The bill establishes new procedures for the declaration and management of public health emergencies in Wyoming. It mandates that the governor must convene the legislature within two days of declaring a public health emergency, allowing the legislature to either concur with the declaration or terminate it. Additionally, the bill authorizes the legislature to meet and vote either in-person or remotely through electronic methods to satisfy quorum requirements. The definition of a public health emergency is also amended to align with these new provisions.

Several sections of existing law are amended to reflect the new designation of public health emergencies under the newly created W.S. 35-4-116. Specifically, references to the previous section W.S. 35-4-115(a)(i) are replaced with the new section throughout various statutes related to health care provider licensure and temporary licensing during emergencies. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2024, and will apply to all public health emergency declarations made on or after that date.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 1-1-141, 33-25-102, 33-49-107, 35-4-114, 35-4-115