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SF0061 • 2020

Omnibus water bill - planning.

AN ACT relating to water development projects; authorizing specified level I and level II studies; providing appropriations; requiring reports; providing for the reversion of unexpended funds; authorizing unobligated funds to be used to complete other designated projects as specified; providing an appropriation for the office of water programs; and providing for an effective date.

Budget Taxes Water
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Water
Last action
2020-03-24
Official status
enrolled
Effective date
3/24/2020

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary does not specify exact funding limits beyond the appropriations listed.

Water Development Planning Bill

This bill authorizes and funds Level I (reconnaissance) and Level II (feasibility) studies for new water development projects, rehabilitation of existing systems, and provides funding for the Office of Water Programs.

What This Bill Does

  • Authorizes Level I (reconnaissance) and Level II (feasibility) studies for new water development projects in various counties.
  • Provides funding for these studies from specific accounts within the state budget.
  • Requires the Water Development Commission to report on each study before the next legislative session.
  • Allocates money to support the Office of Water Programs at the University of Wyoming.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Water Development Commission
  • Local communities in various counties across Wyoming
  • The Office of Water Programs

Terms To Know

Level I studies (reconnaissance)
Initial surveys to identify potential water development projects.
Level II studies (feasibility)
Detailed analyses that determine the practicality and cost of proposed water projects.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill specifies that funds not used by a certain date will return to the state's water development accounts.
  • It does not provide details on how the studies will be conducted or what specific outcomes are expected.

Amendments

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

SF0061H3001

3rd reading • Representative Blake

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment increases the appropriation amount by $201,795.

  • Increases the appropriation amount by $201,795.
  • The exact purpose or projects this additional funding will support is not specified in the provided text.
SF0061HW001

Committee of the Whole • Representative Blake

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment adds a new project to study wildfire hazards in the Sheridan Municipal Watershed and allocates $120,000 for it.

  • Adds a new section after line 11 on page 5 of the bill.
  • Includes an assessment called 'Sheridan Municipal Watershed Wildfire Hazard Mitigation Assessment, Phase II' in Sheridan County with funding of $120,000.
  • The exact details and requirements for this new project are not provided beyond the name and budget amount.
SF0061HS001

Standing Committee • House Agriculture, State and Public Lands & Water

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment renumbers sections of the bill to adjust the order and structure.

  • Removes lines 11 through 15 from page 1.
  • Deletes pages 2 and 3 entirely.
  • Changes 'Section 2.' to 'Section 1.' on page 4, line 5.
  • Replaces 'Section 3.' with 'Section 2.' on page 5, line 16.
  • Substitutes 'Section 4.' for 'Section 3.' on page 6, line 13.
  • Modifies 'Section 5.' to 'Section 4.' on page 7, line 10.
  • Replaces 'Section 6.' with 'Section 5.' on page 8, lines 10 and 21.
  • The amendment does not provide details about the content of the deleted sections or pages.
SF0061S2001

2nd reading • Senator Driskill

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment reduces a specific appropriation amount in the bill by $201,795.

  • Decreases an existing appropriation amount by $201,795.
  • The exact purpose or context of this reduction is not provided in the amendment text.
SF0061JC001

Conference Committee

S Adopted, H Adopted

Plain English: The amendment allows a water development project's existing contract to be reissued without needing new legislative approval or additional bidding requirements.

  • Adds language that permits the commission to reissue an existing contract for a water development project without further legislative action and without requiring additional competitive bidding.
  • The exact impact on future projects and budget adjustments is not fully detailed in the amendment text.
SF0061SS001

Standing Committee • Senate Agriculture, State and Public Lands & Water

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment changes how project costs are allocated for water development studies in Wyoming, setting limits on state funding contributions and ensuring beneficiary reimbursement.

  • Sets a maximum of 90% state funding contribution for Level I reconnaissance and Level II feasibility studies.
  • Establishes that if a study progresses to the next level or construction phase, the cost allocation previously reimbursed by beneficiaries will carry over towards future costs.
  • Specifies that grants for water development Level III construction projects cannot exceed 75% of total project costs.
  • The amendment text does not provide specific details on how beneficiary reimbursement amounts are calculated or enforced.

