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Read. Follow. Verify.Wyoming establishes criminal offense of grooming a minor for a sexual offense with penalties up to life imprisonment
Last action · March 5, 2026: Assigned Chapter Number 41
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What This Bill Does
Wyoming establishes the criminal offense of a minor for a sexual offense, applying to individuals 17 or older who are at least four years older than the minor. The law sets base prison sentences up to 10 years, increasing to life imprisonment if the victim is under 16, and up to 25 years if the offender is 18 or older and the victim is under 12. The act takes effect on July 1, 2026.
Creates a new felony crime for adult behavior targeting minors for sexual exploitation, imposing mandatory sex offender treatment, probation limits, and annual address verification requirements for convicted offenders.
- The Joint Judiciary Interim Committee is an interim committee of the Wyoming Legislature that studies legal issues and drafts legislation between legislative sessions. context
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Minors
Minors are the protected class under the new criminal offense prohibiting grooming behavior and sexual exploitation.
Adults aged 17 and older
Individuals aged 17 and older are subject to criminal liability, felony prosecution, and increased prison terms for engaging in grooming behaviors toward minors.
Department of Corrections
The department is responsible for providing or approving sexual offender treatment programs that convicted individuals must complete.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
What age difference is required between the offender and the minor under the grooming law?
What are the penalties for committing the offense of grooming a minor?
Are offenders convicted of grooming eligible for deferred prosecution or probation without a conviction?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Signed into law.
Procedural history
22 actions- Mar 5, 2026Governor Signed HEA No. 0012
- Mar 5, 2026Assigned Chapter Number 41
- Mar 2, 2026HouseH Speaker Signed HEA No. 0012
- Mar 2, 2026SenateS President Signed HEA No. 0012
- Feb 27, 2026SenateS 3rd Reading:Passed 31-0-0-0-0
- Feb 27, 2026HouseH Received for Concurrence
Show 16 earlier actions
- Feb 27, 2026HouseH Concur:Passed 57-0-5-0-0
- Feb 27, 2026Assigned Number HEA No. 0012
- Feb 26, 2026SenateS 2nd Reading:Passed
- Feb 25, 2026SenateS COW:Passed
- Feb 24, 2026SenateS01 - Judiciary:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0
- Feb 24, 2026SenateS Placed on General File
- Feb 23, 2026SenateS Introduced and Referred to S01 - Judiciary
- Feb 16, 2026SenateS Received for Introduction
- Feb 13, 2026HouseH 3rd Reading:Passed 61-0-1-0-0
- Feb 12, 2026HouseH 2nd Reading:Passed
- Feb 11, 2026HouseH01 - Judiciary:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 8-0-1-0-0
- Feb 11, 2026HouseH Placed on General File
- Feb 11, 2026HouseH COW:Passed
- Feb 9, 2026HouseH Introduced and Referred to H01 - Judiciary 43-19-0-0-0
- Jan 9, 2026HouseH Received for Introduction
- Dec 1, 2025Bill Number Assigned
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Exclusion from Deferred Prosecution
The bill explicitly amends Wyoming statute 7-13-301 to ensure that individuals charged with grooming a minor are ineligible for deferred prosecution and probation without a judgment of guilt.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.wyoleg.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance85How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy40Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz35Current news / social attention level
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