Wyoming Legislature 2023: Transportation, Highways, and Military Affairs - Lower mandatory retirement age and carpool lanes

As with most  other Legislative committees, the Transportation Committee will also have new leadership as Senator Brian Boner moves over from the Ag committee, bringing a background in military affairs. Meanwhile, the House committee will have Landon Brown as its chair. Brown says that while there is not specifically a Transportation bill dealing with the issue of employee retention, Wyoming’s transportation future will be tied heavily to the state’s ability to hire. Brown says there are over 150 open positions at WYDOT, and  55 open state trooper slots around the state. 

“There are structural issues that need to be addressed at WYDOT in management and we have to look at making Wyoming more attractive by pay and working conditions,” says Brown. 

Brown says WYDOT Director Luke Reiner has asked for consideration to remove the mandatory retirement age of 65 for troopers and peace officers. Brown points out many of those approaching age 65 are interested in staying in service longer than age 65 in command or administrative positions. There is also a push to allow the state to pay for moving expenses of incoming employees in an attempt to make state jobs more attractive and an effort to bring state jobs up to market rate continues to be considered.

The Transportation Committee will also be in the rare setting of voting for or against a carpool lane in Wyoming. HB is actually aimed at Teton County, which asked for authority to plan for carpool lanes, yet there is nothing in state statute that allows for them. 

Other bills being considered by the transportation committee include:

• Brown points out a committee bill would allow Wyoming citizens to permanently license a small utility trailer weighing less than 1,000 pounds by paying five times the yearly fee just once. 
• Senate File 21 would allow for Wyoming’s own version of carpool lanes in which vehicles with no less than two people can use the lane. This includes public transportation. The bill is largely aimed at interstate traffic in the state.  A measure allowing for the formation of Airport Districts, a self-defined area that would tax itself for the purpose of funding an airport, will also be considered.
• House Bill 37 would require telecommunicator cardiopulmonary resuscitation training for dispatchers of emergency services. This would allow dispatchers to more effectively deliver CPR over the phone to those on-site at an emergency. Brown says one concern expressed by some is simply whether requiring another certification for dispatchers would make it more difficult to recruit dispatchers.
• House Bill 39 would allow documentation issued by the armed forces to be used by veterans to receive a veterans designation on a driver’s license or ID card. Currently, that designation has to come from the Wyoming Veterans Commission.