Rep. Aaron Clausen

Maddy summaryWyoming's HB 224 clarifies that existing oil and gas regulations apply to land where the surface owner does not own the mineral rights (a "split estate"). It directly affects landowners and oil/gas operators in these situations, requiring them to follow statutory requirements before operations begin. The bill explicitly excludes public utilities regulated by Wyoming's Public Service Commission and federally regulated natural gas pipelines from these rules. The bill was proposed to take effect July 1, 2019, but died in committee and was never enacted.

Maddy summaryHB 183 repeals restrictions that previously banned concealed weapons in certain public spaces, allowing permit holders to carry concealed firearms in government meetings, the legislature, and most public schools (with exceptions for specific school district policies under existing law). It establishes that only the Wyoming state legislature can regulate firearms, weapons, and ammunition, preempting local governments from creating their own firearm restrictions. The bill explicitly preserves private property owners' rights to ban firearms on their land and maintains existing prohibitions in courtrooms. This directly affects concealed carry permit holders, local governments seeking to regulate firearms, and school districts managing firearm policies on school property.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 69) expands eligibility for Wyoming's Water Development Program by adding two categories of public entities that can participate. It allows any entity covered under Wyoming Constitution Article 16, Section 10 (including irrigation districts, public water corporations, and state subdivisions) and any other public entity with taxing or fee authority for serviced lands. The change directly affects water management groups, public utilities, and local governments seeking program funding. The bill became effective July 1, 2019, without altering existing program operations.

Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 95 requires auto insurers to disclose when using non-original manufacturer parts in vehicle repairs and ensures those parts meet the same quality, fit, and performance as original parts. Insurers must clearly identify aftermarket parts on repair estimates and provide written notice in bold text to claimants about the use of non-original parts. Vehicle owners can request original manufacturer parts but must pay any additional cost if they choose them over equal-quality aftermarket options. The law, effective July 2019, enforces these requirements through Wyoming's Unfair Trade Practices Act.

Maddy summaryHB 208 allows surface owners (landowners) to object if oil and gas operators fail to negotiate in good faith for access to their land. If a surface owner objects in writing within 30 days, the state commission must hold a hearing to determine if negotiations were proper, and may require the operator to restart talks. Until the dispute is resolved - through the commission's decision or court appeal - the operator cannot access the land or conduct surface-disturbing activities. The bill directly affects landowners and oil/gas operators in Wyoming, creating a formal process to address negotiation disputes before operations begin.

Maddy summaryHB 116 requires vehicle manufacturers in Wyoming to pay new dealers for labor and parts costs related to vehicle preparation, warranties, and incentives within 30 days of claim approval. If a claim isn't denied in writing within 30 days, it's automatically approved. Manufacturers may audit claims for up to one year (or four years if fraud is suspected) to correct errors but cannot delay payment beyond the 30-day deadline. The bill directly affects new vehicle dealers and manufacturers, taking effect July 1, 2019.

Maddy summaryHB 91 corrects a technical error in the legal description of "Prexy's Pasture" (a campus green space at the University of Wyoming), fixing a geometric inconsistency in its boundary coordinates. The bill amends a statute to replace an inaccurate parcel description that incorrectly described the pasture as a parallelogram. This adjustment ensures the written legal description matches the actual land boundaries, without changing any existing restrictions on construction or land use. The pasture remains protected from buildings per current law, and the correction became effective July 1, 2019.

Maddy summaryThis Wyoming bill exempts sales and use taxes on equipment used to build broadband internet infrastructure in unserved areas. It applies to telecom providers, internet access companies, and video programming services constructing networks where high-speed internet isn't currently available (defined as 25 Mbps download/3 Mbps upload for residential areas). The exemption covers infrastructure equipment like routers and cables but excludes items sold directly to end-users. Providers may use reasonable methods to allocate equipment costs across service regions instead of tracking exact geographic locations.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 36) amends Wyoming law to adjust how oil and gas drilling operators recover costs from nonconsenting owners in drilling units. It increases the recovery limit for drilling costs from 200% to 300% of the nonconsenting owner's share and raises the equipment cost recovery from 110% to 125%. The change applies to all pooling orders entered on or after July 1, 2019, directly affecting oil and gas owners who choose not to participate in a drilling unit. The amendment clarifies that operators can recover these higher percentages of costs before distributing production revenue.

Maddy summaryWyoming's SF 148 creates a legal framework allowing the state to temporarily seize and operate federal facilities like national parks or wildlife refuges if the federal government cannot do so effectively. During seizure, the governor must maintain public access, protect natural/cultural resources, and allow concessionaires to continue operating, while charging fees to cover costs. The state must return the facility to federal control once the federal government can manage it, and repay any fees collected or profits earned. The bill also establishes a $1 million contingency fund for planning and exempts certain operational plans from public records disclosure.