Wyoming Legislature’s Gun Bills Make Big Moves – What’s Advancing and Why It Matters

This week, a handful of gun-related bills pushed past the Legislature’s mid-session “crossover” deadline, meaning they’ve cleared one chamber and are now headed to the next. For folks tracking Second Amendment policy here in Wyoming, this session is shaping up to be a big one.

Let’s Break Down What’s Happening:

Campus Carry Expansion — HB 95

Rep. Jeremy Haroldson (R-Wheatland) is carrying HB 95, a bill that would let people who are already authorized to carry concealed firearms without a permit carry on any public college or university campus. That’s a step beyond current law, which only recently opened up the University of Wyoming campus after the Legislature repealed “gun-free zones” last year.

Haroldson says students holding permits from other states asked for this change, basically saying, “If we can carry elsewhere with a permit, why can’t we carry here?”

Lowering the Permit Age — HB 96

Also from Haroldson is HB 96, a proposal to let 18-year-olds (instead of 21) get a Wyoming concealed carry permit. That’s a pretty notable shift in a state that already has some of the country’s most permissive firearm laws.

State Power vs. Federal Enforcement — HB 130

Rep. Robert Wharff’s HB 130 would impose a civil penalty on state law enforcement agencies that help federal authorities in ways the Legislature deems to infringe on “Second Amendment rights.”

Supporters argue it simply protects Wyoming sovereignty. Opponents, including all 23 county sheriffs through the Wyoming Association of Sheriffs & Chiefs of Police, worry it could interfere with real cooperation on serious crimes.

Red Flag Orders & Penalties — HB 98

Also in the mix: HB 98 would make it a misdemeanor offense, punishable by up to a year in jail and fines, to enforce any “red flag” gun confiscation order. Wyoming already bans such orders, but this bill would add teeth to that prohibition.

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What This All Means for Wyoming

Right now, these bills are still proposals. While they’ve moved to the opposite chamber, they haven’t become law yet. As they advance through committee hearings and floor votes, they’re drawing attention from both gun rights advocates and law enforcement officials.

Here are the big themes you’ll hear:

• Expanding where guns can be carried — both on campus and by younger adults.
• Pushing back against perceived federal overreach — with state penalties tied to cooperation.
• Hardening Wyoming’s already permissive gun policy — including penalties around red flag enforcement.

Whether you’re a gun owner, a student, a parent, or someone who just wants to know why this matters, these bills will be worth watching as they move toward final votes.

Stay tuned, we’ll keep tracking these as they unfold.