Wyoming legislators wrapped up the state’s 2011-12 biennial budget session earlier this month by passing a critical budget bill, but senators and representatives also passed a total of 121 bills introducing Cowboy State residents to new laws and regulations.

The following is a look at six of the most notable bills Gov. Dave Freudenthal has signed into law.



Wind energy tax

House enrolled act 18

Gov. Dave Freudenthal signed into law the act introducing a wind energy generation tax March 5. The controversial decision imposes a tax of $1 per megawatt hour of wind-generated energy. The tax goes into effect Jan. 1, 2012 and sends 60 percent of the funds to the generating county and 40 percent to the state’s general fund. The state won’t impose the tax until turbines are operational for three years.



Sex offender residences

House enrolled act 63

Registered sex offenders won’t be able to live within 1,000 feet of school properties starting July 1. The law won’t impact offenders whose residences were established prior to the effective date and also dictates offenders aren’t allowed to loiter within 1,000 feet of the school property. The state did not have any sex offender residence restrictions until Freudenthal signed the act into law March 9.





For the complete article see the 03-19-2010 issue.

Click here to purchase an electronic version of the 03-19-2010 paper.

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