Bill History

  1. 2020-03-24 LSO

    Assigned Chapter Number 150

  2. 2020-03-24 Governor

    Governor Signed SEA No. 0067

  3. 2020-03-12 House

    H Speaker Signed SEA No. 0067

  4. 2020-03-12 Senate

    S President Signed SEA No. 0067

  5. 2020-03-12 LSO

    Assigned Number SEA No. 0067

  6. 2020-03-12 House

    H Appointed JCC01 Members

  7. 2020-03-10 Senate

    S Appointed JCC01 Members

  8. 2020-03-10 Senate

    S Concur:Failed 0-30-0-0-0

  9. 2020-03-10 Senate

    S Received for Concurrence

  10. 2020-03-09 House

    H 3rd Reading:Passed 55-2-3-0-0

  11. 2020-03-06 House

    H 2nd Reading:Passed

  12. 2020-03-05 House

    H COW:Passed

  13. 2020-03-04 House

    H Placed on General File

  14. 2020-03-04 House

    H02 - Appropriations:Recommend Do Pass 7-0-0-0-0

  15. 2020-03-03 House

    :Rerefer to H02 - Appropriations

  16. 2020-03-03 House

    H05 - Agriculture:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 9-0-0-0-0

  17. 2020-02-25 House

    H Introduced and Referred to H05 - Agriculture

  18. 2020-02-25 House

    H Received for Introduction

  19. 2020-02-24 Senate

    S 3rd Reading:Passed 30-0-0-0-0

  20. 2020-02-21 Senate

    S 2nd Reading:Passed

  21. 2020-02-20 Senate

    S COW:Passed

  22. 2020-02-18 Senate

    S Placed on General File

  23. 2020-02-18 Senate

    S02 - Appropriations:Recommend Do Pass 4-0-1-0-0

  24. 2020-02-14 Senate

    S COW:Rerefer to S02 - Appropriations

  25. 2020-02-14 Senate

    S Placed on General File

  26. 2020-02-14 Senate

    S05 - Agriculture:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0

  27. 2020-02-10 Senate

    S Introduced and Referred to S05 - Agriculture 28-0-2-0-0

  28. 2020-02-07 Senate

    S Received for Introduction

  29. 2020-01-29 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Official Summary Text

Bill Summary - 20LSO-0416
Bill No.:

SF0061

Effective:

Immediately

LSO No.:

20LSO-0416

Enrolled Act No.:

SEA No. 0067

Chapter No.:

150

Prime Sponsor:

Select Water Committee

Catch Title:

Omnibus water bill - planning.

Subject:

Provides authorization and funding for water development projects.

Summary/Major Elements:

The bill authorizes specified reconnaissance (Level I) and feasibility (Level II) studies for water development projects.

The bill provides funding for the Office of Water Programs within the University of Wyoming.

Comments:

See also the companion water bill, House Bill 0097, Omnibus water bill – construction.

The bill requires the Water Development Commission to provide a report to the legislature on each of the funded reconnaissance and feasibility studies.
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-0416

ORIGINAL Senate

ENGROSSED
File No
.
SF0061

ENROLLED ACT NO. 67,

SENATE

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

AN ACT relating to water development projects; authorizing specified level I and level II studies; providing appropriations; requiring reports; providing for the reversion of unexpended funds; authorizing unobligated funds to be used to complete other designated projects as specified; providing an appropriation for the office of water programs; and providing for an effective date.

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

[2020
‑
2021 WATER PROGRAM]
[AUTHORIZED LEVEL I AND LEVEL II STUDIES]

Section 1
.

LEVEL I RECONNAISSANCE STUDIES – NEW DEVELOPMENT
. The following sums of money are appropriated from water development account I, as created by W.S. 41
‑
2
‑
124(a)(i), to the water development commission to be expended to conduct the following reconnaissance studies as defined in W.S. 41
‑
2
‑
114.

