Public land access.

2016
State of Wyoming
16LSO-0164
Introduced
1.3

HOUSE BILL

NO.
HB0126

Public land access.

Sponsored by:
Representative(s) Laursen, Allen, Halverson, Jennings, Kroeker, McKim and Miller

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to public lands; providing that the office of state lands and investments shall commission a study and provide a report on restrictions of access to public lands in Wyoming as specified; providing an appropriation; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section
1
.

(a)

The office of state lands and investments shall commission a study to determine the amount of access to public lands and the number of roads and trails on public
lands in the state of Wyoming which have been blocked or restricted by any federal agency or action of the federal government since 1976.

(b)

The study shall include:

(i)

An identification and description of all public lands in Wyoming as of 1976 through the effective date of this act;

(i
i
)

An identification of roads, trails or other access to public lands that has been blocked or restricted in Wyoming
by any federal agency or action of the federal government since 1976
;

(iii)

A compilation of the reasons for blocking or restricting roads, trails or other access to public lands in Wyoming including any relevant federal laws
, regulations, orders
or federal judicial decisions;

(iv
)

A comparison of topographical maps from prior to 1976 and current maps;

(v
)

A comprehensive review of other sources of data related to restrictions on access to public lands in Wyoming
including local newspapers and state and federal agencies;

(vi)

A survey of c
ounty commissions
on information related to restrictions on access to public lands in the
ir
county since 1976
.

(c)

The office of state lands and investments may engage the services of research or consulting firms as necessary to carry out the purposes of this act.

(d)

The office of state lands and investments shall submit a final report to the select federal natural resource management committee no later than November 30, 2017. The final report shall include the items specified in subsection (b) of this section and any other information related to restrictions on access to public lands in Wyoming since 1976. The select federal natural resource management committee shall consider the report and develop
any legislation it deems appropriate for consideration by the legislature.

Section 2
.

There is appropriated
one
hundred thousand dollars ($
1
00,000.00)
from the general fund to the
office of state lands and investments
. This appropriation

shall only be expended for the purpose of
conducting the
study and hiring consultants to assist in the study
required by
this act. N
otwithstanding

any other provision of law, this appropriation shall not be

transferred or expended for any other purpose and any

unexpended, unobligated funds remaining from this

appropriation shall revert on June 30,

201
8
.

Section 3.
This act is effective immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution.

(END)

1
HB0126