Committee weighs new "absconding for criminal purposes" offense; asks LSO to refine draft

A bill draft (26LSO82) would create a new offense for traveling or "absconding" across county lines (and, as amended in committee, to jurisdictions outside Wyoming) in furtherance of specified crimes — including theft and controlled‑substances offenses — and would make it a felony punishable by up to five years and a $5,000 fine.

LSO staff said the draft requires moving from one county to another after committing a crime and meeting one of enumerated elements — for example, traveling to commit another offense, concealing or disposing of proceeds, or otherwise facilitating a felony. Staff noted the draft left "abscond" undefined and recommended the legislature consider adding a temporal element (e.g., within X days after committing the offense).

Witnesses and committee members pressed for clarity. Retail and law-enforcement witnesses said the intent is to reach organized activity that crosses jurisdictions to fence stolen property, not to criminalize routine movement. Committee members suggested multiple drafting options: define the offense to apply only after a predicate felony, add a dollar threshold, explicitly cover interstate travel, or use existing gang/conspiracy definitions. Senator Craig and others proposed replacing "abscond" with "travel" to make the element clearer; Senator Hicks successfully amended the text to include travel to "another jurisdiction outside of Wyoming."

Concerns included whether the draft would make low-value thefts felonies merely because property crossed a county line and how the legislature would handle vacancies and legislative scheduling if confirmations or processes require timing changes. The committee deferred final action and directed LSO to come back with clarified language for the October meeting.

Next step: LSO will revise the draft to define the movement element, consider a felony threshold or predicate offense requirement, and address temporal and interstate language.