Several pieces of conservation-friendly legislation have been introduced in Cheyenne this week — thanks, in part, to your help! Here’s a rundown of what we’re watching.
PUBLIC LANDS: NOT FOR SALE?
A group of lawmakers from both the House and Senate are hoping to make one thing clear: Wyoming does not support the transfer or sale of public lands. Thirty-nine lawmakers, led by Sen. Eric Barlow of Gillette, have sponsored a resolution saying public lands are essential to Wyoming livelihoods and heritage and that they should remain in public hands. The Senate voted overwhelmingly to introduce the bill.
This is cause for celebration! The resolution would not carry legal weight, but it would be an incredible message to Wyomingites that local communities deserve a voice in how public lands are managed. If adopted, it would be sent to President Trump and Congress. It now heads to the Judiciary Committee.
BACKYARD SOLAR
Thanks to your help, lawmakers have introduced a bill that would give Wyoming residents a simple, affordable way to lower their electricity bills. HB146 would enable residents to use “plug-in” solar panels, which are small panels that you plug directly into your home outlet, without having to go through a costly permitting process. This is an exciting bill, and plug-in solar is a relatively new development in the solar industry that many states are starting to adopt to help residents address increasing electricity costs.
The bill will be heard by the House Transportation Committee on Tuesday, Feb. 17 at noon, and we need your help supporting it!
To testify in person:
* You can’t sign up until Feb. 16…
Simply show up to the Capitol on Feb. 17.
To testify on Zoom:
1. Visit the “Legislative meetings” page on Monday, Feb. 16*
2. Find the House Transportation Committee.
3. Click the “testify” button.
RIGHT-SIZING ELECTRIC VEHICLE TAXATION
Electric vehicle drivers in Wyoming currently pay three overlapping taxes: an annual EV decal, an Alternative Fuel Tax, and sales tax on electricity. This triple taxation is not only unfair to drivers — it’s causing public charging stations to go offline, due to the administrative burden.
Lawmakers are considering a bill that would allow residents to pay only one up-front fee, and would exempt smaller, low-speed charging stations (like hotels or senior centers) from licensing and tax requirements. HB 145 would shift the tax burden to high-speed chargers, which function more like gas stations. This bill benefits Wyoming residents and businesses, while ensuring that out-of-state EV drivers pay their fair share. It will be heard in the House Transportation Committee on Feb. 17.
ENHANCING WILDLAND FIREFIGHTING
A series of bills that would enhance Wyoming’s firefighting capacity have passed first reading on the House floor. HB0034 and HB0035 would give wildland firefighters more competitive retirement and paid leave plans, which is expected to increase recruitment and retention. And HB0036 and HB0037 would add more staff to the State Forester’s office, increasing capacity for fuels projects and wildfire response.
NUCLEAR WASTE: NO CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
A closely watched proposal that would have given voters the chance to decide whether nuclear waste should be stored in Wyoming has died. The measure called for a constitutional amendment requiring a public vote any time there’s a request to store spent nuclear fuel or high-level radioactive waste in Wyoming. Although this resolution failed introduction in the House 32:30, WOC supports the idea of consent-based siting.
Image: Meghan Riley