In developing recommendations for 2021 water development projects, the water development commission shall give priority consideration to the Sheridan Municipal Watershed Wildfire Hazard Mitigation Assessment, Phase II project
and the commission may reissue without further legislative action and without additional bidding requirements the existing contract for the project
.
Funds appropriated under this section for a particular project which are in excess of the actual amount necessary to complete the study may, subject to the review of the select water committee, be expended by the commission to complete the reconnaissance study for any other project listed in this section. Appropriated funds not obligated prior to July 1, 2023 shall revert to water development account I. The commission shall submit a report to the
legislature on each of the following studies prior to the 2022 legislative session:

[LEVEL I RECONNAISSANCE STUDIES
‑
NEW DEVELOPMENT]

Project

Location

Appropriation

Bridger Valley Regional Water

Master Plan

Uinta County

$100,000
Cody Water Master Plan

Park County

$205,000
LaGrange Water Master Plan

Goshen County

$114,000
Lower Shoshone Watershed Study

Big Horn and Park Counties

$231,000
Pavillion Water Master Plan

Fremont County

$135,000
Pinedale Water Master Plan

Sublette County

$172,000
Shoshoni Water Master Plan

Fremont County

$157,000
UW Water Research Program

Statewide

__
$243,888
Total appropriation for Section 1

$1,357,888

Section 2
.

LEVEL II FEASIBILITY STUDIES – NEW DEVELOPMENT
. The following sums of money are appropriated from water development account I, as created by W.S. 41
‑
2
‑
124(a)(i), to the water development commission to be expended to conduct the following feasibility studies as defined in W.S. 41
‑
2
‑
114. Funds appropriated under this section for a particular project which are in excess of the actual amount necessary to complete the study may, subject to the review of the select water committee, be expended by the commission to complete the feasibility study for any other project listed in this section. Appropriated funds not obligated prior to July 1, 2023 shall revert to water development account I. The commission shall submit a report to the legislature on each of the following studies prior to the 2022 legislative session:

[LEVEL II FEASIBILITY STUDIES
‑
NEW DEVELOPMENT]

PROJECT

LOCATION

APPROPRIATION

Happy Valley Water Supply

Lincoln County

$59,000
Skyline ISD Water Supply

Teton County

$93,000
South End Water Users ISD

Transmission

Big Horn County

$142,000
Total appropriation for Section 2

$294,000

Section 3.

LEVEL I RECONNAISSANCE STUDIES – REHABILITATION
. The following sums of money are appropriated from water development account II, as created by W.S. 41
‑
2
‑
124(a)(ii), to the water development commission to be expended to conduct the following reconnaissance studies as defined in W.S. 41
‑
2
‑
114. Funds appropriated under this section for a particular project which are in excess of the actual amount necessary to complete the study may, subject to the review of the select water committee, be expended by the commission to complete the reconnaissance study for any other project listed in this section. Appropriated funds not obligated prior to July 1, 2023 shall revert to water development account II. The commission shall submit a report to the legislature on each of the following studies prior to the 2022 legislative session.

[LEVEL I RECONNAISSANCE STUDIES
‑
REHABILITATION]
Project

Location

Appropriation

Owl Creek ID Lucerne Master Plan

Hot Springs County

$170,000
Total appropriation for Section 3

$170,000

Section 4.

LEVEL II FEASIBILITY STUDIES – REHABILITATION
. The following sums of money are appropriated from water development account II, as created by W.S. 41
‑
2
‑
124(a)(ii), to the water development commission to be expended to conduct the following feasibility studies as defined in W.S. 41
‑
2
‑
114. Funds appropriated under this section for a particular project which are in excess of the actual amount necessary to complete the study may, subject to the review of the select water committee, be expended by the commission to complete the feasibility study for any other project listed in this section. Appropriated funds not obligated prior to July 1, 2023 shall revert to water development account II. The commission shall submit a report to the legislature on each of the following studies prior to the 2022 legislative session.

[LEVEL II FEASIBILITY STUDIES
‑
REHABILITATION]
PROJECT

LOCATION

APPROPRIATION

Highland Hanover ID Pump Station

Washakie County

$75,000
LaPrele Irrigation District

Rehabilitation, Phase II

Converse County

$650,000
Total appropriation for Section 4

$725,000

Section 5.

There is appropriated one hundred seventy
‑
five thousand dollars ($175,000.00) to the Wyoming water development commission from water development account I
,
as created by W.S. 41
‑
2
‑
124(a)(i),
to fund the office of water programs established under W.S. 41
‑
2
‑
125 for the period beginning July 1, 2020 and ending June 30, 2022. This appropriation shall not be transferred or expended for any other purpose and any unexpended, unobligated funds remaining from this appropriation shall revert as provided by law on June 30, 2022.

Section 6.

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)

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

1