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Wyoming State Liquor Association Final Report: Legislature, 2006
The Wyoming Legislature’s 2006 Budget session convened on February 13 and adjourned on March 11. Following is a list of pertinent legislation that your association was involved in. As always, feel free to contact the office with any questions at 307-634-6484.
Thanks! Mike Moser
WSLA Issues that have passed the 2006 Legislature:
HB 4 Direct shipment–winery – would allow for intra-state shipping of wines to reflect existing Wyoming statute on inter-state laws. This is partially in response to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling. WSLA supported this bill.
HB 5 Alcohol without liquid – would outlaw alcohol without liquid (AWOL) machines, which allow alcohol to be inhaled directly into the lungs rather than consumed through the digestive tract. WSLA supported this bill.
HB 9 Workers’ compensation–drug and alcohol testing – would create an additional 5% Workers’ Comp safety discount for businesses who institute a drug and alcohol testing program as outlined by the Department of Employment. WSLA supported this bill.
HB 10 Workers’ compensation amendments – changes requirements for nonresident employers and delinquency penalties, and repeals the requirements that covered employment be primarily Wyoming based. It also allows new employers to pay estimated advance premiums instead of posting a bond. WSLA supported this bill.
HB 37 Workers’ compensation fund investment – would allow the investment of the Workers’ Compensation fund reserves to include up to 45% in common stocks. WSLA supported this bill.
HB 77 Golf clubs – liquor licenses – would allow golf courses with full retail liquor licenses to dispense alcohol on the golf course identically to how club (limited retail) licensees are allowed to do currently. WSLA supported this bill.
HB 83 Bar and grill liquor license – would create a new type of liquor license (bar & grill) which has the same restrictions as a restaurant liquor license but allows for a separate bar during restaurant hours. It also creates a population formula for these licenses to limit the number issued. WSLA supported this bill.
SF 49 Ignition interlock devices – allows for the use of ignition interlocks to be used for usage as part of DUI convictions. WSLA had no position on this bill since the use of these devices remained optional and not mandatory.
SF 98 Health insurance – small employer carrier reinsurance – This bill has the ability to directly impact small employers by offering relief from rising health insurance costs by subsidizing small group reinsurance, which covers some of the larger claims and therefore has the effect of reducing the cost of health insurance. WSLA supported this bill.
R.I.P. – bills that died this Session
HB 86 Optional alcoholic beverage tax – creates a local option to increase the excise tax on alcohol for the funding of local alcohol abuse treatment of prevention programs. This tax would be imposed and paid by retailer by volume. WSLA opposed. Killed on House introduction.
HB 175 Optional liquor tax – limited time period – would allow for the creation of a local option tax on alcohol for a limited time period. WSLA opposed. Died without House introduction.
HB 2 Liquor licenses – would change the population formula to determine the number of full retail liquor licenses to allow for more licenses per area. It also increased the number of licenses within the perimeter of a city or town and allows for malt beverage licenses to be held within that perimeter. WSLA opposed. Withdrawn by the bill sponsor.
HB 6 Restaurant liquor licenses. – would allow existing and future restaurant liquor licenses to have a full stand-alone bar in conjunction with the restaurant operation. WSLA opposed. Withdrawn by the bill sponsor.
HB 11 Minors purchasing alcohol – allows for the suspension of a driver’s license when an underage person attempts to illegally purchase alcohol using a motor vehicle. WSLA supported. Killed on House Third Reading.
HB 50 Minimum wage for tipped employees – would increase the minimum wage for tipped employees from $2.13 to $4.00 an hour. WSLA opposed. Killed on House introduction.
HB 51 Minors in possession of alcohol – creates penalties for Minor Under the Influence (MUI). It allows for criminal penalties for underage persons that are under the influence when not with their immediate family. Died on Senate General File.
HB 54 Tobacco tax increase – Medicaid funding would increase the cigarette tax from 60 cents a pack to a dollar and increase the excise tax on other tobacco products by over 50%. WSLA opposed. Killed on House Third Reading.
HB 102 Workers’ Compensation co-employee immunity – wcreates protection from litigation from co-employees in Workers’ Compensation cases. Employers are currently constitutionally protected from these lawsuits but co-employees are not. WSLA supported. Killed on House introduction.
SF 14 Mental health insurance parity – would require Wyoming health insurance plans to cover mental health illness the same way they cover physical illness. This would increase the cost of health insurance between 2%–4%. WSLA opposed. Killed on the Senate 3rd Reading.
SF 54 Substance abuse insurance parity – would require Wyoming health insurance plans to cover substance abuse treatment and mental illness the same way they cover physical illness, increasing the cost of health insurance. WSLA opposed. Failed introduction in the Senate.