Committee directs LSO to draft stiffer penalties for failing to comply with legislative subpoenas

The Management Audit Committee reviewed proposed changes to Wyoming's penalty for failing to comply with a legislative subpoena at its June 18 meeting and directed the Legislative Service Office to prepare a draft bill for the next session.

LSO summarized House Bill 83, which would replace the current $100 fine (and up to six months in jail) for failure to appear on a legislative subpoena with a larger monetary penalty and equivalent custodial sanction. Josh Anderson (LSO) told the committee that neighboring states apply a wide range of penalties: fines from $10 up to $5,000 and jail terms ranging from 30 days to one year, and that enforcement approaches vary by whether the legislature or courts handle contempt.

Why this matters: the committee is considering alignment of Wyoming's enforcement tools with regional practice and clarifying how contempt and enforcement should be handled when witnesses or entities refuse to comply with legislative process.

Members had no in-person or online public comment and then moved to send the prior-session draft to LSO for formal drafting. A committee member moved that LSO prepare a bill draft duplicating the earlier 26 LSO 248 language; the motion carried by voice vote and staff were instructed to bring the drafted bill back to committee.

LSO recommended next steps: prepare a draft for statutory form, identify enforcement mechanics (court-handled contempt vs. legislative-initiated proceedings), and present the draft at a subsequent meeting for committee consideration.