the application and use of foreign law under Wyoming law; specifying exceptions to a change of venue in civil actions; providing legislative findings; making conforming amendments; providing definitions; and providing for an effective date.

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

Section 1
.

W.S. 8
‑
1
‑
111 is created to read:

8
‑
1
‑
111.

Limitations on the application of foreign law.

(a)

As used in this section, "foreign law" means any law, legal code or legal system of a jurisdiction outside of any state or territory of the United States, including the law, legal code or legal system of any international organization or international tribunal.

(b)

The legislature finds that the application of foreign law shall be circumscribed when the application of foreign law would violate the fundamental liberties, rights and privileges guaranteed by the United States constitution and the Wyoming constitution, including but not limited to equal protection, due process of the laws, the free exercise of religion, the freedoms of speech and the press, the right of privacy and the right of marriage.

(c)

Any ruling or decision of a state court, arbitration panel, tribunal or administrative agency of Wyoming that is based, in whole or in part, on foreign law shall be void and unenforceable if the ruling or decision allows the application of any foreign law that denies the parties the fundamental liberties, rights and privileges guaranteed under the United States constitution and the Wyoming constitution.

(d)

The limitation in subsection (c) of this section shall not be construed to:

(i)

Limit the application of the common law as specified in W.S. 8
‑
1
‑
101;

(ii)

Limit the application of the law of any federally recognized Indian tribe whose reservations are located in Wyoming, in accordance with state, tribal and federal law;

(iii)

Disapprove or abrogate any existing opinion of the Wyoming supreme court;

(iv)

Limit adjudication of ecclesiastical matters of a religious organization, including the selection, appointment, discipline or removal of clergy or the adoption, amendment or interpretation of religious doctrine;

(v)

Apply to any person that voluntarily agrees to be subjected to foreign law or to the jurisdiction of a foreign court;

(vi)

Apply where federal law preempts state law, including obligations under treaties or international agreements;

(vii)

Impair any contract or other agreement entered into by two (2) or more persons.

Section 2.

W.S. 1
‑
7
‑
103(a) and by creating a new subsection (d) is amended to read:

1
‑
7
‑
103.

Change of venue in civil actions; limitation.

(a)

For any civil action brought in an incorrect venue, the district court may, on its own or upon motion of the parties, order the action to be transferred to a court that would be a proper venue
, except as provided by subsection (d) of this section
.

(d)

No court shall transfer any civil action to a proper venue under this section if the transfer would result in the application of foreign law as defined by W.S. 8
‑
1
‑
111(a) that would violate or likely violate the fundamental liberties, rights and privileges of the parties guaranteed under the United States constitution or the Wyoming constitution.

Section 3
.

This act is effective July 1, 2026
.

(END)

1
HB0119