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HB0045 • 2025

Removing otters as protected animals.

AN ACT relating to game and fish; removing otters from the definition of protected animals for purposes of hunting regulations; and providing for an effective date.

Technology
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Representative Byron
Last action
2025-02-24
Official status
enrolled
Effective date
2/24/2025

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide detailed information on how hunting of otters will be regulated after this change.

Removing Otters from Protected Animal Status

This law removes otters from being protected animals under hunting regulations.

What This Bill Does

  • Removes otters from the definition of 'protected animal' for purposes of hunting regulations.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Hunters who want to hunt otters

Terms To Know

Protected animal
An animal that is protected by law and cannot be hunted or harmed under certain regulations.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify how hunting of otters will be regulated after this change.
  • The full impact on otter populations is unknown.
  • It does not address other protections for otters outside of hunting regulations.

Amendments

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

HB0045SW001

Committee of the Whole • Senator Boner

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment changes when the new hunting regulations about otters will take effect.

  • Changes the effective date for the act to be immediately upon completion of all necessary steps for a bill to become law.
  • The exact timing of when the act will go into effect is not specified beyond it being immediate after legal requirements are met.
HB0045SS001

Standing Committee • Senate Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural R

Failed

Plain English: The amendment changes the bill's title and text by replacing specific references to otters with a more general term 'specified animals', and removes certain lines from the original bill.

  • Replaces 'otters' in the catch title with 'specified animals'.
  • Removes the phrase 'removing otters from the' in the main text of the bill.
  • Modifies line 3 to remove references specific to otters and replaces them with a general statement about specified animals.
  • Replaces 'amended to read' with 'repealed.' at line 12.
  • The amendment does not specify what the term 'specified animals' refers to, leaving it unclear which animals would be affected by this change.

Bill History

  1. 2025-02-24 LSO

    Assigned Chapter Number 10

  2. 2025-02-24 Governor

    Governor Signed HEA No. 0015

  3. 2025-02-20 Senate

    S President Signed HEA No. 0015

  4. 2025-02-20 House

    H Speaker Signed HEA No. 0015

  5. 2025-02-18 LSO

    Assigned Number HEA No. 0015

  6. 2025-02-18 House

    H Concur:Passed 53-7-2-0-0

  7. 2025-02-18 House

    H Received for Concurrence

  8. 2025-02-18 Senate

    S 3rd Reading:Passed 22-9-0-0-0

  9. 2025-02-14 Senate

    S 3rd Reading:Laid Back

  10. 2025-02-13 Senate

    S 2nd Reading:Passed

  11. 2025-02-12 Senate

    S COW:Passed

  12. 2025-02-11 Senate

    S Placed on General File

  13. 2025-02-11 Senate

    S06 - Travel:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0

  14. 2025-02-10 Senate

    S Introduced and Referred to S06 - Travel

  15. 2025-01-21 Senate

    S Received for Introduction

  16. 2025-01-21 House

    H 3rd Reading:Passed 52-8-2-0-0

  17. 2025-01-20 House

    H 2nd Reading:Passed

  18. 2025-01-17 House

    H COW:Passed

  19. 2025-01-16 House

    H Placed on General File

  20. 2025-01-16 House

    H06 - Travel:Recommend Do Pass 6-2-1-0-0

  21. 2025-01-14 House

    H Introduced and Referred to H06 - Travel

  22. 2025-01-02 House

    H Received for Introduction

  23. 2024-12-16 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Official Summary Text

Bill Summary - 25LSO-0300

Bill No.:

HB0045

Effective:

Immediately

LSO No.:

25LSO-0300

Enrolled Act No.:

HEA No. 0015

Chapter No.:

10

Prime Sponsor:

Byron

Catch Title:

Removing otters as protected animals.

Has Report:

No

Subject:

Removes otters from the definition of protected animals.

Summary/Major Elements:

This bill removes otters from the definition of "protected animal" for purposes of hunting regulations.

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 
25LSO-0300

ORIGINAL House

ENGROSSED
Bill No
.
HB0045

ENROLLED ACT NO. 15,

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

SIXTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2025 General Session

AN ACT relating to game and fish; removing otters from the definition of protected animals for purposes of hunting regulations; and providing for an effective date.

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

Section 1.

W.S. 23
‑
1
‑
101(a)(ix) is amended to read:

23
‑
1
‑
101.

Definitions of wildlife.

(a)

As used in this act:

(ix)

"Protected animal" means black
‑
footed ferret, fisher, lynx,
otter,
pika or wolverine;

Section 2
.

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)

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

1