SF0004 • 2020

Wildlife conservation account.

AN ACT relating to wildlife conservation; authorizing acceptance and solicitation of donations for wildlife conservation efforts related to the transportation system; and providing for an effective date.

Budget

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Transportation
Last action: 2020-03-05
Official status: enrolled
Effective date: 7/1/2020

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not specify that the State Treasurer is required to invest donations; it only mentions investment of grants, donations, and bequests by the State Treasurer.

Wildlife Conservation Account Act

This law allows the Department of Transportation to accept and use donations for wildlife conservation efforts related to transportation systems.

What This Bill Does

Expands the Wildlife Conservation Account to include donations, grants, and bequests for wildlife conservation efforts linked to transportation.
Authorizes the Department of Transportation to solicit and accept donations from individuals or organizations for these conservation efforts.
Permits the Department to use funds in the account for projects like signs, wildlife corridors, crossings, and fences that help protect animals near roads.
Allows the Department to include an option on license plate applications for people to donate extra money towards wildlife conservation efforts.

Who It Names or Affects

The Wyoming Department of Transportation
Individuals and organizations that want to donate to wildlife conservation efforts related to transportation systems

Terms To Know

Wildlife Conservation License Plates: Special license plates for vehicles in Wyoming that support wildlife conservation through additional fees.
Continuous Appropriation: A type of budgeting where funds are automatically allocated to a specific purpose without needing new legislation each year.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how much money must be donated or what types of donations can be accepted.
It is unclear if there will be public awareness campaigns about the donation option on license plate applications.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

SF0004HW001

Committee of the Whole • Representative Eklund

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment changes how the department can use money for wildlife conservation efforts related to transportation, allowing it to accept donations and manage them with guidance from the Wyoming Transportation Commission.

Removes specific language about how funds are used and replaces it with a more general statement that allows the department to consult with the Wyoming Transportation Commission on fund usage.
Adds new rules for accepting and managing donations specifically for wildlife conservation efforts related to transportation, including details on how these donations can be spent or managed according to any terms provided by donors.
Updates references to ensure consistent use of 'Wyoming Transportation Commission' throughout the text.

The amendment's language is technical and may require further explanation for full understanding, especially regarding specific financial management details.

SF0004SS001

Standing Committee • Senate Transportation, Highways and Military Affai

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment adds language to specify that wildlife conservation efforts must be related to the transportation system when accepting and soliciting donations.

Adds 'efforts related to the transportation system' after 'conservation' on page 2, line 7 of the bill.
Adds 'efforts related to the transportation system' after 'conservation' on page 2, line 17 of the bill.

The amendment does not provide details about what specific types of wildlife conservation efforts are considered related to the transportation system.

Bill History

2020-03-05 LSO
Assigned Chapter Number 5
2020-03-05 Governor
Governor Signed SEA No. 0003
2020-03-04 House
H Speaker Signed SEA No. 0003
2020-03-04 Senate
S President Signed SEA No. 0003
2020-03-04 LSO
Assigned Number SEA No. 0003
2020-03-03 Senate
S Concur:Passed 30-0-0-0-0
2020-03-03 Senate
S Received for Concurrence
2020-03-03 House
H 3rd Reading:Passed 55-4-1-0-0
2020-03-02 House
H 2nd Reading:Passed
2020-02-28 House
H COW:Passed
2020-02-26 House
H Placed on General File
2020-02-26 House
H08 - Transportation:Recommend Do Pass 9-0-0-0-0
2020-02-21 House
H Introduced and Referred to H08 - Transportation
2020-02-19 House
H Received for Introduction
2020-02-18 Senate
S 3rd Reading:Passed 29-1-0-0-0
2020-02-17 Senate
S 2nd Reading:Passed
2020-02-14 Senate
S COW:Passed
2020-02-13 Senate
S Placed on General File
2020-02-13 Senate
S08 - Transportation:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0
2020-02-11 Senate
S Introduced and Referred to S08 - Transportation 29-0-1-0-0
2020-02-10 Senate
S Received for Introduction
2019-12-10 LSO
Bill Number Assigned

Official Summary Text

Bill Summary - 20LSO-0035
Bill No.:

SF0004

Effective:

7/1/2020 12:00:00 AM

LSO No.:

20LSO-0035

Enrolled Act No.:

SEA No. 0003

Chapter No.:

Prime Sponsor:

Joint Transportation, Highways & Military Affairs Interim Committee

Catch Title:

Wildlife conservation account.

Subject:

Donations for wildlife conservation efforts related to the transportation system.

