HB0099 Access to public lands-corner crossing.

Access to public lands-corner crossing.

AN ACT relating to crimes and offenses; providing an exception to the offenses of criminal trespass and game-and-fish trespass regarding incidental contact associated with crossing two (2) adjacent parcels as specified; and providing for an effective date.

Crime Technology

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass and has no effective date, but the candidate explanation incorrectly stated an effective date of March 1, 2025.

Allowing Crossing of Adjacent Parcels Without Trespass

The bill creates an exception to criminal and game-and-fish trespass laws for people who accidentally touch or pass through private land while moving between two parcels that share a common corner.

What This Bill Does

Adds an exception to the law on criminal trespass, allowing someone to cross over another's property if they are going from one parcel of land to another adjacent parcel and do not intend to stay there.

Modifies hunting laws to include this same exception for hunters who accidentally touch or pass through private land while moving between two parcels that share a common corner.

Who It Names or Affects

People who need to cross adjacent lands, such as hunters and hikers.

Landowners whose property may be crossed under these conditions.

Terms To Know

Criminal Trespass

The act of entering someone else's land without permission and staying there.

Game-and-Fish Trespass

Entering private property to hunt, fish, or collect antlers without the owner’s permission.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill did not pass in its session and has no effective date.

It only applies if a person is authorized to be on both parcels of land they are crossing between.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

25LSO-0513
2025
STATE OF WYOMING
25LSO-0513
Numbered
2.0

HOUSE BILL NO. HB0099

Access to public lands-corner crossing.

Sponsored by: Representative(s) Provenza, Andrew, Campbell, E, Larson, JT and Wharff and Senator(s) Jones, Rothfuss and Schuler

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to crimes and offenses; providing an exception to the offenses of criminal trespass and game-and-fish trespass regarding incidental contact associated with crossing two (2) adjacent parcels as specified; and providing for an effective date.

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

Section 1
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W.S. 6
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3
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303 by creating a new subsection (d) and 23
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3
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305(b) are amended to read:

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3
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303.

Criminal trespass; penalties; exception.

(d)

For purposes of this section, a person does not commit criminal trespass if the person incidentally passes through the airspace or touches the land or premises of another person while the person is traveling from one (1) parcel of land that the person is authorized to access to another parcel of land that shares a common corner with or is immediately connected to the first parcel and that the person is authorized to access.

23
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3
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305.

Hunting from highway; entering enclosed property without permission; penalty; hunting at night without permission prohibited; exception.

(b)

No person shall enter upon, travel through or return across the private property of any person to take wildlife, hunt, fish, collect antlers or horns, or trap without the permission of the owner or person in charge of the property. Violation of this subsection constitutes a low misdemeanor punishable as provided in W.S. 23
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6
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202(a)(v). For purposes of this subsection
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"travel through or return across" requires physically touching or driving on the surface of the private property.
For purposes of this subsection, a person does not commit trespass under this subsection if the person incidentally passes through the airspace or touches the land or premises of another person while the person is traveling from one (1) parcel of land that the person is authorized to access to another parcel of land that shares a common corner with or is immediately connected to the first parcel and that the person is authorized to access.

Section 2
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This act is effective July 1, 2025
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(END)

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HB0099