HB 5 Wyoming House · 2025 Regular Session

Fishing outfitters and guides-registration of fishing boats.

HB 5 requires outfitters and professional fishing guides who provide paid fishing services to register their boats, vehicles, and trailers with Wyoming's Game and Fish Commission. The bill mandates an annual fee and display of a registration sticker for each registered item, with the Commission setting limits on boat numbers in waterways to protect fisheries. It directly affects commercial fishing guides and outfitters by adding a registration requirement for their operational equipment. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, and establishes rules for tracking boat usage through public meetings and Commission rulemaking.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Feb 2025
House Passage
Feb 2025
Senate Passage
Feb 2025
Signed into Law
Feb 2025
Introduced Jan 14, 2025 Signed Feb 27, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Enrolled · 5 edits · Feb 27, 2025
MODERATE
This bill was enacted into law as Enrolled Act No. 31, creating a new advisory board to oversee commercially guided fishing boat regulations and adding an exception for boat ramps owned by the guide or their family. The effective date was changed from July 1, 2025 to immediate upon completion of legislative requirements.
Scope change
The bill now includes a new advisory board requirement and expands the regulatory framework by adding an exception for privately owned boat ramps.
REQUIREMENT

Created a new commercially guided fishing boats advisory board consisting of seven members appointed by the commission, with at least two members required to be Wyoming-owned drift boat guide business owners.

Added a requirement that the game and fish commission and advisory board make recommendations to the joint travel, recreation, wildlife and cultural resources interim committee by November 1, 2025 regarding creating or amending a board to carry out the act's duties.

Modified the registration fee requirement to begin January 1, 2026, and changed the registration sticker requirement from one to two stickers per boat and trailer.

ELIGIBILITY

Added an exception to the regulatory authority for persons using city, town, county, or state boat ramps when guiding fishermen to locations owned or leased by the person or their immediate family member.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date from July 1, 2025 to immediate upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by the Wyoming Constitution.

Floor votes · House Feb 3, 2025

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
22
Key actions
8
Committee
4
Feb 27, 2025
Signed into law
Governor Signed HEA No. 0031
legislature
Feb 25, 2025
Lower · Passed
H Concur:Passed 33-22-7-0-0
lower
Feb 24, 2025
Upper · Passed
S 3rd Reading:Passed 19-11-1-0-0
upper
Feb 20, 2025
Upper · Passed
S COW:Passed
upper
Feb 18, 2025
Upper · Passed
S06 - Travel:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 4-1-0-0-0
upper
Feb 11, 2025
Introduced
S Introduced and Referred to S06 - Travel
upper
Feb 3, 2025
Lower · Passed
H 3rd Reading:Passed 35-22-5-0-0
lower
Jan 31, 2025
Lower · Passed
H COW:Passed
lower
Jan 24, 2025
Lower · Passed
H06 - Travel:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 9-0-0-0-0
lower
Jan 14, 2025
Introduced
H Introduced and Referred to H06 - Travel
lower
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.