Associated Press - November 16, 2009 10:05 AM ET

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - Wyoming officials say changes to the law governing business registrations have made the state less fraud-friendly.

Deputy Secretary of State Pat Arp says the state needs to be buisness-friendly without enabling fraud. Arp says the Registered Agent Act, which requires businesses to identify a legitimate registered agent and have a physical presence in Wyoming, has the state headed in the right direction. The law took effect in January.

Karen Wheeler heads the secretary of state's compliance division. She told the Wyoming Legislature's Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions committee that about 5,700 businesses operated out of post office boxes in Wyoming when the law took effect. Wheeler says about 76 percent of those businesses chose to dissolve rather than meet the requirements of the law.

Information from: Wyoming Tribune Eagle - Cheyenne, http://www.wyomingnews.com

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