We’ve officially reached the halfway mark of the 2025 legislative session — the point when bills cross over from one house to another — and the landscape continues to shift.
Last week, a number of WOC’s priority bills advanced, while some bills we’ve opposed from the start met their end. Meanwhile, several bad bills related to public lands are up against tight deadlines to move forward. Read on for updates and opportunities for action!
HELP US REJECT SJ2 — AGAIN!
Senate Joint Resolution 2 is bad news: In demanding that public lands be turned over to the state, it threatens the system for managing Wyoming’s abundant public lands and urges Congress to take dangerous actions. (It also runs counter to Wyoming’s Act of Admission and various state laws.) Last week, SJ2 failed its initial vote in the Senate. Then, in one of the most dramatic moments of this session, it was called for a reconsideration vote … and this time, the vote narrowly passed, 16–15.
In the wake of this astonishing vote, we need you to ask your senator to oppose SJ2 as it is considered again as early as today. Sending a message takes just a few moments — help keep public lands in public hands by taking action at the button below!
UPDATE! We’re pleased to share that on Monday, February 10, SJ2 failed its third reading vote in the Senate!
SF105: ANOTHER THREAT TO PUBLIC LANDS
Senate File 105 would require legislative approval of private property sales to the federal government — potentially infringing on private property rights and even blocking land sales that create new public access for recreation or protect important wildlife and conservation values.
SF105 passed out of committee last week on a 4–1 vote. Now it’s on a tight timeline to make it out of the Senate. As with SJ2, we need your help to oppose threats to Wyoming’s public lands. Take action now and ask your senator to vote ‘NO’ on this bad bill!
BIG WINS FOR ROOFTOP SOLAR
Last week brought great news for rooftop solar! For the first time since Wyoming passed its net metering law in 2001, we have legislation, House Bill 183, that would promote local small-scale renewable energy around the state. We also cheered when Senate File 111, a bad bill that would harm rooftop solar, died in the Senate in a 17–14 vote.
If you spoke up on either of these bills, thank you! The coming days and weeks will offer more opportunities: As HB183 crosses over to the Senate, we’ll need your help to get it to the finish line. If you’ve ever wished that your child’s school, local city hall, or center pivot could utilize local solar energy — HB183 is the bill that would make this a reality! We’ll let you know when it’s time to speak up.
FIRE RESTORATION FUNDING IN JEOPARDY
The debate over fully funding wildfire restoration versus shortchanging Wyoming’s people and rangelands continued last week. There are two ways this vital funding could be allocated: through the supplemental budget or via Senate File 148, a backup bill awaiting assignment to a House committee. While we watch and hope for the latter, the House and Senate have been negotiating how much to allocate in the supplemental budget and whether to deliver it as grants or loans.
Wildfire restoration is a critical investment in Wyoming’s people, wildlife, and rural economies. For an informed perspective on the issue, read this op-ed. Then, take action! Let your local representative know you support funding for restoration work on lands devastated by wildfire. (Also, if you have friends in a part of the state impacted by wildfires last year, please spread the word.)
A GOOD WEEK FOR GAME & FISH
Sometimes, legislators try to override the expertise and authority of trained biologists by dictating how species should be managed. That was the case with two problematic bills — but fortunately, both were soundly defeated last week.
Senate File 170 would have prohibited Game and Fish from monitoring grizzly bear populations and upended years of work invested in this species. House Bill 286 was even more brazen and would have mandated a statewide open season on mountain lions, with unlimited harvest. This would prevent biologists from managing for sustainable lion populations and open the door for legislators to meddle in the management of other species. Read more on the defeat of this bill here.
Thanks for your engagement over these last few weeks. We know you’ve been hearing from us a lot, but your actions truly are making a difference! Though many of the worst bills of this session have died, there are important deadlines coming up later this week. Watch out for alerts from us, and keep speaking up on the issues you care most about.
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Image: Meghan Riley