Legislature

It’s Week 6 of the state legislative session. As many bills fall by the wayside and others inch closer to the governor’s desk for a signature, our priorities for the remainder of the session are coming into stronger focus.

There’s plenty of important work still to be done. Read on for opportunities for action and our latest updates from Cheyenne, including developments on public lands, rooftop solar, and conservation project funding!

ANTI-PUBLIC LANDS MEASURES FAIL

We’re pleased to report that two legislative measures threatening Wyoming’s public lands met their ends last week. Senate Joint Resolution 2, which demanded nearly all federal public lands in Wyoming be turned over to the state, was defeated, revived, and then defeated again — this time for good! And Senate File 105, which would have eroded private property rights (and limited new public lands access) died when the Senate failed to consider it in time for a critical deadline.

While we’re celebrating this good news, the fight to protect public lands in Wyoming is far from over. We’re keeping our eye on other legislative threats and will keep you updated.

ACT NOW FOR ROOFTOP SOLAR

Last week, we asked you to take action on House Bill 183, which would encourage rooftop solar by making it easier for people across Wyoming (including ranchers, business owners, schools, and local governments) to invest in rooftop solar systems.

The committee didn’t make it through all the public testimony on HB183 last week, but they’ll pick up the discussion tomorrow at noon. If you haven’t sent a message in support of this bill, there’s still time to make your voice heard! Help move this important bill forward now. (If you already reached out to the committee, thank you!)

WILDLIFE & NATURAL RESOURCE FUNDING NEARS THE FINISH LINE

Every year, the Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust brings a package of large-scale projects before the legislature for approval. This year’s package, Senate File 88, represents WWNRT’s biggest investment in Wyoming’s wildlife and natural resources to date. It includes important projects across the state, from wildlife crossings and cheatgrass treatment to rangeland restoration and watershed improvement.

This bill sailed through the House Travel, Recreation, Wildlife, and Cultural Resources Committee unanimously last Thursday before passing unanimously out of the House Appropriations Committee on Friday. Now it’s up to the full House of Representatives to approve this bill and send it to Gov. Gordon!

Your action continues to be vital for pushing good legislation forward, and stopping bad bills in their tracks. We can’t say enough how much we appreciate your thoughtful engagement — and thank you in advance for keeping it up until the session ends in just a few short weeks, on March 6!

Image: Meghan Riley

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.

Image: Meghan Riley

For WOC’s legislative team in Cheyenne, it was an exhausting (but exciting!) week. The power of public engagement was on clear display, and thanks to your participation, we saw some of our highest priority bills defeated.

Read on for the latest on nuclear waste storage, rooftop solar, public lands, and more — as well as what we’re anticipating in the week ahead.

NUCLEAR WASTE STORAGE BILL TABLED!

We’re pleased to share that House Bill 16 died last week when the House Minerals Committee voted to table it. The vote on the bill (which would have opened the door for Wyoming to be the country’s nuclear waste dump) came on the heels of overwhelming public pushback. One representative even commented, “I’ve got hundreds of emails, and not one is in support of the project or this idea.”

If you wrote to the committee and urged them to vote against HB16, thank you! It made a difference.

Although HB16 is off the table for now, it’s clear that Wyoming is moving toward policies that embrace nuclear energy. We will keep a watchful eye to ensure these decisions are not rushed, and that Wyoming citizens have a say as future discussions move forward.

PUBLIC LANDS TRANSFER RESOLUTION ADVANCES

Perhaps one of the most egregious actions we’ve followed at the legislature so far is the advancement of Senate Joint Resolution 2. This resolution would not create any law, but it demands that Congress hand over all federal public lands in Wyoming to the state.

Despite testimony from WOC and other organizations about the threats to public access and the massive negative economic implications of public lands transfer, the Senate Agriculture Committee voted 4–1 to advance SJ2.

TAKE ACTION: Now more than ever, we need you to tell legislators that public lands transfer is an affront to our way of life here in Wyoming. Send a message to your senator and tell them to vote ‘NO’ on SJ2.

