Wyoming Enacts House Bill 172 (HB 172), the “Wyoming Repeal Gun Free Zones Act”
On January 23, 2025, the Wyoming House passed HB 172 with a decisive vote of 50-10. On February 21, 2025, the state Senate approved the bill by a 25-6 vote. With these veto proof margins, the governor, who last session vetoed a similar bill, had no chance to stop the bill so he let it become law without his signature, despite his displeasure with the bill.
The new law will allow individuals with concealed handgun permits to carry firearms in government meetings and buildings, public K-12 schools, and college campuses. The bill does not allow concealed carry in those areas forbidden by federal law. It also doesn’t allow people who are currently students in K-12 schools to carry.
ENROLLED ACT NO. 24, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SIXTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2025 GENERAL SESSION
AN ACT relating to concealed weapons; repealing gun free zones; providing for the carrying of concealed weapons as specified; creating a criminal offense for prohibiting entry to a person carrying a concealed weapon as specified; clarifying that only the state legislature may regulate firearms, weapons and ammunition; providing for exceptions; requiring rulemaking; and providing for an effective date.
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:
Section 1. W.S. 6‑8‑105 is created to read:
6‑8‑105. Exceptions for state issued concealed carry permits; penalty.
(a) This section shall be known as and may be cited as the “Wyoming Repeal Gun Free Zones Act.”
(b) Persons lawfully carrying concealed weapons in Wyoming under W.S. 6‑8‑104(a)(ii) through (iv) may carry a concealed weapon in the following places:
(i) Any meeting of a governmental entity;
(ii) Any meeting of the legislature or a committee thereof;
(iii) Any public airport in areas of the airport where the carrying of concealed weapons is not prohibited or restricted under federal law or federal regulation;
(iv) Any public building not otherwise prohibited under W.S. 6‑8‑104(t) or regulated under this section.
(c) Subject to W.S. 6‑8‑104(t)(ix) and subsection (f) of this section, persons lawfully carrying concealed weapons in Wyoming with a permit issued under W.S. 6‑8‑104(a)(ii) may carry a concealed weapon in the following places:
(i) Any public school, public college or university athletic event taking place on public property that does not sell alcoholic beverages;
(ii) Any public elementary or secondary school facility;
(iii) Any public college or university facility.
(d) Nothing in this section shall be construed to:
(i) Allow the carrying of a concealed weapon where otherwise prohibited under W.S. 6‑8‑104(t);
(ii) Prohibit a private property owner from restricting firearms on his private property;
(iii) Prohibit a governmental entity from prohibiting the open carry, display or wearing of a firearm in its facilities or on its campus;
(iv) Allow the carrying of a concealed weapon into facilities where otherwise prohibited by law;
(v) Allow the carrying of a concealed weapon within state agency operated health and human services settings, health and human services facilities that are exempt from licensure or licensed by the department of family services or department of corrections or health and human services facilities that are certified by the behavioral health division of the department of health to provide residential services;
(vi) Allow the carrying of a concealed weapon within any facility where explosive or volatile materials are present. For purposes of this paragraph “explosive or volatile materials” shall not include materials that are either in an insufficient amount or in a form such that the material could not reasonably cause serious bodily injury due to the materials explosive or volatile nature;
(vii) Prohibit a governmental entity from requiring any employee or student to store firearms within a concealed biometric container or a lock box within the employee’s or student’s direct control at all times when the firearms are not being carried on the employee’s or student’s person, except said rules shall not:
(A) Prohibit the storage of firearms and ammunition in public campus housing by any employee or student authorized to carry a concealed firearm pursuant to this section; or
(B) Require that a firearm be stored unloaded or separate from its ammunition.
(e) Any person who knowingly prohibits entry to another person for lawfully carrying a concealed weapon into a place authorized pursuant to subsection (b) or (c) of this section, unless otherwise prohibited under subsection (d) of this section, when the person would otherwise be permitted entry is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than one (1) year, a fine of not more than two thousand dollars ($2,000.00), or both.
(f) The board of trustees in each school district may adopt rules and regulations to govern employees and volunteers lawfully carrying concealed weapons in Wyoming under W.S. 6‑8‑104 on or in any property or facility owned or leased by the school district. If no rules and regulations are adopted under this subsection, an employee or a volunteer with a permit to conceal carry under W.S. 6‑8‑104(a)(ii) may carry a concealed weapon under W.S. 6‑8‑105(c)(ii) or (iii) onto school property. Any rules and regulations adopted under this subsection shall only apply to persons who are volunteers or employees, as defined by subsection (g) of this section. The rules under this subsection shall:
(i) Require any person carrying a firearm pursuant to this section to maintain the firearm on his person at all times or in a concealed biometric container or lock box within the direct control of the person at all times;
(ii) Establish ongoing training requirements, curricula and instructor qualifications, in consultation with local law enforcement, including:
(A) An initial course of training comprised of not less than sixteen (16) hours of live fire handgun training, and eight (8) hours of scenario based training using nonlethal training, firearms and ammunition; and
(B) Annual firearm qualification and documented recurrent training of not less than twelve (12) hours with an approved instructor.
(g) For purposes of subsection (f) of this section, “employee” means any person employed by a school district, including but not limited to, superintendents, assistant superintendents, principals, assistant principals, teachers, guidance counselors, librarians, teacher’s aids, coaches, business managers, secretaries or administrative assistants, janitors, bus drivers or other employees of a school district.
(h) For purposes of this section, “governmental entity” means the state, the university of Wyoming and any local government as defined by W.S. 1‑39‑103(a)(ii).
(j) The board of trustees in any school district may waive all or part of the training requirements of paragraph (f)(ii) of this section for isolated rural schools and employees in those schools.
Section 2. W.S. 6‑8‑104(t)(ix) and 6‑8‑401(c) are amended to read:
6‑8‑104. Wearing or carrying concealed weapons; penalties; exceptions; permits.
(t) No person authorized to carry a concealed weapon pursuant to paragraphs (a)(ii) through (iv) of this section shall carry a concealed firearm into:
(ix) Any elementary or secondary school facility, except as provided in W.S. 21‑3‑132 if the person is enrolled as a student at any elementary or secondary school;
6‑8‑401. Firearm, weapon and ammunition regulation and prohibition by state.
(c) The sale, transfer, purchase, delivery, taxation, manufacture, ownership, transportation, storage, use and possession of firearms, weapons and ammunition shall be authorized, regulated and prohibited by the state, and regulation thereof is preempted by the legislature of the state of Wyoming. Except as authorized by W.S. 15‑1‑103(a)(xviii) and 21‑3‑132 23‑1‑302, no state agency,city, town, county, political subdivision or any other entity shall authorize, regulate or prohibit the sale, transfer, purchase, delivery, taxation, manufacture, ownership, transportation, storage, use, carrying or possession of firearms, weapons, accessories, components or ammunition except as specifically provided by this chapter. This section shall not affect zoning or other ordinances which encompass firearms businesses along with other businesses. Zoning and other ordinances which are designed for the purpose of restricting or prohibiting the sale, purchase, transfer or manufacture of firearms or ammunition as a method of regulating firearms or ammunition are in conflict with this section and are prohibited.
Section 3. W.S. 6‑8‑104(t)(iv) through (vi) and (x) and 21‑3‑132 are repealed.
Section 4. The state building commission shall begin promulgating any rules necessary to administer this act not later than thirty (30) days after the effective date of this act.
Section 5. This act is effective July 1, 2025.
(END)
