Senate Advances HB10 with County Opt-Out, Limits Legal Standing in Albany County

A 3-2 vote by the Wyoming Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday advanced House Bill 0010, titled “Sexually explicit materials in libraries — requirements,” after senators attached a county-level opt-out and tightened who may sue over library materials. The committee action follows the House’s 48–13 passage of the bill and sets up consideration by the full Senate.

OilCity News reported the roll as Sen. Larry Hicks, R-Baggs; Sen. John Kolb, R-Rock Springs; and Chairman Olsen voting to advance the measure, with Crago and Sen. Gary Crum, R-Laramie, voting against. Committee supporters said the amendments were designed to reduce litigation risk and to prevent nonresidents from suing local libraries, while opponents urged caution about state overreach.

The bill’s substantive rules as described in committee reporting would require materials deemed sexually explicit to be cataloged and stored in adult sections and would require written parental consent for minor access. County17 noted the committee narrowed legal standing to file lawsuits to “qualified electors” only and described the changes as “protective measures designed to limit litigation risk and prevent nonresidents from suing local libraries.”

Supporters framed HB 0010 as creating statewide clarity. Patricia McCoy, speaking on behalf of multiple Wyoming chapters of Moms for Liberty, said, “This legislation does not rely on vague standards or subjective interpretation. It provides clear statutory definitions and consistent statewide expectations.” Aggregated reporting summarized supporters’ pitch that the bill would protect youth and ease a parental burden in overseeing children’s literature.

Library and education leaders in the Laramie area pushed back sharply at the Judiciary Committee hearing. Cristine Braddy, president of the Wyoming Libraries Association, said, “This bill strips authority from our local boards and places it in the hands of the state. HB 10 is an erosion of parental rights. While framed as a parental rights measure, this bill selectively supports the rights of one group of parents while actively stripping away the rights of others to decide what was appropriate for their own children,” and called the measure “censorship through relocation.” Dr. Rene Hinkle of the Laramie County School District 1 Board of Trustees warned of practical consequences: “Teenagers are thinking about sex. I’m sorry if that surprises anybody, but they are,” and added that materials removed from libraries could leave students without vetted, local resources: “There are things that are not necessarily taught in schools that they need to be able to educate themselves on. And if those things are not available in the library for many people, they’re not available at all. I’d rather them come to the library and get the information than go online.”

The Wyoming Education Association criticized the bill and identified Rep. Ann Lucas of Laramie County as the bill’s bringer, asserting, “This bill and its bringer, Rep. Ann Lucas of Laramie County, continue to attack Wyoming’s librarians and educators,” and warning that the measure “will still result in a book ban and will specifically target our LGBTQ+ students,” even as WyoEA noted amendments removed criminal prosecution for teachers or librarians in the current text.

Procedurally, multiple reports indicate the bill now moves to the full Senate for consideration and that any Senate-passed amendments would send HB 0010 back to the House for concurrence before it could reach Gov. Mark Gordon’s desk. County17 reported the Senate is expected to consider the bill “in the coming days,” and Albany County and Laramie-area libraries and school boards face a near-term legislative decision that could reshape local library cataloging and minor-access rules.