Wyoming's SJ 9 is a joint resolution urging Congress to protect the state's access to federal public lands while ensuring local communities have a say in land management decisions. It opposes broad or indiscriminate sales of public lands and demands federal agencies respect Wyoming's existing land-use plans, county-level input, and multiple-use frameworks that support recreation, agriculture, hunting, fishing, and resource development. The resolution also calls for funding to streamline efficient land exchanges under current laws when they benefit local communities and public access, without advocating for specific policy changes.
Wyoming's HB 128 provides a 5-year severance tax exemption for oil and gas operators using certified advanced extraction methods (tertiary production) between July 2026 and July 2031. It directly affects oil and gas producers who implement qualifying projects approved by the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission after July 1, 2026. The bill requires annual reports by the Commission and Department detailing production volumes, qualifying operators, wells, and the tax savings from the exemption. This exemption applies specifically to severance taxes under Wyoming law, with reports due each November 1 from 2026 through 2036.
This bill amends Wyoming tax law to clarify that most real property owned by the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission is exempt from property taxes. It specifically exempts property used for wildlife management or employee residences, while requiring a special tax for property used for other purposes (calculated as if it were subject to standard property tax based on fair market value). The changes apply to properties owned by the commission and take effect January 1, 2027, with no impact on taxes assessed before that date. The bill directly affects how the Game and Fish Commission's land and buildings are taxed under state law.
Wyoming's HB 116 prohibits the industrial production of hydrogen by separating water molecules (hydrogen and oxygen atoms) from being considered a "beneficial use" of water under state law. This directly affects companies seeking permits for hydrogen production facilities that rely on molecular water destruction. The bill requires the state engineer to reject such water use applications, with exceptions for wastewater or by-product water use. It applies to all new permit applications filed on or after July 1, 2026, and does not retroactively invalidate existing permits issued before that date.
This bill repeals Wyoming's low-carbon energy standards that required public utilities to meet specific clean energy targets. It removes specific legal requirements from the state code (sections 37-1-101, 37-18-101, and 37-18-102) that previously governed utility operations. The repeal eliminates compliance obligations for utilities under these standards. The Public Service Commission must create new rules to implement this change, effective immediately upon enactment.
This bill (SF 25) allows Wyoming's Game and Fish Commission to set numerical limits on landowner hunting licenses for elk, deer, antelope, and turkey in designated "limited quota hunt areas." It directly affects landowners who currently hold these licenses and the Commission, which gains authority to regulate license issuance to support wildlife habitat management. The key provision amends existing law to let the Commission establish specific limits on how many landowner licenses can be issued in certain zones, while keeping fees aligned with standard hunting license rates. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.
SF 52 authorizes $2.15 million in 2026 funding from Wyoming's Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust Income Account for five specific environmental projects. The bill funds river restoration (Upper Greybull Fish Passage III, Cody Canal Fish Screen), rangeland restoration (Baggs Valley Headwaters V), invasive species removal (Absaroka Front Cheatgrass, North Platte Cheatgrass), and fish habitat protection. Each project receives targeted grants totaling $150,000 to $800,000 from the income account, as specified in the bill's subsections. These projects directly affect Wyoming conservation districts, wildlife agencies, and local ecosystems by supporting habitat restoration and species conservation. The bill does not create new policy but allocates existing trust funds for approved projects with defined purposes and budgets.
Wyoming's SJ 1 is a joint resolution requesting Congress to amend the federal Mineral Leasing Act. It seeks to authorize the state to manage mineral leasing (including oil, gas, and coal) on federal lands within Wyoming, currently overseen by the Bureau of Land Management. The resolution cites declining federal lease sales in Wyoming (e.g., from 122 parcels in 2022 to 8 in 2024) and lengthy regulatory delays as reasons for seeking state control. Wyoming argues this aligns with the 10th Amendment, giving states greater authority over natural resources within their borders. This is a request for federal legislative action, not an enacted law.
HB 66 changes how Wyoming courts review state agency decisions. It requires courts to interpret statutes and regulations without giving extra weight to agency interpretations (de novo review), and to favor interpretations that limit agency power and protect individual rights. This affects courts, state agencies (like environmental or business regulators), and people challenging agency actions. The law applies to judicial review cases filed after July 1, 2026.
Wyoming's HB 12, the Clean Air and Geoengineering Prohibition Act, bans releasing substances into the state's airspace for climate, weather, or solar radiation modification (like stratospheric aerosol injection or solar radiation management). It directly affects entities conducting such atmospheric experiments, including research groups, corporations, or government agencies, while exempting commercial aviation, cloud seeding, agricultural operations, and fire suppression. The law requires the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality to monitor airspace and enforce the ban by issuing cease-and-desist orders for violations. It explicitly permits existing activities like cloud seeding and standard aviation emissions, focusing only on intentional modifications not already authorized by law.