Summary/Major Elements:

The act expands the funds that are to be credited to the Wildlife Conservation Account. The account was created in statutory law

when wildlife conservation license plates were created. Funds in the account are to be used to provide for wildlife conservation efforts related to the transportation system, including signage, wildlife corridors, wildlife crossings and game fences. Funds in the account may include donations, grants and bequests.

The act authorizes the Department of Transportation to solicit, accept and expend, in consultation with the Wyoming Transportation Commission, donations for wildlife conservation efforts related to the transportation system. It authorizes the Department to carry out the terms, if any, of any grant, donation or bequest or, in the absence of any terms or limitations, to expend the grant, donation or bequest for wildlife conservation efforts related to the transportation system.

The Department of Transportation may include on applications for wildlife conservation license plates the option for an applicant to donate an additional amount in support of wildlife conservation efforts related to the transportation system.

The act authorizes the State Treasurer to invest funds in the account according to law.

Comments:
Funds in the wildlife conservation account are continuously appropriated to the Department and shall only be used to provide for wildlife conservation efforts related to the transportation system.
The above summary is not an official publication of the Wyoming Legislature and is not an official statement of legislative intent. While the Legislative Service Office endeavored to provide accurate information in this summary, it should not be relied upon as a comprehensive abstract of the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

20LSO-0035

ORIGINAL Senate

ENGROSSED
File No
.
SF0004

ENROLLED ACT NO. 3,

SENATE

SIXTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2020 Budget Session

AN ACT relating to wildlife conservation; authorizing acceptance and solicitation of donations for wildlife conservation efforts related to the transportation system; and providing for an effective date.

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

Section 1.

W.S. 31
‑
2
‑
231(a) and (b) is amended to read:

31
‑
2
‑
231.

Wildlife conservation license plates; wildlife conservation account; authority to receive and expend monies.

(a)

Any person required to register a vehicle in Wyoming pursuant to this article may apply to the department for a statement of eligibility for wildlife conservation license plates for any motor vehicle that is not a commercial vehicle or multipurpose vehicle owned or leased by that person upon registration of the vehicle.
The department may include as part of the application the option for the applicant to donate an additional amount in support of wildlife conservation efforts related to the transportation system.
Upon payment by the applicant of a fee of one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00) to the department,
plus any additional voluntary amount,
the department shall issue a written statement of eligibility for wildlife conservation license plates. The department shall assess an annual fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) for a person to retain eligibility for wildlife conservation plates, but this annual fee shall not be charged in the year the person pays the one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00) eligibility fee.
The person may submit an additional voluntary amount in support of wildlife conservation efforts related to the transportation system when remitting the annual fee.

(b)

The fees collected under subsection (a) of this section shall be payable to the department and shall be accounted for separately. The fees collected shall be distributed to the wildlife conservation account within the state highway fund, which is hereby created.
The wildlife conservation account shall be administered in accordance with the following:

(i)

Funds in the wildlife conservation account
are continuously appropriated to the department and
shall only be used to provide for wildlife conservation efforts related to the transportation system, including signage, wildlife corridors, wildlife crossings and game fences.
Money received and the proceeds or other property likewise received and disposed of by the department may, in consultation with the Wyoming transportation commission, be expended by the department for the purposes of this section;

(ii)

The department may establish methods to accept voluntary contributions in support of wildlife conservation efforts related to the transportation system for deposit into the wildlife conservation account. The department may suggest and solicit specific contribution amounts;

(iii)

The department, in consultation with the Wyoming transportation commission, is authorized to receive and credit to the wildlife conservation account, any money or property of any kind or character donated, granted or bequeathed to the Wyoming transportation commission, the department or the state of Wyoming for wildlife conservation efforts related to the transportation system. The department, in consultation with the Wyoming transportation commission, shall have the authority to carry out the terms, if any, of the grant, donation or bequest, or in the absence of any terms or limitations, to expend the money or the proceeds of the property as it may deem advisable for wildlife conservation efforts related to the transportation system under the provisions of this section;

(iv)

The state treasurer is hereby authorized and directed to receive and credit to the wildlife conservation account any grant, donation or bequest that is made to the Wyoming transportation commission, the department or the state of Wyoming for wildlife conservation efforts related to the transportation system to be expended for the purposes provided by this section. The state treasurer shall invest any money received under this paragraph in accordance with law and the investment earnings received thereon shall be deposited into the wildlife conservation account.

Section 2
.

This act is effective July 1, 2020
.

(END)

Speaker of the House

President of the Senate

Governor

TIME APPROVED: _________

DATE APPROVED: _________

I hereby certify that this act originated in the Senate.

Chief Clerk

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