KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Wyoming

HB0073 • 2023

Annexation-vote requirement.

AN ACT relating to cities and towns; requiring written approval from a simple majority of all landowners owning a parcel of the land in an area before annexation into a municipality; modifying notice requirements to landowners; specifying applicability; and providing for an effective date.

Land
Inactive

Wyoming marks this bill as inactive, which usually means it is no longer moving in the current session.

Sponsor
Representative Styvar
Last action
2023-02-24
Official status
inactive
Effective date
3/1/2023

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text does not provide specific details on handling public utilities and infrastructure costs, which were mentioned in the candidate explanation.

Annexation-vote requirement

This act requires written approval from at least half of landowners owning parcels in an area before it can be annexed into a city or town, and modifies notice requirements to include adjacent property owners.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires that at least half of the landowners who own property in an area must give their written approval for the area to be annexed by a city or town.
  • Modifies how notices about proposed annexations are sent out. Now, these notices must also go to people owning property near the area being considered for annexation.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Landowners in areas being considered for annexation by a city or town.
  • Cities and towns that want to expand their territory through annexation.

Terms To Know

Annexation
The process of adding land from one area to another, usually making it part of a larger city or town.
Landowner
A person who owns property, including the land and any buildings on it.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill is marked as inactive by Wyoming's legislature, meaning it will not move forward in this session.
  • It does not specify what happens if less than half of the affected landowners approve the annexation.

Amendments

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

HB0073H2001

2nd reading • Representative Haroldson

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment changes the requirement for landowner approval from two-thirds to a simple majority when an area is annexed into a municipality.

  • Changes the required approval from landowners from two-thirds to a simple majority.
  • Modifies notice requirements to reflect the new approval threshold.
  • The amendment text does not specify how the change will affect existing annexation processes or provide details on enforcement mechanisms.
HB0073H2002

2nd reading • Representative Singh

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment changes how notices for landowner approval in annexation processes are sent and responded to.

  • Adds a requirement that notices must be sent by first class mail.
  • Inserts new language allowing annexation without landowner approval if the area is entirely within the city or town's current limits.
  • Modifies existing text to treat non-response to notice as approval of proposed annexation.
  • The amendment includes technical legal changes that may be hard to understand fully without additional context about the original bill and its purpose.
HB0073H3001

3rd reading • Representative Singh

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment changes the requirement for landowners to either approve or oppose annexation into a municipality.

  • Adds an option for landowners to 'oppose' in addition to approving annexation.
  • The amendment text does not provide details on how opposition from landowners will be handled or what the consequences of opposing are.
HB0073HS001

Standing Committee • House Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivis

Divided

Plain English: The amendment changes the requirement for landowner approval from two-thirds majority to a simple majority and updates notice requirements for annexation.

  • Changes the required approval from landowners from two-thirds (2/3) to a simple majority when an area is proposed for annexation into a municipality.
  • Modifies notice requirements to include notifying property owners within 550 feet of the territory proposed for annexation, regardless of their location relative to the city or town's limits.
  • Updates the effective date from July 1, 2023, to immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law.
  • The amendment text does not specify how the change in notice requirements will be implemented or enforced.
HB0073HS001.01

Standing Committee • House Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivis

Corrected, Adopted

Plain English: The amendment changes how notices are given before land can be annexed into a city or town, and it updates when certain parts of the bill will take effect.

  • Adds that notice must also go to people who own property next to or within 550 feet of the area being considered for annexation.
  • Changes the effective date from July 1, 2023, to the day when this act becomes law.
  • The amendment text does not explain how exactly notices will be given or what happens if landowners do not agree with the annexation.
HB0073HS001.02

Standing Committee • House Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivis

Corrected, Failed

Plain English: The amendment changes the requirement for landowner approval from two-thirds to a simple majority when an area is annexed into a municipality.

