2025
STATE OF WYOMING
25LSO-03661HB0229
HOUSE BILL NO. HB0229
High Plains Research Station and Arboretum-historic site.
Sponsored by: Representative(s) Nicholas, Brown, G, Brown,
L, Davis, Eklund, Filer, Geringer, Johnson,
Larsen, L, Singh, Styvar, Washut and Wylie
and Senator(s) Anderson, Driskill, Gierau,
Nethercott, Olsen and Pappas
A BILL
for
1 AN ACT relating to state lands; declaring the High Plains
2 Research Station and Arboretum as a state historic site;
3 requiring the department of state parks and cultural
4 resources to manage the High Plains Research Station and
5 Arboretum state historic site; requiring the development of
6 a strategic master plan for preservation and operation of
7 the High Plains Research Station and Arboretum state
8 historic site; authorizing fees as specified; authorizing
9 expenditure of appropriated funds; requiring a report; and
10 providing for an effective date.
11
12
13 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-03662HB02291W.S. 36-8-1801 and 36-8-1802 are created
2 to read:
3
4 ARTICLE 18
5 HIGH PLAINS RESEARCH STATION AND ARBORETUM
6 STATE HISTORIC SITE
7
8
9
10
11
12 (a) The lands in Laramie County managed by the
13 department of state parks and cultural resources and known
14 as the High Plains Research Station and Arboretum are
15 declared to be a state historic site. The department shall
16 by rule specify the legal description of the state historic
17 site.
18
19 (b) The state historic site shall be known as the
20 "High Plains Research Station and Arboretum state historic
21 site".
22 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-03663HB02291 (c) The department of state parks and cultural
2 resources shall prepare a strategic master plan for the
3 preservation and operation of the High Plains Research
4 Station and Arboretum state historic site. Under the
5 strategic master plan required by this subsection, the
6 department may develop memoranda of understanding with any
7 city, town, county, department, political subdivision,
8 state agency or other entity, as necessary, to administer,
9 operate, maintain, preserve and study the state historic
10 site.
11
12 (d) The department of state parks and cultural
13 resources is authorized to enter into leasehold and
14 concession agreements in accordance with the strategic
15 master plan required by subsection (c) of this section.
16 Funds received by the department pursuant to this
17 subsection shall be deposited into the state parks account
18 and subject to the requirements of W.S. 36-4-121(h).
19
20
21
22 (a) The department of state parks and cultural
23 resources shall preserve, administer, operate and maintain 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-03664HB0229
1 the High Plains Research Station and Arboretum state
2 historic site in accordance with the strategic master plan
3 required by W.S. 36-8-1801(c).
4
5 (b) The department may, under a lease agreement or
6 contract management arrangement, provide for special events
7 at the historic site in accordance with W.S. 36-4-121(o) or
8 management of specified areas of the historic site by a
9 public or private entity.
10
11 (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
12 department of state parks and cultural resources may impose
13 fees in excess of permit fees charged for use of state
14 parks and sites under W.S. 36-4-121 as necessary to fund
15 expenses incurred for preservation, development,
16 operations, personnel and maintenance of the High Plains
17 Research Station and Arboretum state historic site.
18 Unexpended, unobligated fees collected under this
19 subsection shall be deposited in the state parks account at
20 the end of the fiscal year and expended in accordance with
21 W.S. 36-4-121(h). Revenues and expenditures under this
22 subsection for each of the immediately preceding two (2) 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-03665HB0229
1 fiscal years shall be reported within the department's
2 biennial budget request submitted under W.S. 9-2-1013.
3
4. The department of state parks and cultural
5 resources shall initiate the strategic master plan required
6 by this act within one (1) year following the effective
7 date of this act and provide a report on the strategic
8 master plan to the joint travel, recreation, wildlife and
9 cultural resources interim committee not later than October
10 1, 2026.
11
12 Three million three hundred thirty-eight
13 thousand seven hundred fifty-six dollars ($3,338,756.00) or
14 as much thereof as is available from amounts appropriated
15 to the department of state parks and cultural resources for
16 the high plains research station and arboretum by 2024
17 Wyoming Session Laws, Chapter 118, Section 2, Section 24,
18 Footnote 7 may be expended for the purposes of the High
19 Plains Research Station and Arboretum state historic site,
20 as created in Section 1 of this act.
21 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-03666HB02291This act is effective immediately upon
2 completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law
3 as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming
4 Constitution.
5
6 (END)