HB0193 • 2021

County attorneys-representation of special districts.

AN ACT relating to county officers; amending the duties of county attorneys to allow for county attorneys to provide legal services to special districts as specified; and providing for an effective date.

Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor: Representative Crago
Last action: 2021-03-26
Official status: inactive
Effective date: 3/1/2021

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass, so there is no official effective date and it has no impact on current laws.

County Attorneys Can Help Special Districts

The bill allows county attorneys to provide legal services and opinions to special districts within their counties if approved by the board of county commissioners.

What This Bill Does

Creates a new law that lets county attorneys help special districts with legal matters.
Requires any request for legal help from a special district to be approved by the board of county commissioners before the county attorney can provide services.

Who It Names or Affects

County attorneys
Special districts
Boards of county commissioners

Terms To Know

special district: A local government unit that provides a specific service to an area.
county attorney: An elected official who gives legal advice and represents the county in court.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill did not pass, so it has no effect.
It only applies if approved by the board of county commissioners.
Details about how often this might happen are unclear from the text.

Amendments

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

HB0193H2001

2nd reading • Representative Greear

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment adds requirements for special districts to get approval from the county commissioners' board before a county attorney can provide legal services or opinions.

Adds that any request by a special district or county attorney for legal services must be approved by the county commissioners' board.
Inserts language requiring approval by the county commissioners' board when a county attorney provides an opinion or serves as legal counsel to a special district.

The amendment does not specify what happens if the county commissioners' board denies approval for legal services.

Bill History

2021-03-26 Senate
S COW:Failed 2-24-4-0-0
2021-03-25 Senate
S Placed on General File
2021-03-25 Senate
S01 - Judiciary:Recommend Do Pass 3-2-0-0-0
2021-03-22 Senate
S Introduced and Referred to S01 - Judiciary
2021-03-19 Senate
S Received for Introduction
2021-03-19 House
H 3rd Reading:Passed 41-18-1-0-0
2021-03-18 House
H 2nd Reading:Passed
2021-03-17 House
H COW:Passed
2021-03-10 House
H Placed on General File
2021-03-10 House
H01 - Judiciary:Recommend Do Pass 5-4-0-0-0
2021-03-05 House
H Introduced and Referred to H01 - Judiciary
2021-03-04 House
H Received for Introduction
2021-03-02 LSO
Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

21LSO-0647
2021
STATE OF WYOMING
21LSO-0647
ENGROSSED
3.0

HOUSE BILL NO. HB0193

County attorneys-representation of special districts.

Sponsored by: Representative(s) Crago, Oakley, Olsen and Stith

A BILL

for

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

Section 1
.

W.S. 16
‑
12
‑
203 is created to read:

16
‑
12
‑
203.

Assistance of county attorney for special district.

The governing body of a special district may request the county attorney of the county where the special district is located to serve the special district as legal counsel or
provide legal opinions to the special district pursuant to W.S. 18
‑
3
‑
302(d).
Any request under this section shall be submitted by the special district or by the county attorney to the board or boards of county commissioners of the county served by the county attorney and be approved by each applicable board before the county attorney may provide an opinion or serve as legal counsel.

Section 2.

W.S. 18
‑
3
‑
302 by creating a new subsection (d) is amended to read:

18
‑
3
‑
302.

Duties generally; employment of other attorneys by county.

(d)

Unless otherwise provided by law, upon approval by the applicable board or boards of county commissioners each county attorney may in his discretion act as legal counsel or give his opinion for questions of law for one (1) or more special districts located entirely within the county in which the county attorney serves.

Section 3
.

This act is effective July 1, 2021
.

(END)

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HB0193