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HB0233 • 2025

Natural resource litigation funding.

AN ACT relating to the administration of government; amending and renaming the coal-fired facility closures litigation funding account; providing an appropriation; requiring reports; and providing for an effective date.

Energy Land
Did Not Pass

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

Sponsor
Representative Larsen, L
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.

Natural Resource Litigation Funding

This act amends and renames an existing account for funding legal actions related to natural resource management in Wyoming, appropriates money for it, and requires annual reports on its use.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the name of a fund from 'coal-fired facility closures litigation funding account' to 'natural resource litigation account'.
  • Adds $7.5 million from the general fund into this new natural resource litigation account.
  • Specifies that funds in the account can only be used for legal expenses related to defending or initiating lawsuits against federal, state, and local governments when these actions affect Wyoming's ability to manage its natural resources.
  • Requires the governor and attorney general to report annually on how the money is spent and the status of any litigation funded by this account.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The government of Wyoming, including the office of the governor and the attorney general.
  • Entities involved in lawsuits against Wyoming over natural resource management issues.

Terms To Know

natural resources
Materials or substances occurring in nature that can be used for economic gain, such as coal, oil, gas, and minerals.
litigation
The process of taking legal action through the courts to resolve disputes between parties.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This bill did not pass in its session.
  • It specifies that funds must be used for defending or initiating lawsuits related to natural resource management, but does not provide details on how these lawsuits will be chosen or prioritized.

Bill History

  1. 2025-02-03 House

    H Did not Consider for Introduction

  2. 2025-01-17 House

    H Received for Introduction

  3. 2025-01-16 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
25LSO-0641
2025
STATE OF WYOMING
25LSO-0641
Numbered
2.0

HOUSE BILL NO. HB0233

Natural resource litigation funding.

Sponsored by: Representative(s) Larsen, L, Harshman, Larson, JT, Tarver and Wylie and Senator(s) Cooper and Crago

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to the administration of government; amending and renaming the coal-fired facility closures litigation funding account; providing an appropriation; requiring reports; and providing for an effective date.

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

Section 1
.

(a)

The account created by 2021 Wyoming Session Laws, Chapter 112, Section 2 and continued by 2023 Wyoming Session Laws, Chapter 6, Section 1 shall be continued and renamed as the natural resource litigation account. Any funds in the account on the effective date of this act shall remain in the account. Funds in the account shall not be transferred or expended for any purpose other than administering and enforcing the provisions of this section.

(b)

There is appropriated seven million five hundred thousand dollars ($7,500,000.00) from the general fund to the natural resource litigation account.

Notwithstanding W.S. 9-2-1008, 9-2-1012(e) and 9-4-207, any unexpended, unobligated funds in the account shall revert as provided by law on June 30, 2027.

(c)

Funds in the natural resource litigation account are continuously appropriated to the office of the governor for litigation expenses incurred in defending, commencing, intervening in or prosecuting lawsuits against the federal government and its agencies, other states or other states' agencies and local governments that enact and enforce laws or regulations, or other actions by the federal government, other states, local governments or third parties, that impermissibly impede Wyoming's ability to manage or develop its natural resources.

Such actions may include, but are not limited to, restrictions on the leasing, use or export of coal and any measures that cause or result in the retirement of coal-fired electric generation facilities located in Wyoming, a decreased use of Wyoming coal or the closure of coal-fired electric generation facilities that use Wyoming coal.

(d)

On or before October 1, 2025 and each year thereafter until October 1, 2027, the governor and the attorney general shall report to the joint appropriations committee and the joint minerals, business and economic development interim committee on:

(i)

The expenditure of any funds in the natural resource litigation account incurred in defending, commencing, intervening in or prosecuting lawsuits authorized in accordance with this section;

(ii)

The status of any litigation initiated, intervened in, defended, prosecuted or concluded using funds in the natural resource litigation account. The governor and attorney general may present the information required by this paragraph in executive session.

Section 2
.

2023 Wyoming Session Laws, Chapter 6 is repealed.

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)

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HB0233