A BATTLE OF TWO ROOFTOP SOLAR BILLS

For the first time since we’ve been working on rooftop solar and net metering as an issue, we have two opposing bills moving through the House and Senate.

Senate File 111, a bad bill that would hobble Wyomingites’ ability to participate in rooftop solar, passed the Senate Corporations Committee in a 4–1 vote and will move to the Senate floor this week. There’s better news on the House side: House Bill 183, a good bill that would expand the ability of non-residential customers to invest in rooftop solar, passed the House Minerals Committee unanimously.

TAKE ACTION: We could use your help in getting this good bill, HB183, to pass out of the House. If you want to see more rooftop solar in Wyoming now is the time you write your local representative to let them know that you support HB183 and rural energy independence. For suggested talking points, check out our fact sheet here.

LIMITED MINING OPERATIONS EXPANSION FAILS

House Bill 10, a problematic bill that would have greatly expanded the types of minerals to be exempt from permitting under the Limited Mining Operations category, failed to pass last week. As with HB16, public testimony played a key role in this positive outcome. Specifically, the Casper Mountain Preservation Alliance helped move legislators to oppose the bill. The collective voice of the public really can make a difference!

ONE STEP CLOSER TO TRAPPING REFORM

Following multiple accidents involving people’s pets, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department has been working hard to make trapping safer on public lands. One key reform that has remained elusive — the authority to mandate traps be set a certain distance away from trails — is finally closer to becoming a reality.

Thanks to the tireless work of citizen advocates, last week the Senate Travel, Recreation, Wildlife, and Cultural Resources Committee advanced Senate File 139, which would grant the Game and Fish Commission the authority to create setback distances for traps on public land, to the Senate Floor.

A PATH FORWARD FOR FIRE RESTORATION FUNDING

Gov. Gordon requested $130 million for restoration and invasive grass management in the wake of last year’s devastating wildfires in northeast Wyoming — a request that the Joint Appropriations Committee severely reduced two weeks ago. Fortunately, Senate File 148 offers something of an insurance policy against further attacks on this critical funding.

SF148, which advanced out of two legislative committees last week, would reinstate the full $130 million requested by the governor. With nearly one million acres burned and an army of cheatgrass, ventenata, and medusahead ready to spread much deeper into Wyoming, getting this money out the door quickly to stop this infestation is essential for rangelands and wildlife alike.

BEERS & BILLS

If you came to our Beers & Bills event last week (either in Cheyenne, or via our livestream), thanks for joining us! We enjoyed sharing about the session’s most important bills, and appreciated the chance to hear your priorities and concerns. If you missed us this time, stay tuned for more events like this in the future.

Believe it or not, the session’s halfway mark is in sight, with crossover from one chamber to another happening at the end of this week.

Even though some of the worst bills we’ve been following have been defeated (or have been improved), the stakes only get higher from here. There are fewer opportunities to stop bad bills, and generally, we only have a day or two’s notice before a bill will be in committee or on the floor for debate.

We’ll continue to let you know the best time to contact your legislators for each of these important bills. Thank you for using your voice to make a difference!

Image: Meghan Riley

This post was originally published on January 24, 2025.

It’s been an eventful second week at the Capitol — and although this session feels slightly slower-paced than previous years, the need for citizen action is as urgent as ever. Now and in the coming week, we need your voice to protect our shared interests in Cheyenne!

Read on for key updates and ways you can help.

COMMITTEE WEIGHS ROOFTOP SOLAR BILL

This morning, the Senate Corporations Committee discussed Senate File 111, a bad bill that makes it harder for Wyomingites to invest in rooftop solar. The bill also gives utilities more control over how property owners are compensated for the electricity they generate using their own rooftop solar systems.

The committee was running behind schedule today and wasn’t able to hear all the public comment on this bill — so they’ll resume the discussion Monday morning. This gives us another chance to defend rooftop solar in Wyoming. If you haven’t yet, please take a few minutes to tell committee members why rooftop solar is important to you!

A big thank you to the many people who already took action. Together, we can protect Wyomingites’ energy independence!

Oh, and one final thing: SF111 is one of two bills related to rooftop solar that we’re tracking. Keep an eye out for updates on the other, HB183, as early as next week.

