KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Wyoming

HB0119 • 2025

Minimum easement standards.

AN ACT relating to eminent domain; requiring notice of condemnation as specified; requiring clauses relating to liability, abandonment and reclamation; providing requirements for existing easements; providing compensation standards; specifying applicability; and providing for an effective date.

Land
Did Not Pass

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

Sponsor
Representative Banks
Last action
2025-02-03
Official status
inactive
Effective date
3/1/2025

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Minimum Easement Standards Act

This act sets rules for property taken through eminent domain, including notice requirements and compensation standards.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires people to give at least 30 days' notice before taking someone else's land by condemnation.
  • Specifies that the original landowner is not responsible for any liability from using the land under an easement.
  • States that if the condemnor no longer needs the easement, they must reclaim and restore the property.
  • Includes improvements to the property in its fair market value when calculating compensation.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who want to take someone else's land through condemnation
  • Original landowners whose land is taken by an easement

Terms To Know

Eminent domain
The power of the government or a private entity to take private property for public use, with compensation.
Condemnation
The legal process by which land is taken from an owner through eminent domain.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This bill did not pass and was never considered for introduction.
  • It applies to condemnation actions starting July 1, 2025, but this date will likely change since the bill didn not pass.

Bill History

  1. 2025-02-03 House

    H Did not Consider for Introduction

  2. 2025-01-07 House

    H Received for Introduction

  3. 2025-01-06 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
25LSO-0385
2025
STATE OF WYOMING
25LSO-0385
Numbered
2.0

HOUSE BILL NO. HB0119

Minimum easement standards.

Sponsored by: Representative(s) Banks and Allemand and Senator(s) Laursen, D and Steinmetz

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to eminent domain; requiring notice of condemnation as specified; requiring clauses relating to liability, abandonment and reclamation; providing requirements for existing easements; providing compensation standards; specifying applicability; and providing for an effective date.

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

Section 1
.

W.S. 1
‑
26
‑
517 is created to read:

1
‑
26
‑
517.

Minimum easement standards.

(a)

Each person shall comply with the requirements of this section before acquiring any property by condemnation.

(b)

Not less than thirty (30) days before a condemnation action is commenced under this act, the condemnor shall give notice to the board of county commissioners of the county and any local governing body of a city or town in which the condemnation is to take place.

(c)

Any easement established under this act shall indicate that the original landowner is not responsible for any liability, including vicarious liability, other than intentional acts arising from use of the land under the easement.

(d)

The condemnor shall be responsible for reclamation of the property after the condemnor no longer requires the easement, pursuant to W.S. 1
‑
26
‑
714.

(e)

An existing easement shall be used exclusively for its stated purpose unless the existing easement:

(i)

Contemplates a method by which an easement can be enlarged or amended; or

(ii)

Authorizes the parties to renegotiate the easement.

(f)

For purposes of calculating compensation, improvements to the property shall be included in its fair market value.

(g)

If an easement is abandoned pursuant to W.S. 1
‑
26
‑
515, the land shall revert to the original landowner and the land shall be reclaimed pursuant to W.S. 1
‑
26
‑
714 and at the expense of the condemnor.

Section 2
.

This act applies to condemnation actions initiated on or after July 1, 2025. Nothing in this act shall be construed to impair any existing contracts.

Section 3.

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)

1
HB0119