Legislative Action Alert + Update:
A trio of bad public lands bills working their way through both chambers of the Wyoming Legislature
You’ve probably seen SJ0002 - Resolution Demanding Equal Footing in the headlines lately. This Joint Resolution is at odds with the value we as hunters, trappers, and anglers hold in our public lands — it demands the return of all federal lands to the state. While we deeply disagree with SJ0002, as a resolution, it doesn’t hold any direct actions. While SJ0002 is getting all the attention, there are currently two other public land bills that DO have teeth and are worth pushing back on.
SF0105- An Act to Preserve State Territorial Sovereignty: Prohibiting transfer of real property to the federal government by any person (private citizen) except in cases of eminent domain. This bill would have prohibited the gain in public hunting and fishing access by the sale of the Marton Ranch
HB0118- Limitations on Net Gains for Federal Lands: Prohibits any land exchange from resulting in a net gain of lands for the federal government. If this bill had been in place, it would have prohibited the Kelly Parcel becoming part of GTNP and prevented the state gaining $100 million to spend on other land acquisitions.
All three of these bills reflect legislators ignoring their constituents and the overwhelming majority that support public lands in this state. Two of these bills go so far as to restrict not only the state from selling land to the federal government but also private landowners from being able to sell their property to the federal government. This restriction of a private citizen's right to make their own decisions when it comes to what they want to do with their property is unacceptable.
All three of these bills are currently in the Wyoming Senate. Please contact your senators and ask them to vote no. Keep Wyoming and its landscapes open, its private property rights intact and our legacy of public land hunting, fishing, and trapping intact.
SJ0002 is on the Senate floor on its first reading
SF0105 has been referred to the Senate Ag committee, if it has not been heard in committee by Friday it is dead.
HB0118 Has passed the house and is waiting for a committee assignment for the Senate.