ANTI-PUBLIC LANDS BILL ADVANCES

House Bill 118, which would block future public lands acquisitions, passed the House of Representatives this week. This egregious bill would prevent the state from negotiating land exchanges that could benefit Wyoming’s education system, such as the Kelly Parcel sale. If passed, HB118 would even prevent private landowners from selling or donating their land to become public lands.

It’s clear that some legislators are dead set on preventing future public lands deals while also telling landowners who they can and can’t sell their property to. We won’t stand for it: As the bill moves to the Senate, we’ll be watching closely and calling on you to step up for public lands. Keep an eye out for alerts!

LMO BILL MOVES FORWARD

House Bill 10, which expands the types of minerals that are exempt from mine permitting, advanced through the House Minerals Committee this week. Though the bill has been improved, we’re still concerned about threats to land and water quality posed by the inclusion of hard rock minerals in Limited Mining Operations, or LMOs. The bill is also problematic for adjacent landowners — with LMOs, there are no opportunities for the public to weigh in on potential impacts, including noise disturbance, dust, and impacts on property values.

Despite testimony from concerned residents and conservation organizations, the committee passed the bill on an 8-1 vote. We’ll be monitoring this bill as it moves through the House and seeking opportunities to amend it to protect landowners and Wyoming communities.

WHITTLING AWAY AT WILDFIRE RELIEF

After last year’s catastrophic wildfires that decimated northeast Wyoming rangelands, Gov. Gordon requested $130 million in his supplemental budget for restoration, invasive grass management, and support for affected communities. Unfortunately, this week the Joint Appropriations Committee slashed $30 million from this request and moved to make these funds available only as loans.

This shortsighted amendment hurts Wyoming’s wildlife and people and we’ll do what we can to fight back against these cuts. Read more here. If you’re in eastern Wyoming, you can hear directly from the governor about the urgent need for wildfire restoration at one of three public meetings in Gillette, Sheridan, and Wheatland on Monday, January 27.

VITAL FUNDING CLEARS COMMITTEE

Every year, the Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resources Trust helps fund exceptional projects across the state to improve watershed heath, shore up wildlife habitat, and benefit communities. This year, WWNRT is seeking legislative approval for 11 projects that would combat cheatgrass, restore rangelands and rivers, and build wildlife crossing structures.

The bill concerning these projects, Senate File 88, passed its first hurdle yesterday, with the Senate Travel, Wildlife, Recreation, and Cultural Resources Committee voting unanimously in favor. The next stop for this bill is the Joint Appropriations Committee.

Monday will mark the session’s third week, which means we’re in the thick of it! Our legislative team will continue sharing updates and keeping you informed about opportunities for action. Keep an eye out for more, and as always — let us know if you have questions. We’re always here for a conversation.

Image: Meghan Riley

The 2025 General Session is off to an exciting, fast-paced start, and bills are stacking up quickly. We’re keeping an eye on legislation that would impact private property, nuclear waste, rooftop solar, and other conservation priorities in Wyoming — read on for key updates!

HB118 attacks future land exchanges

HB118 would effectively restrict any land exchanges or conveyances that increase the amount of federal public lands. Even worse, it would potentially prevent private landowners from selling their land for conservation purposes or public access — and stymie deals that often result in huge benefits to the state, such as the Kelly Parcel.

Last week, the bill easily passed the House Agriculture Committee. Read more about our concerns around this bad bill on our blog, and keep an eye on your email for action alerts!

Say “No” to Nuclear Waste Storage

We’re keeping a close watch on HB16, a worrisome bill about nuclear waste storage, as it moves towards a House Committee. This bill redefines “high-level nuclear waste” to exclude “spent nuclear fuel” from its definition in order to streamline a process for bringing hazardous waste from the country’s commercial nuclear reactors to Wyoming. Once this bill is assigned to a committee, we’ll need your help to speak against this bad idea — again! Keep an eye on your email for action alerts, and find more information about this troubling bill here.

