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26LSO-0345
2026
STATE OF WYOMING
26LSO-0345
Numbered
2.0
HOUSE BILL NO. HB0173
Juvenile discipline-parental obligations.
Sponsored by: Representative(s) Winter, Guggenmos, Heiner, Knapp, Larsen, L and Ottman
A BILL
for
AN ACT relating to parental liability; creating and amending provisions related to parental liability as specified; and providing for an effective date.
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:
Section 1
.
W.S. 14
‑
2
‑
203(a), 14
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3
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438, 14
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6
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242, 14
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6
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244(b) and (d), 14
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6
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438, 21
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4
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105 and 21
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4
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314(b)(ix), (x) and by creating a new paragraph (xi) are amended to read:
14
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2
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203.
Parental tort liability for property damage of certain minors; exception; action cumulative.
(a)
Any property owner
, including a public school district in the state,
is entitled to recover damages from the parents of any minor under the age of seventeen (17) years and over the age of ten (10) years who maliciously and willfully damages or destroys
his
the owner's
property. The recovery is limited to the actual damages in an amount not to exceed
two thousand dollars ($2,000.00)
five thousand dollars ($5,000.00)
in addition to
taxable
court costs. This section
does
shall
not apply to parents whose parental custody and control of the child had been terminated by court order prior to the destructive act.
14
‑
3
‑
438.
Liability for contempt; penalties.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the court upon its own motion or upon the motion of the district or county attorney, or guardian ad litem, may find that the child's parent, parents, or guardian or any other person who willfully violates, or neglects or refuses to obey or perform any order or provision of this act is liable for contempt of court and may be fined not more than
five hundred dollars ($500.00)
one thousand dollars ($1,000.00)
or incarcerated not more than
ninety (90)
one hundred twenty (120)
days, or both.
14
‑
6
‑
242.
Liability for contempt; penalties.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the court upon its own motion or upon the motion of the district or county attorney, or guardian ad litem, may find that the child, child's parent, parents, or guardian or any other person who willfully violates, or neglects or refuses to obey or perform any order or provision of this act is liable for contempt of court and may be fined not more than
five hundred dollars ($500.00)
one thousand dollars ($1,000.00)
or incarcerated not more than
ninety (90)
one hundred twenty (120)
days, or both.
14
‑
6
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244.
Parental liability for failure to exercise reasonable control and authority.
(b)
If the court finds at the hearing of a juvenile petition that the parent or guardian having custody of the child has failed or neglected to subject the juvenile to reasonable parental control and authority, and that such failure or neglect is the proximate cause of the act or acts of the juvenile upon which a finding of delinquency is based, the court may, if the child is placed on probation, require the parent or guardian to furnish a cash deposit or bond in an amount not to exceed
five hundred dollars ($500.00)
one thousand dollars ($1,000.00)
, conditioned upon the faithful discharge of the conditions of the child's probation.
(d)
Funds received upon forfeiture of a cash deposit or bond under subsection (c) of this section shall be applied in payment of damages, if any, which may have been caused by the juvenile
, including payment to a school district damaged by the juvenile's act or acts
.
The balance of the proceeds shall be retained by the court to apply to any future damages resulting from the act or acts of the juvenile until the juvenile reaches eighteen (18) years of age at which time any remaining proceeds shall be
:
(i)
Paid into the county treasury to the credit of the public school fund of the county if the court finds that the juvenile has violated any material term of probation;
(ii)
R
eturned to the parent or guardian
if the juvenile has abided by the terms of probation
.
14
‑
6
‑
438.
Liability for contempt; penalties.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the court upon its own motion or upon the motion of the district or county attorney, or guardian ad litem, may find that the child, the child's parent, parents, or guardian or any other person who willfully violates, or neglects or refuses to obey or perform any order or provision of this act is liable for contempt of court and may be fined not more than
five hundred dollars ($500.00)
one thousand dollars ($1,000.00)
or incarcerated not more than
ninety (90)
one hundred twenty (120)
days, or both.
21
‑
4
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105.
Penalty for failure of parent, guardian or custodian to comply with article.
Any parent, guardian or custodian of any child to whom this article applies who willfully fails, neglects or refuses to comply with the provisions of this article may be punished by not more than
ten (10)
twenty
‑
five (25)
days of community service and subject to proceedings under the Child Protection Act, W.S. 14
‑
3
‑
401 et seq., or the Children In Need of Supervision Act, W.S. 14
‑
6
‑
401 et seq., or both.
21
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4
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314.
School district implementation; state policies, training and technical assistance.
(b)
The policy prohibiting harassment, intimidation or bullying shall include, without limitation:
(ix)
A process for discussing the district's harassment, intimidation or bullying policy with students
that shall be reviewed and updated annually
;
and
(x)
A statement of how the policy is to be publicized, including notice that the policy applies to participation in functions sponsored by the school
;
.
and
(xi)
Consequences and appropriate remedial actions, including a referral to law enforcement, for parents or guardians of minor students who have committed acts of harassment, intimidation or bullying or engaged in reprisal or retaliation where the acts were, in part, a result of the parent's or guardian's neglect or refusal to discipline the minor student for the acts.
Section 2
.
This act is effective July 1, 2026
.
(END)
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HB0173