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HB0270 • 2023

Improvement and service districts-limitations.

AN ACT relating to improvement and service districts; providing a limitation on the imposition of fees, charges, mill levies, taxes and other assessments by improvement and service districts; providing exceptions; providing a limitation on the imposition of rules, regulations and procedures by improvement and service districts; and providing for an effective date.

Elections Land Taxes
Did Not Pass

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

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

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Limiting Fees and Taxes for Improvement Districts

The bill sets limits on fees, charges, taxes, and other assessments that improvement and service districts can impose on landowners within the district.

What This Bill Does

  • Creates a rule that an improvement or service district cannot charge more than what was agreed upon when the district first started.
  • Allows voters to change these limits through a vote if they want to increase, reduce, or eliminate them.
  • Gives landowners the right to sue the district if it charges too much and breaks this new rule.
  • Exempts certain fees related to bond payments from this limit.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Improvement and service districts in Wyoming
  • Landowners within these districts

Terms To Know

Local improvement district
A type of special district that collects fees to pay for local improvements like roads or utilities.
Mill levy
A tax rate used by governments to calculate property taxes based on the value of real estate.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass and was withdrawn.
  • It only applies to districts formed after July 1, 2023.

Amendments

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

HB0270H3001

3rd reading • Representative Zwonitzer, Dn

Withdrawn

Plain English: The amendment removes a specific line from the bill that relates to improvement and service districts.

  • Removes line 9 on page 1 of the original bill text.
  • It is unclear what content was in line 9, so the exact impact of removing it cannot be fully explained.
HB0270H3002

3rd reading • Representative Penn

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment adds the phrase 'casting ballots' after the word 'district' in a specific line of the bill.

  • Adds the phrase 'casting ballots' to specify that improvement and service districts cannot impose fees, charges, mill levies, taxes, or other assessments related to casting ballots.
  • The amendment text is very brief and does not provide context about how this addition affects the overall bill's intent or implementation.
  • It is unclear what specific rules or procedures might be affected by adding 'casting ballots' in relation to improvement and service districts.
HB0270H3003

3rd reading • Representative Northrup

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment adds an exception to the prohibition on fees, charges, mill levies, taxes, and other assessments by improvement and service districts for those organized without a petition or charter before July 1, 2023.

  • Adds an exception allowing certain districts that were formed without a formal request or charter before July 1, 2023 to still impose fees, charges, mill levies, taxes, and other assessments.
  • The amendment does not specify what happens if these districts are organized after the specified date.
  • It is unclear how this exception will be enforced or monitored.
HB0270SW001

Committee of the Whole • Senator Dockstader

Withdrawn

Plain English: The amendment changes references to a district's original petition for formation to a county resolution establishing the district, removes certain lines about fees and charges, and updates a date from 2023 to 2024.

  • Changes mentions of 'district's original petition for formation' to 'county resolution establishing the district'.
  • Removes specific language regarding fees and charges on pages related to improvement and service districts.
  • Updates a reference from year 2023 to 2024.
  • The amendment text does not provide full context, so some details about the exact impact of these changes are unclear without additional information.

Bill History

  1. 2023-02-24 Senate

    S COW:Failed 10-16-5-0-0

  2. 2023-02-21 Senate

    S Placed on General File

  3. 2023-02-21 Senate

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

  4. 2023-02-16 Senate

    S Introduced and Referred to S07 - Corporations

  5. 2023-02-09 Senate

    S Received for Introduction

  6. 2023-02-08 House

    H 3rd Reading:Passed 34-27-0-0-1

  7. 2023-02-07 House

    H 2nd Reading:Passed

  8. 2023-02-06 House

    H COW:Passed 32-29-0-0-1

  9. 2023-02-03 House

    H Placed on General File

  10. 2023-02-03 House

    H02 - Appropriations:Recommend Do Pass 7-0-0-0-0

  11. 2023-01-30 House

    H Introduced and Referred to H02 - Appropriations

  12. 2023-01-26 House

    H Received for Introduction

  13. 2023-01-25 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
23LSO-0713
2023
STATE OF WYOMING
23LSO-0713
ENGROSSED
3.0

HOUSE BILL NO. HB0270

Improvement and service districts-limitations.

Sponsored by: Representative(s) Northrup, Styvar and Western and Senator(s) Landen, Nethercott and Pappas

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to improvement and service districts; providing a limitation on the imposition of fees, charges, mill levies, taxes and other assessments by improvement and service districts; providing exceptions; providing a limitation on the imposition of rules, regulations and procedures by improvement and service districts; and providing for an effective date.

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

Section 1
.

W.S. 18
‑
12
‑
142 is created to read:

18
‑
12
‑
142.

Limitation on fees, charges, mill levies, taxes and other assessments; exceptions.

(a)

Except as otherwise provided in this section, a district shall not impose any fee, charge, mill levy, tax or other assessment, or adopt a budget that results in imposition of the same, that when aggregated would create a payment burden on landowners within the district that exceeds any limit stated in the district's original petition for formation on the maximum fee, charge, mill levy, tax or other assessment that may be imposed by the district.

(b)

Any limitation on the maximum fee, charge, mill levy, tax or other assessment that may be imposed by the district as stated in a district's original petition for formation:

(i)

Shall be calculated as a dollar amount determined at the time of the imposition for purposes of subsection (a) of this section;

(ii)

Shall apply to all local improvement districts created under W.S. 18
‑
12
‑
140;

(iii)

May be eliminated, reduced or increased if approved by a majority of the qualified voters of the district casting ballots by mail ballot election pursuant to W.S. 22
‑
29
‑
116 or concurrently with any other district election.

(c)

Any district taxpayer or payer of any district fee, charge or other assessment may bring suit to enjoin a violation of subsection (a) of this section, provided that the suit is filed within one hundred twenty (120) days of when the taxpayer or payer knew or reasonably should have known of the district's action in violation of subsection (a) of this section.

(d)

The prohibition in subsection (a) of this section shall not apply to an assessment imposed for the payment of any bond issued pursuant to this act.

(e)

The prohibition in subsection (a) of this section shall not apply to fees, charges, mill levies, taxes and other assessments imposed in a district that has been organized without a petition or charter prior to July 1, 2023.

Section 2.

W.S. 18
‑
12
‑
102(a)(xi) and 18
‑
12
‑
114(b) are amended to read:

18
‑
12
‑
102.

Definitions.

(a)

As used in this act:

(xi)

"This act" means W.S. 18
‑
12
‑
101 through
18
‑
12
‑
141
18
‑
12
‑
142
;

18
‑
12
‑
114.

Compensation; officers; rules and regulations; meetings.

(b)

The board shall adopt rules, regulations and procedures for the district whether or not included in its bylaws, including those to govern the use and enjoyment of public improvements, facilities and services of the district.
The board shall not adopt any rule, regulation or procedure resulting in any fee, charge, mill levy, tax or other assessment in excess of any limit imposed pursuant to the authority granted through the process established in W.S. 18
‑
12
‑
142.

Section 3
.

This act is effective July 1, 2023
.

(END)

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HB0270