Rep. Aaron Clausen

Maddy summaryHB 137 requires the Wyoming Board of Land Commissioners to post public notice online for any proposed exchange of state-owned land. It applies to anyone - including government agencies - seeking to swap state land, mandating the Board post notice within 30 days of receiving an application and keep it visible until a final decision is made. The notice must include how the public can access details and submit comments. The law took effect July 1, 2022, with rules to be established by the Board by that date.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts emergency wildfire suppression activities from Wyoming's Underground Facilities Notification Act, which normally requires utility companies to notify before digging. It directly affects utility workers and emergency responders who need to quickly access underground infrastructure during wildfires. The key provision adds a specific exemption (subsection (k)) to the existing law, removing the notification requirement for wildfire suppression efforts. The exemption took effect on July 1, 2022.

Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 109 prohibits members and staff of the state gaming commission from engaging in, investing in, or pursuing any business regulated by the commission, including horse racing betting or other gaming activities. It requires immediate disclosure and divestment of any such interests if they exist, and mandates that affected individuals recuse themselves from related commission decisions. This applies directly to commission members and staff who own or have family interests in regulated businesses, such as racetracks or casinos. The law, effective July 1, 2022, strengthens ethics safeguards by preventing conflicts of interest in gaming regulation. It amends existing rules to clarify prohibitions and repeals a duplicate provision.

Maddy summaryHB 141 appropriates $1.2 million from Wyoming's general fund to the Governor's office for lawsuits challenging state or federal laws that block Wyoming coal exports or cause early closures of coal-fired power plants using Wyoming coal. The funds are specifically for litigation to defend Wyoming's coal industry against legal actions that impede coal exports or force plant shutdowns. The appropriation expires on June 30, 2030, with unspent funds reverting to the state treasury. The Governor and Attorney General must submit annual reports to legislative committees detailing how the funds were used in these lawsuits.

Maddy summaryWyoming's HB 101 clarifies that nonconsenting landowners (those whose property is included in an oil and gas drilling unit without their agreement) are entitled to a cost-free royalty interest equal to the acreage-weighted average fee royalty of leased tracts within that unit. This policy change directly affects landowners whose mineral rights are pooled into drilling units but who did not consent to the development. The bill requires the Oil and Gas Conservation Commission to create implementing rules and applies only to new pooling orders issued after the law takes effect. It does not alter existing royalty agreements but ensures new nonconsenting owners receive a standardized royalty rate based on the unit's average lease terms.

Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 64 (proposed in 2022) required public utilities operating coal-fired power plants over 200 megawatts to consider installing carbon capture technology if planning to retire those facilities. It gave utilities three options: install the technology themselves (with cost recovery rules), partner with a third party for installation, or sell the facility to a buyer who will install it, while requiring utilities to report on these plans. The bill also mandated the Public Service Commission to publish a list of retiring plants and hold hearings on third-party proposals for carbon capture. However, the bill was withdrawn by its sponsor on February 18, 2022, and never became law.

Maddy summaryHB 102 requires oil and gas applicants seeking a "pooling order" (which forces combined development of adjacent mineral rights) to first make good-faith lease offers to unleased mineral owners within the proposed area. It mandates that applicants provide evidence of these offers to Wyoming's Oil and Gas Conservation Commission before a pooling order can be approved. The law applies to all applications filed after its effective date (July 1, 2022), and pooling orders must expire after 12 months if drilling doesn't begin. This directly affects mineral owners who may now receive lease offers and oil/gas operators who must negotiate before forced pooling.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits hunting, fishing, or trapping on private land without the owner's permission, including traveling across such land. It directly affects hunters, anglers, and trappers who enter private property without consent. The law expands existing penalties to include travel across private land, imposing fines up to $1,000, up to six months in jail, or forfeiture of illegally taken game. It became effective July 1, 2022.

Maddy summaryHB 145 allows hunters and anglers in Wyoming to voluntarily add a $2 or more donation when buying hunting or fishing licenses to support public schools. The bill amends license fee statutes to provide this option on application forms, with funds deposited into the state's common school account within the permanent land fund. It does not require any fee increase but gives license purchasers a choice to contribute directly to school funding. The provision applies to all license buyers (including nonresidents) purchasing licenses through the state's game and fish department. The bill was scheduled to take effect July 1, 2022, but was introduced in February 2022 without further action noted.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HB 112) limits how Wyoming cities and towns can collect past-due payments for trash, recycling, water, or sewer services. It states that municipalities may only recover such payments if a property owner has a specific written contract for that service. The law does not change existing contracts signed before the bill's effective date (July 1, 2022). It directly affects property owners who use municipal services and the cities/towns providing those services.