  • Changes the required approval from landowners from two-thirds to a simple majority.
  • Modifies the wording on pages where 'two-thirds' or '(2/3)' appears, replacing it with 'a simple majority'.
  • Updates references to 'majority' to specify 'parcel of the land'.
  • The amendment text does not provide details about how this change will affect existing annexation processes.

Bill History

  1. 2023-02-24 Senate

    S:Died in Committee Returned Bill Pursuant to SR 5-4

  2. 2023-02-24 Senate

    S No report prior to CoW Cutoff

  3. 2023-02-14 Senate

    S07 - Corporations:Do Pass Failed 2-3-0-0-0

  4. 2023-01-31 Senate

    S Introduced and Referred to S07 - Corporations

  5. 2023-01-24 Senate

    S Received for Introduction

  6. 2023-01-20 House

    H 3rd Reading:Passed 39-22-1-0-0

  7. 2023-01-19 House

    H 2nd Reading:Passed

  8. 2023-01-18 House

    H 2nd Reading:Laid Back

  9. 2023-01-17 House

    H COW:Passed

  10. 2023-01-17 House

    H Placed on General File

  11. 2023-01-17 House

    H07 - Corporations:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 7-1-1-0-0

  12. 2023-01-13 House

    H Introduced and Referred to H07 - Corporations

  13. 2023-01-06 House

    H Received for Introduction

  14. 2023-01-03 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
23LSO-0314
2023
STATE OF WYOMING
23LSO-0314
ENGROSSED
3.0

HOUSE BILL NO. HB0073

Annexation-vote requirement.

Sponsored by: Representative(s) Styvar, Jennings and Neiman and Senator(s) Hutchings

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to cities and towns; requiring written approval from a simple majority of all landowners owning a parcel of the land in an area before annexation into a municipality; modifying notice requirements to landowners; specifying applicability; and providing for an effective date.

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

Section 1.

W.S. 15
‑
1
‑
402(a)(v), (vi) and by creating a new paragraph (vii) is amended to read:

15
‑
1
‑
402.

Annexing territories; findings required; when contiguity not deemed affected; annexation report; landowner approval before annexation.

(a)

Before any territory is eligible for annexation, the governing body of any city or town at a hearing as provided in W.S. 15
‑
1
‑
405 shall find that:

(v)

If the city or town does not own or operate its own electric utility, its governing body is prepared to issue one (1) or more franchises as necessary to serve the annexed area pursuant to W.S. 15
‑
1
‑
410;
and

(vi)

The annexing city or town, not less than twenty (20) business days
prior to
before
the public hearing required by W.S. 15
‑
1
‑
405(a), has sent by certified mail to all landowners and affected public utilities within the territory
and by first class mail to any persons owning property that is adjacent to or within five hundred fifty (550) feet of the territory proposed to be annexed, regardless of whether the property is inside or outside the corporate limits of the annexing city or town and regardless of whether the city or town is exercising authority under W.S. 15-3-202(b)(ii),
a summary of the proposed annexation report as required under subsection (c) of this section
, notice of the need to respond in writing if the landowner approves or opposes the proposed annexation unless approval is not required under paragraph (vii) of this subsection, notice of the opportunity to request an estimate of required infrastructure improvements costs under subsection (e) of this section
and notice of the time, date and location of the public hearing required by W.S. 15
‑
1
‑
405(a)
;
.

and

(vii)

Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, not fewer than a simple majority of the landowners owning a parcel of the area sought to be annexed, excluding public streets, alleys and tax exempt property, have approved in writing the proposed annexation by responding to the notice in paragraph (vi) of this subsection. Failure to respond to the notice under paragraph (vi) of this subsection shall be considered an approval of the proposed annexation. This paragraph shall not apply if the area sought to be annexed is entirely within the corporate limits of the annexing city or town.

Section 2.

This act applies to any proposed annexation initiated on or after the effective date of this act.

Section 3
.

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)

1
HB0073