On our latest blog, Big Wind Carpenter, WOC tribal engagement coordinator, outlines the long-term stakes of nuclear waste storage with a personal story about growing up in the shadow of the uranium industry. Read it here!

Rooftop Solar: Two (very different) bills

We are tracking two bills that promote very different visions for the future of rooftop solar in Wyoming. The first, SF111- Net metering revisions is the latest legislative attack on energy independence and rooftop solar. It continues a saga of uncertainty for rooftop solar customers — and is simply not needed given the tiny amount of rooftop solar and backyard wind in the state.

The second, HB183 – Net metering amendments is actually a good bill that would promote rooftop solar and help more ranchers, schools, and local governments take advantage of the sun to lower rising utility bills. Check out our factsheets for these two very different bills at the links above. We’ll keep you updated as they head to committee in the coming days or weeks.

Keeping Game & Fish’s budget healthy

To avoid a looming budget crunch, SF99 seeks to give the Wyoming Game and Fish Department a financial boost. By exempting a subset of Game and Fish properties from taxation, the bill could save the agency upwards of half a million dollars annually and put those dollars to work on behalf of Wyoming’s wildlife and people.

We testified in support of this bill last Thursday and are happy to report the Senate Travel, Wildlife, Recreation, and Cultural Resources Committee voted unanimously to advance it. Next up, Senate Appropriations. Stay tuned!

Upcoming: BEERS & BILLS

Join us January 30 at Black Tooth Brewing in Cheyenne (or via Zoom!) for a lively panel discussion with experts on the session’s most important topics.

If you’re curious about what to expect during the session or want to get more involved, this is an event not to miss. Doors open at 5 p.m., and the panel discussion (and livestream) begins at 5:30. This event is free and open to the public, but your RSVP will help us plan.

As we work to understand the many bills and priorities of this new legislature, we want to thank you for your support and engagement. The core values that have always guided us — clean air, clean water, and support for our public lands and wildlife — ring just as true today as they did nearly 60 years ago when we first entered the debate in Cheyenne.

This can be challenging work, but we are here for the fight. We couldn’t do it without support from people like you! Stay tuned for opportunities to leverage your voice to make an impact.

Image: Meghan Riley

And … we’re off! The 2025 Wyoming Legislature kicks off this week, ushering in a jam-packed two months of debate, amendments, and votes on hundreds of bills impacting all aspects of life in Wyoming.

Many of these bills concern our lands, waters, wildlife, and climate. We’ll be following the action closely and keeping you updated every step of the way. Read on for an overview of what to expect from WOC, details about our upcoming Beers & Bills event, and more.

Updates on Important Bills

We’re keeping a close eye on bills related to public lands transfer, nuclear waste storage, limited mining operations, and rooftop solar — and those are just the topics we already know of. In the next several weeks, many more bills in other areas will be introduced.

For the best and most up-to-date information about the bills we’re keeping an eye on, visit the bill tracker on WOC’s legislative webpage. There you’ll also find resources for contacting legislators and much more.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR ACTION

Our staff on the ground in Cheyenne (wildlife program manager Meghan Riley, energy and climate policy director John Burrows, and myself) will share frequent updates and opportunities for you to take action. Keep an eye on our emails, and sign up for text messages from WOC, which we’ll reserve for the most urgent issues.

When you see action alerts from WOC, be ready to add your voice to the conversation — it truly makes a difference!

YOU’RE INVITED: BEERS & BILLS

Join us January 30 at Black Tooth Brewing in Cheyenne (or via a Zoom livestream!) for a lively panel discussion with experts on the session’s most important topics.

If you’re curious about what to expect during the session or want to get more involved, this is an event not to miss. Doors open at 5 p.m., and the panel discussion (and livestream) begins at 5:30. This event is free and open to the public, but your RSVP will help us plan.

Know who your legislators are, and how to contact them?

Sending your legislators a message or calling them ahead of votes on important bills is the best way to participate during the session. Find your legislators’ contact info here. When you do reach out, keep your messages simple, tell the story behind your stance, and personalize the subject line of your message if sending by email.

That’s a wrap for now, but we’ll be in touch with more soon. If you have any questions in the meantime, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.