HB 119

 2026  26LSO-0261
                         STATE OF WYOMING
                         HOUSE BILL NO. HB0119
 No foreign law in Wyoming.
 Sponsored     by:   Representative(s) Rodriguez-Williams, Hoeft
                     and Webber and Senator(s) Hutchings and
                     Laursen, D
                                   A BILL
                                    for
1 AN ACT relating to the common law, statutes and rules of
2 construction; limiting the application and use of foreign
3 law under Wyoming law; specifying exceptions to a change of
4 venue    in   civil   actions;    providing     legislative    findings;
5 making   conforming     amendments;      providing   definitions;     and
6 providing for an effective date.
7
8 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:
9
10Section 1.     W.S. 8-1-111 is created to read:
11
128-1-111.     Limitations   on     the   application    of   foreign
13 law.
14
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1(a)   As used in this section, "foreign law" means any
2 law, legal code or legal system of a jurisdiction outside
3 of any state or territory of the United States, including
4 the law, legal code or legal system of any international
5 organization or international tribunal.
6
7(b)   The   legislature      finds    that    the      application      of
8 foreign law shall be circumscribed when the application of
9 foreign law would violate the fundamental liberties, rights
10 and privileges guaranteed by the United States constitution
11 and the Wyoming constitution, including but not limited to
12 equal    protection,    due    process       of     the    laws,   the       free
13 exercise of religion, the freedoms of speech and the press,
14 the right of privacy and the right of marriage.
15
16(c)   Any   ruling     or     decision       of    a    state     court,
17 arbitration    panel,    tribunal       or   administrative        agency     of
18 Wyoming that is based, in whole or in part, on foreign law
19 shall be void and unenforceable if the ruling or decision
20 allows the application of any foreign law that denies the
21 parties the fundamental  liberties,     rights      and privileges
22 guaranteed    under    the   United     States      constitution       and   the
23 Wyoming constitution.
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1
2(d)   The limitation in subsection (c) of this section
3 shall not be construed to:
4
5(i)     Limit the application of the common law as
6 specified in W.S. 8-1-101;
7
8(ii)       Limit    the   application    of    the    law    of   any
9 federally recognized Indian tribe  whose reservations  are
10 located in Wyoming, in accordance with state, tribal and
11 federal law;
12
13(iii)       Disapprove  or   abrogate     any        existing
14 opinion of the Wyoming supreme court;
15
16(iv)       Limit      adjudication       of      ecclesiastical
17 matters      of     a    religious  organization,     including        the
18 selection, appointment, discipline or removal of clergy or
19 the    adoption,        amendment      or    interpretation       of   religious
20 doctrine;
21
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1(v)      Apply to any person that voluntarily agrees
2 to be subjected to foreign law or to the jurisdiction of a
3 foreign court;
4
5(vi)       Apply where federal law preempts state law,
6 including      obligations  under     treaties  or    international
7 agreements;
8
9(vii)      Impair      any     contract      or      other     agreement
10 entered into by two (2) or more persons.
11
12Section     2.    W.S.    1-7-103(a)  and     by    creating      a   new
13 subsection (d) is amended to read:
14
151-7-103.       Change      of        venue      in  civil      actions;
16 limitation.
17
18(a)   For    any     civil      action    brought  in    an   incorrect
19 venue, the district court may, on its own or upon motion of
20 the parties, order the action to be transferred to a court
21 that   would     be     a   proper      venue,      except        as    provided    by
22 subsection (d) of this section.
23
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1(d)   No court shall transfer any civil action to a
2 proper   venue   under    this    section    if   the   transfer     would
3 result in the application of foreign law as defined by W.S.
4 8-1-111(a)     that    would     violate    or    likely   violate      the
5 fundamental liberties, rights and privileges of the parties
6 guaranteed    under    the   United   States      constitution     or   the
7 Wyoming constitution.
8
9Section 3.     This act is effective July 1, 2026.
10
11(END)
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