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Wyoming2005Did Not Pass

HB0343

Pipeline and Utility Location Act

Last scannedOct 18, 2026, 2:19 AM

In one sentence

This bill proposed rules for placing pipelines and utilities in highway rights-of-way and allowed the state to acquire land for utility corridors, but it did not pass.

What it does

  • Creates a new chapter in state law called the Pipeline and Utility Location Act.
  • Defines a utility corridor as an area of highway right-of-way designated or used for the joint location of utilities, either public or private.
  • Allows the transportation commission to permit parallel pipelines or lines within the highway right-of-way.
  • Requires that when parallel lines are allowed, they be located as close to the highway right-of-way line and as far from the highway centerline as possible.
  • Requires that support facilities like storage tanks, valves, and compressors be located off the highway right-of-way whenever possible.
  • Amends existing law to allow the Department of Transportation to acquire land for utility corridors.

Who it affects

  • The Wyoming Transportation Commission.
  • The Wyoming Department of Transportation.
  • Entities that install pipelines or utilities in highway rights-of-way.

Limits and unknowns

  • The bill did not pass in the 2005 session and was indefinitely postponed.
  • The bill text provided is a working draft, so final language may differ if it were to pass in a future session.
  • The bill does not specify the cost of acquiring land for utility corridors.

Plain language

Terms to know

Utility corridor
An area of highway right-of-way designated or used for the joint location of utilities, either public or private.
Highway right-of-way
The land area associated with the highway, including the road and adjacent land, which may be acquired for public purposes.
Eminent domain
The government's power to take private property for public use, limited in this bill to property immediately adjacent to the highway right-of-way for specific purposes.

Official record

Sources

Source checked
Official bill pageIntroduced textOfficial digestCurrent bill text

Public statements

Why lawmakers voted

Last checked Aug 7, 4:38 PM

Voted Yes

Why they voted this way

The lawmaker supports the bill as long overdue for economic development and exporting energy resources. He cites a personal experience where lack of highway rights-of-way delayed fiber optic installation by ten years, arguing that this legislation is necessary to modernize infrastructure.

Public statementFloor statement at 2:38:52 Watch the statement
Voted No

Why they voted this way

The lawmaker opposes passing the bill immediately, suggesting it should instead be an interim study. He questions whether the Highway Department should acquire rights-of-ways for utilities without a mechanism to recoup costs or charge fees.

Public statementFloor statement at 2:41:09 Watch the statement
Voted Yes

Why they voted this way

The speaker urges support because the bill provides an alternative method for utilities to acquire right-of-way when other options are exhausted, which aids in energy transmission and development.

Public statementFloor statement at 2:58:43 Watch the statement

If a lawmaker is not listed, we couldn't find a published reason.

Wyoming roll calls

Recorded votes

2 roll calls

H Failed CoW; Indef Postponed 23-34-3-0-02005-02-07 · House23 yes 34 no
Yes
23
No
34
Absent
0
Excused
3
Conflict
0

Yes 23

Bruce BarnardH49David R EdwardsH06David R MillerH55Debbie HammonsH27Douglas OsbornH40Edward BuchananH04Elaine HarveyH26Frank W LattaH53Gerald GayH36James C HagemanH05Jeff WasserburgerH32Kathleen DavisonH20Keith M GingeryH23Kevin A WhiteH45Mick PowersH18Monte OlsenH22Owen PetersenH19Randall B LuthiH21Robert A BrechtelH38Roy CoheeH35Thomas A LockhartH57Tom Lubnau IIH31Tom WalshH56

No 34

Alan C JonesH25Ann RobinsonH58Becket HinckleyH41Bill ThompsonH60Bryan K PedersenH07Burke JacksonH52Colin SimpsonH24Dan ZwonitzerH43Deborah AldenH03Del McOmieH54Doug SamuelsonH07EsquibelFrank PhilpH34George BagbyH15Jack D Landon Jr.H30Jim SlaterH46John HastertH39Kermit C BrownH14Kurt BucholzH47Larry MeuliH08Layton D MorganH12Lorraine K QuarbergH28Mark SemlekH01Marty A MartinH48Mary GilmoreH59Pat ChildersH50Peter S IllowayH42Rodney "Pete" AndersonH10Rosie M BergerH51Ross DiercksH02Stephen D WattH17Steve HarshmanR · H37Wayne ReeseH11W. Patrick P GogglesH33

Excused 3

Jane WarrenH13Jerry IekelH29Pete JorgensenH16
H09 Recommended Amend and Do Pass 9-0-0-0-02005-02-04 · House9 yes 0 no
Yes
9
No
0
Absent
0
Excused
0
Conflict
0

Yes 9

Becket HinckleyH41Debbie HammonsH27Doug SamuelsonH07Elaine HarveyH26EsquibelFrank W LattaH53Lorraine K QuarbergH28Robert A BrechtelH38Thomas A LockhartH57

Official activity

Bill history

  1. H Failed CoW; Indef PostponedHouse
  2. Amendment AdoptedHouse
  3. H Amendments AdoptedHouse
  4. H Placed on General FileHouse
  5. H09 Recommended Amend and Do PassHouse
  6. H Introduced and Referred to H09House
  7. H Received for IntroductionHouse
  8. Bill Number AssignedLSO

Changes

Amendments

1 stored

HB0343HS001

Adopted Standing Committee by H09