Read the full stored bill text
21LSO-0146
ORIGINAL House
ENGROSSED
Bill No
.
HB0053
ENROLLED ACT NO. 12,
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SIXTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2021 General Session
AN ACT relating to agriculture; creating duties for the Wyoming weed and pest council related to the management and control of invasive species; implementing recommendations from the Governor's Invasive Species Initiative; providing rulemaking authority; and providing for effective dates.
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:
Section 1
.
W.S. 11
‑
5
‑
120 is created to read:
11
‑
5
‑
120.
Wyoming weed and pest council duties.
(a)
In addition to other duties prescribed by law, the Wyoming weed and pest council shall aid county weed and pest control districts in creating, managing and enhancing coordinated and comprehensive invasive plant species control programs by:
(i)
Developing and implementing data systems to support each district in making invasive plant species management decisions informed by accurate, timely data, local experts, cultural practices and best available science;
(ii)
Coordinating with the University of Wyoming and community colleges to assess, to the extent practicable, the impacts that invasive plant species can have on socio
‑
ecological systems. As used in this paragraph, "socio
‑
ecological system" means a dynamic system encompassing interactions between people and nature within a defined geographical area;
(iii)
Coordinating with the University of Wyoming, community colleges and government agencies to
support and expand outreach and provide applied research on the best use of existing tools to control invasive plant species and the development of new invasive plant species management methods;
(iv)
Working with federal partners to reduce barriers to timely, effective invasive plant species management on federal lands and adjoining nonfederal lands;
(v)
On a biennial basis, reporting to the joint agriculture, state and public lands and water resources interim committee on the status of current funding models, existing or new funding challenges and opportunities to improve funding for designated or declared invasive plant species;
(vi)
Encouraging and incentivizing cooperative, landscape
‑
scale projects to control invasive plant species that include multi
‑
jurisdictional partnerships with clear, long
‑
term strategies;
(vii)
Coordinating with other state and federal agencies to increase public awareness of the challenges presented by invasive plant species and to encourage prevention and mitigation practices.
(b)
The Wyoming weed and pest council may, with the approval of the majority of the board, adopt and publish rules in accordance with the Wyoming Administrative Procedure Act, W.S. 16
‑
3
‑
101 et seq. to carry out the purposes of this act.
Section 2
.
W.S. 11
‑
5
‑
102(a)(xxiv), 11
‑
5
‑
105(a) by creating a new paragraph (ix)
and 11
‑
5
‑
303(c)(v), (d)(iii) and (g)(intro)
are amended to read:
11
‑
5
‑
102.
Definitions.
(a)
As used in this act:
(xxiv)
"This act" means W.S. 11
‑
5
‑
101 through
11
‑
5
‑
119
11
‑
5
‑
120
.
11
‑
5
‑
105.
Duties; powers; supervisor compensation.
(a)
The district board shall:
(ix)
Share data with the Wyoming weed and pest council and take other actions to support the coordinated and comprehensive invasive plant species control authorized in W.S. 11
‑
5
‑
120.
11
‑
5
‑
303.
Program components; funding; rulemaking authority; penalties.
(c)
Any district which implements a special management program under this article shall:
(v)
At least ten (10) days before final approval of the program by the district
board,
supervisors, publish
give
notice
to the public
in at least one (1) newspaper of general circulation within the county describing the special management program
, listing the participating landowners
and
stating the approximate
approximating the
cost of the program.
Notice shall also be given through another medium if the board determines additional publication is necessary to ensure sufficient notice to the public.
(d)
Programs under this article shall be funded as follows:
(iii)
State or federal agencies owning lands or administering lands, which are untaxed for the purposes of this act, shall contribute
to
the total cost of the
treatment
special management
program
;
on those lands;
(g)
The
state board of agriculture
Wyoming weed and pest council, with the approval of the majority of the board,
may:
Section 3.
W.S. 11
‑
5
‑
303(b) is repealed.
Section 4
.
The Wyoming weed and pest council may promulgate rules as necessary to implement this act.
Section 5.
(a)
Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, this act is effective July 1, 2021.
(b)
Sections 4 and 5 of this act are 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 House.
Chief Clerk
1