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HB0178 • 2026

Public unions-transparency and dues withdrawal limitations.

AN ACT relating to labor and employment; prohibiting public employers and specified organizations from automatic deductions of dues and uniform assessments as specified; specifying penalties; providing and amending definitions; making conforming amendments; specifying applicability; and providing for an effective date.

Vetoed

The latest official action shows the governor vetoed this bill. Check the bill history to see whether lawmakers later overrode that veto.

Sponsor
Representative Williams
Last action
2026-03-10
Official status
inactive
Effective date
1/1/2027

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation included claims about firefighter negotiations and union disclosures that are not supported by the official source material.

Public Unions Transparency and Dues Withdrawal Limitations

This bill stops public employers from automatically taking union dues out of workers' paychecks without their permission.

What This Bill Does

  • Prohibits public employers from deducting union dues or fees from employees' wages on behalf of a labor organization, political action committee, political organization, political committee, or any candidate for federal, state, or local office without the employee's consent.
  • Specifies penalties, including fines up to $1,000 and jail time for up to six months, for those who break these rules.
  • Amends definitions related to public employers and employees to clarify which entities are covered by this act.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Public employers such as the state of Wyoming, cities, towns, counties, or other political subdivisions in Wyoming.
  • Labor organizations and public employees who work for these entities.

Terms To Know

public employer
The state of Wyoming, any city, town, county, or political subdivision in Wyoming, and their agencies or instrumentalities.
labor organization
A group that represents workers' interests through collective bargaining and other activities.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not affect public safety agencies as defined by W.S. 9-2-1101(b)(i) or corporate authorities as defined by W.S. 27-10-101(a)(ii).
  • It is unclear if the governor's veto will be overridden by lawmakers.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-10 Governor

    Governor Vetoed HEA No. 0035

  2. 2026-03-06 Senate

    S President Signed HEA No. 0035

  3. 2026-03-06 House

    H Speaker Signed HEA No. 0035

  4. 2026-03-06 LSO

    Assigned Number HEA No. 0035

  5. 2026-03-06 House

    H Concur:Passed 44-16-2-0-0

  6. 2026-03-06 House

    H Received for Concurrence

  7. 2026-03-05 Senate

    S 3rd Reading:Passed 21-10-0-0-0

  8. 2026-03-04 Senate

    S 2nd Reading:Passed

  9. 2026-03-03 Senate

    S COW:Passed

  10. 2026-02-27 Senate

    S Placed on General File

  11. 2026-02-27 Senate

    S01 - Judiciary:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 4-1-0-0-0

  12. 2026-02-24 Senate

    S Introduced and Referred to S01 - Judiciary

  13. 2026-02-24 Senate

    S Received for Introduction

  14. 2026-02-23 House

    H 3rd Reading:Passed 36-22-4-0-0

  15. 2026-02-21 House

    H 3rd Reading:Laid Back

  16. 2026-02-20 House

    H 2nd Reading:Passed

  17. 2026-02-19 House

    H COW:Passed 34-22-6-0-0

  18. 2026-02-19 House

    H Placed on General File

  19. 2026-02-19 House

    H04 - Education:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 4-3-1-0-1

  20. 2026-02-17 House

    :Rerefer to H04 - Education

  21. 2026-02-16 House

    :Recalled from Committee Pursuant to House Rule 5-6: 32-29-1-0-0

  22. 2026-02-13 House

    H Introduced and Referred to H06 - Travel 44-17-1-0-0

  23. 2026-02-11 House

    H Received for Introduction

  24. 2026-02-11 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
26LSO-0241

ORIGINAL House

ENGROSSED
Bill No
.
HB0178

ENROLLED ACT NO. 35,

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

SIXTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2026 Budget Session

AN ACT relating to labor and employment; prohibiting public employers and specified organizations from automatic deductions of dues and uniform assessments as specified; specifying penalties; providing and amending definitions; making conforming amendments; specifying applicability; and providing for an effective date.

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

Section 1
.

W.S. 27
‑
7
‑
116 is created to read:

27
‑
7
‑
116.

Public employee labor organizations; limitations on support.

(a)

No public employer, nor its agents or representatives or any persons acting on behalf of the public employer, shall use or authorize the use of public funds or facilities to support or fundraise by:

(i)

Deducting dues, fees, assessments, fines or contributions from the pay of any public employee on behalf of a:

(A)

Labor organization or its affiliate;

(B)

Political action committee governed under title 22, chapter 25 of the Wyoming statutes;

(C)

Political organization as defined by 26 U.S.C. § 527(e)(1);

(D)

Political committee as defined by 52 U.S.C. § 30101(4);

(E)

Any candidate for federal, state or local office.

(b)

Any person who violates this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

(c)

Nothing in this section shall be construed to:

(i)

Authorize a governmental entity that does not independently possess the authority to engage in collective bargaining with a labor organization;

(ii)

Permit any conduct prohibited by W.S. 9
‑
13
‑
105;

(iii)

Permit a public employee to be required to have a connection with a labor organization as a condition of employment, in violation of W.S. 27
‑
7
‑
112;

(iv)

Impair the right of fire fighters to collectively bargain as provided by W.S. 27
‑
10
‑
101 through 27
‑
10
‑
109, including the ability to collectively bargain for deductions from wages;

(v)

Require a governmental entity to take actions that would violate 49 U.S.C. § 5333(b) or jeopardize its continued eligibility to receive federal transit administration funding;

(vi)

Prohibit a public employee from paying dues, fees, contributions or other charges directly to a labor organization or a political fund organized by or associated with the labor organization;

(vii)

Require any labor organization to disclose the names or identifying information of its members.

Section 2.

W.S. 27
‑
7
‑
108 by creating new subsections (c) and (d) and 27
‑
7
‑
115 are amended to read:

27
‑
7
‑
108.

Right to work; definitions.

(c)

"Public employee" means an employee of a public employer.

(d)

"Public employer" means the state of Wyoming, any city, town, county or political subdivision in Wyoming and any agency or instrumentality thereof. "Public employer" shall not include a public safety agency as defined by W.S. 9
‑
2
‑
1101(b)(i) or a corporate authority as defined by W.S. 27
‑
10
‑
101(a)(ii).

27
‑
7
‑
115.

Right to work; penalties.

Any person convicted of a misdemeanor, as defined in this act
or as specified in W.S. 27
‑
7
‑
116
, shall be punished by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000.00), or imprisonment in the county jail for a term not to exceed six (6) months, or both.

Section 3
.

Nothing in this act shall be construed to alter, amend or impair any contract or other agreement entered into before the effective date of this act.

Section 4
.

This act is effective January 1, 2027
.

(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

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