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25LSO-0045
2025
STATE OF WYOMING
25LSO-0045
Numbered
2.0
HOUSE BILL NO. HB0013
Integrated test center-governance.
Sponsored by: Joint Minerals, Business & Economic Development Interim Committee
A BILL
for
AN ACT relating to the administration of the government; codifying and continuing the integrated test center; specifying oversight and powers of the integrated test center; requiring reports; specifying budget procedures for the center; making conforming amendments; providing for the transfer and assumption of obligations, funds and duties; and providing for an effective date.
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:
Section 1
.
(a)
The integrated test center established in 2014 Wyoming session laws, chapter 26, section 334(h)(ii) and (n), as amended by 2015 Wyoming session laws, chapter 142, section 334(h)(ii) and (o), shall be transferred to the University of Wyoming school of energy resources on the effective date of this act. All property, implements, fixtures, facilities, equipment, obligations, rights and unexpended funds of the integrated test center owned or held by the state of Wyoming shall be transferred to the University of Wyoming school of energy resources on the effective date of this act.
(b)
The governor's office, Wyoming energy authority and school of energy resources shall, to the greatest extent possible, take all actions necessary to transfer any existing agreements or contracts of the integrated test center to the school of energy resources.
Section 2.
W.S. 21
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117.1 is created to read:
21
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17
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117.1.
Integrated test center; governance; duties; powers.
(a)
The integrated test center established in 2014 Wyoming session laws, chapter 26, section 334(h)(ii) and (n), as amended by 2015 Wyoming session laws, chapter 142, section 334(h)(ii) and (o), is hereby codified and continued as the integrated test center.
(b)
The University of Wyoming school of energy resources, under direction from the energy resources council, shall oversee and operate the integrated test center.
(c)
The school of energy resources, under direction from the energy resources council, shall establish the structure and policies for the operation of the integrated test center consistent with the objectives of this section and W.S. 21
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17
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117.
(d)
In operating the integrated test center, the school of energy resources shall:
(i)
Design, construct and operate a facility to study the capture, sequestration, utilization and management of carbon dioxide emissions or other emissions and other research projects. For purposes of this paragraph, an integrated test center designed and constructed under 2014 Wyoming session laws, chapter 26, section 334(n) shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements of this paragraph;
(ii)
Provide opportunities for testing and research projects at the facility specified in paragraph (i) of this subsection;
(iii)
Enter into leases in accordance with the following:
(A)
The school of energy resources shall enter into leases or shall assign existing leases with owners of real property where the facility specified in paragraph (i) of this subsection is located. Any lease entered into under this subparagraph shall offer the owner of the real property the right of first refusal to purchase the state's ownership interest in the physical plant at fair market value after conclusion of all integrated test center activities by the school of energy resources and its partners and research tenants;
(B)
The school of energy resources shall enter into subleases with persons and entities who wish to perform research or other projects at the facility before those persons or entities become tenants and begin work at the facility;
(C)
Signed agreements between all partners, research tenants and lessors regarding the integrated test center and the school of energy resources shall include provisions retaining sovereign immunity for the state of Wyoming and the University of Wyoming and provisions for the indemnification from any liability, damages and legal fees incurred by the University of Wyoming or the state of Wyoming from any claims, causes of action, injuries or judgments resulting from the use of the integrated test center by an employee, contractor or guest of a partner, research tenant or lessor.
(iv)
Prioritize space at the facility established under paragraph (i) of this subsection and resources to projects that the school of energy resources and the energy resources council determine would:
(A)
Have a high likelihood for commercial success and are at the correct developmental stage for testing at the integrated test center;
(B)
Increase the knowledge base within the state of Wyoming on the capture, sequestration, utilization and management of carbon dioxide emissions or other emissions with the potential benefit of improving the future marketability of Wyoming energy sources;
(C)
Increase the national and international exposure of the state of Wyoming and its agencies, institutions, instrumentalities and political subdivisions as participants and locations for innovation in energy;
(D)
Add ancillary or supplemental value to Wyoming products or byproducts; or
(E)
Lead to the development of methods or products that may advance the future use of Wyoming's natural resources.
(e)
The state of Wyoming, by and through the University of Wyoming school of energy resources, shall have sole ownership of the physical plant of any test facility constructed in accordance with paragraph (d)(i) of this section that was constructed with state funds. State ownership shall not extend to the real property on which the physical plant is located nor to any improvement, equipment or fixture purchased with funds that are not state funds.
(f)
Not later than October 1 of each year and as part of the report required under W.S. 21
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117, the school of energy resources shall report to the joint minerals, business and economic development interim committee and the joint appropriations committee on:
(i)
The work of the integrated test center in the past fiscal year, including the work and use of the research facility established under paragraph (d)(i) of this section;
(ii)
All accomplishments of the integrated test center in the past fiscal year and benefits accruing to Wyoming's economy as a result of the integrated test center's work;
(iii)
The current occupancy of the integrated test center, including lessees and the projects lessees are conducting at the integrated test center.
Section 3.
W.S. 21
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117(c)(iv), by creating a new paragraph (v) and (f) is amended to read:
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117.
School of energy resources; creation authorized; University of Wyoming energy resources council established; reports; budget submittal.
(c)
The school of energy resources shall:
(iv)
Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, develop and submit a budget for the school for approval by the energy resources council and then shall submit
the budget
for review in accordance with W.S. 9
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1010 through 9
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1014.
The school of energy resources may include in the budget submitted under this paragraph a budget for the integrated test center specified in W.S. 21
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117.1.
The school of energy resources shall submit its budget to the governor after approval by the energy resources council created in subsection (e) of this section. The school of energy resources shall submit a copy of its budget for informational purposes to the university's board of trustees
;
(v)
Oversee and manage the integrated test center in accordance with W.S. 21
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117.1
.
(f)
The university shall report annually, not later than October 1, to the joint minerals, business and economic development interim committee, the joint appropriations committee and the joint education interim committee regarding all revenues to and expenditures by the school of energy resources during the preceding fiscal year, any budget prepared and submitted under paragraph (c)(iv) of this section, accomplishments of the school of energy resources and its benefits to Wyoming's energy economy.
The report submitted under this subsection shall include a report on the integrated test center in accordance with W.S. 21
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17.117.1(f).
Section 4.
Nothing in this act shall be construed to impair existing agreements, contracts or other obligations of the integrated test center that were entered into by the integrated test center, the Wyoming energy authority, the office of the governor or the University of Wyoming school of energy resources before the effective date of this act.
Section 5
.
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)
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HB0013