Wyoming 2025 Regular Session

Wyoming House Bill HB0233 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	2025
2	2	STATE OF WYOMING
3	3	25LSO-06411HB0233
4	4	HOUSE BILL NO. HB0233
5	5	Natural resource litigation funding.
6	6	Sponsored by: Representative(s) Larsen, L, Harshman,
7	7	Larson, JT, Tarver and Wylie and Senator(s)
8	8	Cooper and Crago
9	9	A BILL
10	10	for
11	11	1 AN ACT relating to the administration of government;
12	12	2 amending and renaming the coal-fired facility closures
13	13	3 litigation funding account; providing an appropriation;
14	14	4 requiring reports; and providing for an effective date.
15	15	5
16	16	6
17	17	7
18	18	8.
19	19	9
20	20	10 (a) The account created by 2021 Wyoming Session Laws,
21	21	11 Chapter 112, Section 2 and continued by 2023 Wyoming
22	22	12 Session Laws, Chapter 6, Section 1 shall be continued and
23	23	13 renamed as the natural resource litigation account. Any
24	24	14 funds in the account on the effective date of this act
25	25	15 shall remain in the account. Funds in the account shall not 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-06412HB0233
26	26	1 be transferred or expended for any purpose other than
27	27	2 administering and enforcing the provisions of this section.
28	28	3
29	29	4 (b) There is appropriated seven million five hundred
30	30	5 thousand dollars ($7,500,000.00) from the general fund to
31	31	6 the natural resource litigation account. Notwithstanding
32	32	7 W.S. 9-2-1008, 9-2-1012(e) and 9-4-207, any unexpended,
33	33	8 unobligated funds in the account shall revert as provided
34	34	9 by law on June 30, 2027.
35	35	10
36	36	11 (c) Funds in the natural resource litigation account
37	37	12 are continuously appropriated to the office of the governor
38	38	13 for litigation expenses incurred in defending, commencing,
39	39	14 intervening in or prosecuting lawsuits against the federal
40	40	15 government and its agencies, other states or other states'
41	41	16 agencies and local governments that enact and enforce laws
42	42	17 or regulations, or other actions by the federal government,
43	43	18 other states, local governments or third parties, that
44	44	19 impermissibly impede Wyoming's ability to manage or develop
45	45	20 its natural resources. Such actions may include, but are
46	46	21 not limited to, restrictions on the leasing, use or export
47	47	22 of coal and any measures that cause or result in the
48	48	23 retirement of coal-fired electric generation facilities 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-06413HB0233
49	49	1 located in Wyoming, a decreased use of Wyoming coal or the
50	50	2 closure of coal-fired electric generation facilities that
51	51	3 use Wyoming coal.
52	52	4
53	53	5 (d) On or before October 1, 2025 and each year
54	54	6 thereafter until October 1, 2027, the governor and the
55	55	7 attorney general shall report to the joint appropriations
56	56	8 committee and the joint minerals, business and economic
57	57	9 development interim committee on:
58	58	10
59	59	11 (i) The expenditure of any funds in the natural
60	60	12 resource litigation account incurred in defending,
61	61	13 commencing, intervening in or prosecuting lawsuits
62	62	14 authorized in accordance with this section;
63	63	15
64	64	16 (ii) The status of any litigation initiated,
65	65	17 intervened in, defended, prosecuted or concluded using
66	66	18 funds in the natural resource litigation account. The
67	67	19 governor and attorney general may present the information
68	68	20 required by this paragraph in executive session.
69	69	21
70	70	22. 2023 Wyoming Session Laws, Chapter 6 is
71	71	23 repealed. 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-06414HB0233
72	72	1
73	73	2This act is effective immediately upon
74	74	3 completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law
75	75	4 as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming
76	76	5 Constitution.
77	77	6
78	78	7 (END)