AN ACT relating to agriculture; recreating a gray wolf depredation compensation program; imposing additional duties on the department of agriculture; requiring rulemaking; providing for termination of the program as specified; providing an appropriation; and providing for effective dates.
AgricultureBudgetLand
Enacted
This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.
Sponsor
Representative Winter
Last action
2023-02-27
Official status
enrolled
Effective date
2/27/2023
Plain English Breakdown
The official source does not specify which specific areas of Wyoming the program applies to.
Wolf Depredation Compensation Program
This law creates a program to compensate farmers and ranchers who lose livestock due to gray wolf attacks, funded by $300,000 from the state budget.
What This Bill Does
Creates a compensation program for landowners or renters whose livestock is damaged by gray wolves in areas where gray wolves are classified as predatory animals.
Requires the Department of Agriculture to work with other agencies like the Game and Fish Department to handle claims and investigations.
Gives the Department of Agriculture permission to make rules about how to run this program.
Provides $300,000 from the state budget for the compensation program over five years.
Who It Names or Affects
Farmers and ranchers who lose livestock due to gray wolf attacks in specific areas of Wyoming where wolves are classified as predatory animals.
The Department of Agriculture which will manage the program and make rules about it.
Other agencies like Game and Fish that help with claims and investigations.
Terms To Know
Livestock
Farm animals such as cows, sheep, goats, or horses raised for food or other products.
Predatory Animals
Wild animals that hunt and eat other animals, like wolves.
Limits and Unknowns
The program only lasts from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2028.
It's not clear how much money will be available each year after the initial $300,000 is used up.
Amendments
These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.
Standing Committee • Senate Agriculture, State and Public Lands & Water
Adopted
Plain English: The amendment changes specific dates from 2026 to 2028 in the bill text and replaces 'contracts' with 'agreements'.
Changes all instances of the year 2026 to 2028.
Replaces the word 'contracts' with 'agreements'.
Bill History
2023-02-27LSO
Assigned Chapter Number 98
2023-02-27Governor
Governor Signed HEA No. 0065
2023-02-24Senate
S President Signed HEA No. 0065
2023-02-24House
H Speaker Signed HEA No. 0065
2023-02-23LSO
Assigned Number HEA No. 0065
2023-02-23House
H Concur:Passed 57-3-2-0-0
2023-02-22House
H Received for Concurrence
2023-02-22Senate
S 3rd Reading:Passed 29-1-0-0-1
2023-02-21Senate
S 2nd Reading:Passed
2023-02-17Senate
S COW:Passed
2023-02-16Senate
S Placed on General File
2023-02-16Senate
S02 - Appropriations:Recommend Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0
2023-02-15Senate
:Rerefer to S02 - Appropriations
2023-02-15Senate
S05 - Agriculture:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0
2023-02-09Senate
S Introduced and Referred to S05 - Agriculture
2023-02-09Senate
S Received for Introduction
2023-02-08House
H 3rd Reading:Passed 58-4-0-0-0
2023-02-07House
H 2nd Reading:Passed
2023-02-06House
H COW:Passed
2023-02-03House
H Placed on General File
2023-02-03House
H02 - Appropriations:Recommend Do Pass 7-0-0-0-0
2023-01-31House
:Rerefer to H02 - Appropriations
2023-01-31House
H05 - Agriculture:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 9-0-0-0-0
2023-01-20House
H Introduced and Referred to H05 - Agriculture
2023-01-18House
H Received for Introduction
2023-01-18LSO
Bill Number Assigned
Official Summary Text
Bill Summary - 23LSO-0424
Bill No.:
HB0188
Effective:
Multiple Dates
LSO No.:
23LSO-0424
Enrolled Act No.:
HEA No. 0065
Chapter No.:
98
Prime Sponsor:
Winter
Catch Title:
Wolf depredation compensation.
Subject:
Gray wolf depredation compensation program.
Summary/Major Elements:
This act creates a program administered by the Department of Agriculture to compensate landowners, lessees or their agents whose livestock is damaged by gray wolves in an area of the state where gray wolves are classified as predatory animals.
The act appropriates three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000.00) for the program.
Comments:
Multiple effective dates. This act is effective July 1, 2023, except the section requiring the Department of Agriculture to adopt rules is effective immediately.
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
23LSO-0424
ORIGINAL House
ENGROSSED
Bill No
.
HB0188
ENROLLED ACT NO. 65,
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SIXTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2023 General Session
AN ACT relating to agriculture; recreating a gray wolf depredation compensation program; imposing additional duties on the department of agriculture; requiring rulemaking; providing for termination of the program as specified; providing an appropriation; and providing for effective dates.
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:
Section 1.
(a)
Notwithstanding any other provision of law
and for the period beginning July 1, 2023 and ending June 30, 2028, the department of agriculture shall administer a program for purposes of mitigating damages to landowners, lessees or their agents whose livestock is damaged by a gray wolf in an area of the state where gray wolves are classified as predatory animals. The landowner, lessee or agent may file a claim for damages and the department of agriculture shall certify that the damage to the livestock was caused by a gray wolf and determine a compensation amount according to department of agriculture rules.
(b)
The department of agriculture shall enter into agreements with the Wyoming game and fish department and the animal and plant health inspection service for personnel to assist in administering and investigating claims for damages.
(c)
The department of agriculture shall promulgate necessary rules to carry out the purposes of this act.
(d)
As used in this act:
(i)
"Damage" means any injury or loss to livestock inflicted by a gray wolf in an area of the state where gray wolves are classified as predatory animals;
(ii)
"Livestock" means as defined in W.S. 23
‑
1
‑
102(a)(xvi).
Section 2.
Not later than
July 1, 2023 the department of agriculture shall promulgate rules necessary to implement this act.
Section 3.
There is appropriated three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000.00) from the general fund to the department of agriculture for purposes of administering the program and funding damage compensation payments pursuant to this act. This appropriation shall be for the period beginning July 1, 2023 and ending June 30, 2028. This appropriation shall not be transferred or expended for any other purpose and any unexpended, unobligated funds remaining from this appropriation shall revert as provided by law on June 30, 2028. It is the intent of the legislature that this appropriation not be included in the department of agriculture's standard budget for the immediately succeeding fiscal biennium.
Section 4.
(a)
Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, 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.
(b)
Sections 1 and 3 of this act are effective July
1,
2023.
(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
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