State Senate: Republican majority
State House: Republican majority
Governor: Mark Gordon (R)
Attorney General: Bridget Hill (R)

Summary:

Red, rural Wyoming has considered several speech-related bills over the past few years, but none have become law. These proposals included bills to prevent financial institutions from using social credit scores, ESG scores, or other discriminatory nonfinancial criteria, limit social media censorship and access by minors, and limit the use of generative-AI.  

Key Policymakers:

• Sen. Troy McKeown [R] 
• Rep. Robert Davis [R]

Legislative Activity:

SF 108 (2021): A bill prohibiting financial institutions from engaging in discrimination based on the use of a social credit score or other environmental, social justice or governmental score or metric; declaring the use of a social credit score as a deceptive trade practice. Republican-only bill introduced by Rep. John Bear [R], Sen. Troy McKeown [R] and Sen. Dennis Biteman [R] in Feb. 2022 but did not advance.

HB 274: A bill prohibiting discrimination based on viewpoint, race, religion and location by interactive computer services, social media platforms and businesses as specified; providing legislative findings; specifying a breach of fiduciary duty for release or loss of private information; defining terms related to the prohibitions on discrimination; providing remedies for violations as specified. Republican-only bill introduced by Rep. Robert Davis [R] and Sen. Troy McKeown [R] in Jan. 2023 but did not progress.

HB 85: A bill requiring parental consent for minors under age 18 to use a social media platform. Introduced by Rep. Ryan Berger [R] and Sen. Eric Barlow [R] in Jan. 2024 but did not progress. 

HB 274: The bill finds that interactive computer services and companies are similar to common carriers, are affected with a public interest, serve as central public forums for public debate, and have enjoyed governmental support in the United States.  It asserts that interactive computer services and companies may owe a fiduciary duty to their users; Interactive computer services and companies appear to be increasingly censoring expression on their services and platforms based on the point of view of the person making the expression. Introduced by Rep. Robert Davis [R] and Sen. Troy McKeown [R] in Jan. 2023 but did not progress. 

SF 51: A bill prohibiting unlawful dissemination of misleading synthetic media without a clear disclosure, or with the intent to mislead others about the appearance, actions or speech of the natural person represented in the synthetic media. Introduced by the House Blockchain, Financial Technology and Digital Innovation Technology Committee, passed the Senate on a bipartisan vote, but died in the House. 

Legal Actions:

None.