AN ACT relating to water; providing requirements for a permit secured for purposes of watering livestock on federal land; providing definitions; and providing for an effective date.
Agriculture
Enacted
This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.
Sponsor
Agriculture
Last action
2022-03-09
Official status
enrolled
Effective date
7/1/2022
Plain English Breakdown
Checked against official source text during the last sync.
Water Permits for Livestock on Federal Land
This law sets rules for getting water permits to help livestock owners who use federal land.
What This Bill Does
Creates a new permit that allows people with grazing rights on federal land to get water for their animals.
Requires these permits to be tied to the specific piece of land where the animals are kept and watered.
Allows the transfer of these permits when someone else gets permission to graze livestock on the same land.
Protects against losing a permit if it's not used because of changes made by federal agencies or the owner’s choice.
Who It Names or Affects
People who own livestock and have grazing rights on federal land.
Federal agencies that manage public lands for grazing purposes.
Terms To Know
Allotment
A specific area of federal land set aside for livestock grazing.
Animal Unit Month (AUM)
The amount of food needed to feed one cow and her calf, one horse, or five sheep or goats for a month.
Limits and Unknowns
Does not change existing water rights held by federal agencies before July 1, 2022.
Only applies to livestock watering on federal land, not other types of water use.
Amendments
These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.
Standing Committee • House Agriculture, State and Public Lands & Water
Adopted
Plain English: The amendment changes the language in the bill regarding livestock water permits on federal land to require seeking a permit and specifies that name changes are not allowed without proper documentation.
Adds the requirement for livestock owners to seek a permit when watering their animals on federal land.
Replaces 'name change' with 'permit assignment accompanied by documentary evidence', meaning any transfer of a permit must be supported by proof.
The amendment does not provide details about what constitutes acceptable 'documentary evidence'.
Standing Committee • Senate Agriculture, State and Public Lands & Water
Adopted
Plain English: The amendment adds the word 'successive' after '(5)' in a specific line of the bill.
Adds the word 'successive' after '(5)'.
The exact impact and context of adding 'successive' is unclear without more information about what (5) refers to.
Bill History
2022-03-09LSO
Assigned Chapter Number 28
2022-03-09Governor
Governor Signed HEA No. 0021
2022-03-07Senate
S President Signed HEA No. 0021
2022-03-07House
H Speaker Signed HEA No. 0021
2022-03-07LSO
Assigned Number HEA No. 0021
2022-03-07House
H Concur:Passed 59-0-1-0-0
2022-03-04House
H Received for Concurrence
2022-03-04Senate
S 3rd Reading:Passed 30-0-0-0-0
2022-03-03Senate
S 2nd Reading:Passed
2022-03-02Senate
S COW:Passed
2022-03-02Senate
S Placed on General File
2022-03-02Senate
S05 - Agriculture:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0
2022-02-23Senate
S Introduced and Referred to S05 - Agriculture
2022-02-21Senate
S Received for Introduction
2022-02-18House
H 3rd Reading:Passed 60-0-0-0-0
2022-02-17House
H 2nd Reading:Passed
2022-02-16House
H COW:Passed
2022-02-16House
H Placed on General File
2022-02-16House
H05 - Agriculture:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 9-0-0-0-0
2022-02-14House
H Introduced and Referred to H05 - Agriculture 59-0-1-0-0
2022-02-11House
H Received for Introduction
2021-12-09LSO
Bill Number Assigned
Official Summary Text
Bill Summary - 22LSO-0047
Bill No.:
HB0004
Effective:
7/1/2022 12:00:00 AM
LSO No.:
22LSO-0047
Enrolled Act No.:
HEA No. 0021
Chapter No.:
28
Prime Sponsor:
Joint Agriculture, State and Public Lands & Water Resources Interim Committee
Catch Title:
Water permits-livestock on federal land.
Subject:
Requirements for a permit secured for purposes of watering livestock on federal land.
Summary/Major Elements:
This act provides requirements for a permit secured for purposes of watering livestock on federal land, including:
In whose names a permit may be
issued;
That a permit shall be appurtenant to the land on which the livestock is watered; and
How a permit may be transferred to a different person or grazing association.
The act specifies that nonuse of an appropriation for the purpose of livestock watering is not subject to abandonment under certain circumstances.
Note: This act is
similar to
2021 SF0135.
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
22LSO-0047
ORIGINAL House
ENGROSSED
Bill No
.
HB0004
ENROLLED ACT NO. 21,
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SIXTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2022 Budget Session
AN ACT relating to water; providing requirements for a permit secured for purposes of watering livestock on federal land; providing definitions; and providing for an effective date.
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:
Section 1
.
W.S. 41
‑
3
‑
116 is created to read:
41
‑
3
‑
116.
Permit for watering livestock on federal land.
(a)
As used in this section:
(i)
"Allotment" means a designated area of federal land available for livestock grazing;
(ii)
"Animal unit month" or "AUM" means the amount of forage needed to sustain one (1) cow and her calf, one (1) horse or five (5) sheep or goats for one (1) month;
(iii)
"Federal agency" means the United States, the President of the United States and any department, corporation, agency or instrumentality heretofore or hereafter created, designated or established by the United States;
(iv)
"Grazing permit" means a permit, lease or other document authorizing livestock to graze on an allotment;
(v)
"Livestock" means as defined by W.S. 11
‑
22
‑
101(a)(ii) but does not include wild horses claimed
by the federal government under the federal Wild Free
‑
Roaming Horses and Burros Act, P.L. 92
‑
195.
(b)
Notwithstanding any other provision of this title regarding permits to appropriate water, any permit issued for the purposes of watering livestock on an allotment shall:
(i)
Only be issued
in the name of a federal agency jointly with
a person or grazing association who has the right to use a grazing permit;
(ii)
Be appurtenant to the allotment or land on which the livestock is watered;
(iii)
Not be changed under W.S. 41
‑
3
‑
104 or amended under W.S. 41
‑
4
‑
514 without seeking the consent of the
holder or holders of a valid grazing permit to graze livestock on the allotment
.
(c)
Any permit issued jointly in the name of a federal agency and a grazing permit holder under this section may be transferred to a different person or grazing association that receives an allotment or grazing permit on that federal land by filing for a permit assignment accompanied by documentary evidence to the state engineer's office.
(d)
Notwithstanding W.S. 41
‑
3
‑
401, no appropriation for the purpose of livestock watering on an allotment is subject to abandonment or partial abandonment if:
(i)
The nonuse is caused by, in whole or in part, a federal agency's reduction of the AUMs on the allotment; or
(ii)
The nonuse is voluntary because a grazing permit holder chooses not to graze livestock on that allotment, provided that the nonuse shall not exceed five (5) successive years.
(e)
Nothing in this section shall affect any livestock water right or permit held by a federal agency on or before July 1, 2022.
Section 2
.
This act is effective July 1, 2022
.
(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