WyomingHealth department may use county jails for competency care
Beginning July 1, 2026, the Department of Health may contract with designated county jails to secure, examine, or treat accused people.
What it does
The Department of Health may designate county detention facilities and contract with them to provide security, examinations, or treatment for accused people under the state's competency law.
Two state laws on government liability for negligence and medical malpractice do not apply to services provided under this law.
The state sets aside $5 million for the Department of Health through June 30, 2028; matching funds enacted in two other 2026 bills reduce that amount.
The Department of Health must tell a legislative committee which county detention facilities it designates and how it uses and carries out contracts with them.
Argument forAccused people may receive security, examinations, or treatment in designated county jails under written contracts with the health department.
Argument againstPeople harmed during covered services may have fewer ways to seek damages from government entities under the two liability laws named here.
More detail
The Department of Health may designate county detention facilities and contract with them to provide security, examinations, or treatment. The services are for accused people covered by the state's competency law. A county jail counts as a facility when it has a written contract under this law. The department must designate a facility before it can contract with that facility. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.
Two specified state laws on government liability do not apply to services provided under this law. The two laws address government liability for bodily injury, wrongful death, or property damage tied to negligence or medical malpractice. The exception applies to covered services under this law; it does not say that providers are free from every kind of claim. The exception takes effect July 1, 2026.
The state sets aside $5 million from the general fund for the Department of Health to carry out this law. The money may be used only to carry out this law. The amount decreases dollar for dollar by funds enacted for the same purpose in 2026 House Bill 0001 or Senate File 0001. The funding period runs from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2028. Any unused, uncommitted money reverts on June 30, 2028.
The Department of Health must report to a legislative committee on facility designations and contracts. The report must cover county detention facility designations and the use and implementation of contracts under this law. The report is due by October 1, 2027.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed 1st Chamber
- Passed 2nd Chamber
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 6Assigned Chapter Number 67Latest
- Mar 6Governor Mark Gordon Signed SEA No. 0033Became Law
- Mar 3H Speaker Signed SEA No. 0033
- Mar 3S President Signed SEA No. 0033
- Mar 3Assigned Number SEA No. 0033
- Mar 2S Concur:Passed 30-0-1-0-0
- Vote recorded S Concur:Passed 30-0-1-0-0. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 26S Received for Concurrence
- Vote recorded H 3rd Reading:Passed 60-0-2-0-0. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 26H 3rd Reading:Passed 60-0-2-0-0Passed 2nd Chamber
- Feb 25H 2nd Reading:PassedMinor
- Feb 24H COW:PassedMinor
- Vote recorded H02 - Appropriations:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 7-0-0-0-0. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 24H Placed on General File
- Feb 24H02 - Appropriations:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 7-0-0-0-0Minor
- Feb 20:Rerefer to H02 - AppropriationsMinor
- Vote recorded H10 - Labor:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 9-0-0-0-0. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 20H10 - Labor:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 9-0-0-0-0Minor
- Feb 16H Introduced and Referred to H10 - LaborMinor
- Feb 13H Received for IntroductionMinor
- Vote recorded S 3rd Reading:Passed 31-0-0-0-0. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 13S 3rd Reading:Passed 31-0-0-0-0Passed 1st Chamber
- Feb 12S 2nd Reading:PassedMinor
- Feb 11S COW:PassedMinor
- Feb 10S Placed on General File
- Vote recorded S01 - Judiciary:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 4-0-1-0-0. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 10S01 - Judiciary:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 4-0-1-0-0Minor
- Feb 9S Introduced and Referred to S01 - Judiciary 31-0-0-0-0Minor
- Vote recorded S Introduced and Referred to S01 - Judiciary 31-0-0-0-0. Result: pass.Lower
- Jan 5S Received for IntroductionMinor
- 2025
- Dec 1Bill Number AssignedIntroduced
Criminal JusticeMental HealthHealthcare