HB0084 • 2023

Regulation of commercially guided boats.

AN ACT relating to game and fish; authorizing the Wyoming game and fish commission to regulate commercially guided fishing boats; providing definitions; providing rulemaking authority; and providing for an effective date.

Housing

Inactive

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

Sponsor: Representative Sommers
Last action: 2023-02-07
Official status: inactive
Effective date: 3/1/2023

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide a detailed summary or digest text beyond what was provided in the bill text excerpt.

Regulation of Commercially Guided Fishing Boats

The bill allows the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission to regulate commercially guided fishing boats by setting daily limits on their number and creating licensing rules.

What This Bill Does

Gives the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission authority to set daily limits on the number of commercially guided fishing boats allowed in specific river sections.
Requires public hearings before establishing limits on commercial fishing boats.
Allows the commission to create licensing or tracking systems for commercially guided fishing boats launching into any section of river.

Who It Names or Affects

Commercially guided fishing boat operators
The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission

Terms To Know

commercially guided fishing boat: A fishing boat operated by an outfitter or professional guide who charges for their services.
outfitter: A person who advertises and provides fishing guide services to the public for financial gain, excluding those who only rent equipment.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill specifies that daily limits apply to major drainage areas but does not specify which rivers will be affected.
It is unclear how many commercial boats are currently on Wyoming's rivers.
This bill was marked as inactive and did not pass in the current session.

Bill History

2023-02-07 House
H:Died in Committee Returned Bill Pursuant to HR 5-4
2023-02-07 House
H No report prior to CoW Cutoff
2023-01-13 House
H Introduced and Referred to H06 - Travel
2023-01-06 House
H Received for Introduction
2023-01-04 LSO
Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

23LSO-0499
2023
STATE OF WYOMING
23LSO-0499
Numbered
2.0

HOUSE BILL NO. HB0084

Regulation of commercially guided boats.

Sponsored by: Representative(s) Sommers and Senator(s) Baldwin

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to game and fish; authorizing the Wyoming game and fish commission to regulate commercially guided fishing boats; providing definitions; providing rulemaking authority; and providing for an effective date.

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

Section 1
.

W.S. 23
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3
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206 is created to read:

23
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3
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206.

Commercially guided fishing boats; regulatory authority; definitions.

(a)

To protect the quality of the fishery or aquatic resources and species in this state, the commission may set daily limits on the number of commercially guided fishing boats allowed to launch into any section of river. In promulgating any rule under this subsection, the commission shall hold a public hearing to gather public comments in at least one (1) community in the major drainage area in which the rule will apply.

(b)

In the event that the commission sets daily limits on the number of commercially guided fishing boats allowed to launch into any section of river, the commission shall promulgate rules governing the licensing or other means of tracking the number of commercially guided fishing boats launching into any section of river.

(c)

As used in this section:

(i)

"Commercially guided fishing boat" means a fishing boat that is operated by an outfitter or professional fishing guide;

(ii)

"Major drainage area" means the Snake River and Salt River drainage, the Wind River and Big Horn River drainage, the Powder River and Belle Fourche River drainage, the Bear River drainage, the Green River drainage or the North Platte River drainage;

(iii)

"Outfitter" or "professional fishing guide" means a person who advertises or holds himself out to the public for hire for the purpose of financial gain to provide fishing guide services, excluding any person who furnishes fishing equipment only to a person for the person's personal temporary use. "Outfitter" or "professional fishing guide" includes any person requiring dues or remuneration for providing personal services on the river for the purposes of fishing.

Section 2
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This act is effective July 1, 2023.

(END)

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HB0084