Wyoming lawmakers reject proposal for online court records

Wyoming lawmakers have declined to sponsor a proposal that would increase public access to court records and streamed hearings for the 2027 legislative session. The measure, previously introduced as House Bill 93 by Representative Ann Lucas, aimed to make court documents, audio, and video recordings available online for free.

Currently, most Wyoming residents must visit a courthouse in person and pay fees to access documents, with the exception of Supreme Court records. While some proceedings are streamed, they are not archived for later viewing.

Opponents of the bill cited concerns regarding the burden on staff resources and the potential for sensitive information to be released. Carbon County District Court Judge Dawnessa Snyder testified that despite redaction rules, sensitive data such as Social Security numbers and minors' names can occasionally appear unredacted in filings, posing a risk if records were made globally accessible online.