This bill clarifies ownership and liability for carbon dioxide stored underground through geologic sequestration. It requires companies (injectors) to hold title and liability for stored CO2 until a "certificate of project completion" is issued by the state after at least 10 years of post-injection monitoring. Upon certification, title and liability for the stored CO2 and related facilities transfer to the state, releasing the companies from future regulatory requirements. The bill directly affects carbon sequestration operators and the state government, establishing a clear transition from private to public responsibility for long-term management.
HB 5 requires Wyoming to seek reimbursement from federal agencies for grazing costs of wild horses on state, county, or municipal lands. It establishes a tiered cost calculation method: standard rates for herds within federal management limits, and triple the rate for herds exceeding those limits. The bill authorizes Wyoming to use court orders to compel federal agencies to remove horses from nonfederal lands and creates a $2 million appropriation for state-led management, including cooperative agreements with tribes (like the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho) and federal agencies. This directly affects state and local landowners, federal land managers, and tribal governments by shifting grazing cost responsibility and enabling state-led management efforts.
HB 123 establishes rules for disposing of specific materials during mine reclamation. It requires mining operators to pay fees (25% for wind turbine blades/towers in coal mines, 10% for inert material in non-coal mines) to the state department, with fees credited to the general fund. The bill defines "inert material" as non-reusable waste and sets requirements like burying it below aquifers at minimum depths, removing mechanical parts, and following solid waste management standards. These rules apply to operators using such materials for backfilling reclamation sites in Wyoming, effective July 1, 2022.
SF 8 transfers responsibility for managing weed and pest control on state lands from Wyoming's Office of State Lands and Investments to the Department of Agriculture, effective July 1, 2022. The bill requires the transfer of related funding ($300,000), property, equipment, and authority to the Department of Agriculture, with collaborative planning between the two agencies for implementation. This reorganization streamlines management of these programs without changing the underlying weed and pest control regulations or policies.
Wyoming's HB 3 modifies state land leasing rules to prioritize adjacent landowners for vacant grazing and agricultural leases. The bill requires that when two or more applicants qualify for preference (like owners of neighboring land), the state must hold a live auction to determine the highest bidder among them, rather than automatically granting the lease. It also mandates that the leasing office notify adjacent private landowners before accepting new lease applications. This affects ranchers, landowners, and businesses seeking to lease state lands for grazing or farming, ensuring adjacent landowners have a structured bidding process to secure leases. The law took effect July 1, 2022.
HB 42 allocates $105 million from Wyoming's general fund to local governments, primarily distributing funds to cities/towns and counties based on specific formulas. It requires 89% of the total to be split between cities/towns (with 5% reserved for revenue-challenged areas) and counties (11%), plus additional 5.5% allocations for each. The bill mandates two annual payments per fiscal year, with all cities/towns receiving minimum amounts ($15,000 for populations ≤35, $35,000 for larger) before applying a formula based on per capita sales tax revenue and property assessed value. This funding mechanism aims to standardize distributions while providing targeted support for smaller communities.
This bill authorizes funding for four specific water infrastructure projects in Wyoming. It provides $823,490 for an aerial cloud-seeding program to boost snowpack in the Medicine Bow and Sierra Madre ranges, and $316,000 for a ground-based program in the Wind River and Sierra Madre ranges, requiring 63% cost-sharing from other water users. It also allocates $2,546,000 for the Crystal Bypass Pipeline in Cheyenne (covering 67% of costs) and funds the Evanston Transmission Pipeline for municipal water supply. All appropriations are drawn from the state's water development account, with unspent funds reverting to the account by 2024 or 2027.
HB 146 requires multiple Wyoming state agencies to submit regular reports to legislative committees. The bill mandates the Governor's Office to report quarterly on infrastructure grant funds (Section 1) and establish metrics for the Wyoming Innovation Partnership (Section 2). The State Treasurer must provide quarterly financial reconciliations (Section 3), biennial audit response reports (Section 4), and monthly investment status updates (Section 5). Additionally, the Tourism Board must report on welcome center improvements (Section 6), and Corrections must report on mental health funding and alternative sanctions (Sections 7-8). These reporting requirements apply from 2022 through 2024.
This bill (SF 41) updates Wyoming's 911 emergency communication system by expanding the Public Safety Communications Commission's role. It adds two new members to the commission (representing emergency communications officials and homeland security) and directs the commission to develop guidelines for next-generation 911 systems that integrate current infrastructure. The bill also allows existing 911 tax funds to cover costs for next-generation systems, including equipment, maintenance, and personnel supporting system integration. These changes directly affect public safety agencies operating 911 call centers and emergency response systems across Wyoming.
This bill allows Wyoming county commissioners to dissolve county-created boards or districts (such as special service districts) by following specific procedures. Commissioners must provide 120 days' public notice in local newspapers, hold a public meeting for input, and approve dissolution via resolution. It requires settling all debts first, then distributing remaining funds either by offsetting taxes owed to taxing units or crediting property values in the dissolved area. The law applies to boards created under statutes governing county services, solid waste districts, and similar entities, effective July 2022.
HB 10 updates Wyoming state laws to correct outdated references to tribal governance structures on the Wind River Indian Reservation. It replaces "joint business council" with "cooperative tribal governing body" in over 20 statutes, clarifies that this term refers to the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho inter-tribal council, and standardizes references to either tribe or the governing body. The bill also updates identification card recognition to include tribal IDs from both tribes and repeals the obsolete Wyoming Indian Affairs Council. These changes primarily affect state agencies, courts, and tribal governments interacting with Wyoming law.
Wyoming's HB 44 updates procedures for issuing and transferring vehicle and mobile home titles. It allows a single co-owner to transfer a mobile home without others' signatures unless the title specifies "and" or joint ownership. The bill requires county treasurers to issue excise tax receipts and mandates duplicate titles to include a warning that they may be subject to rights under the original title. These changes apply to all vehicle and mobile home owners, dealers, and county clerks handling title transactions.
