Fire suppression and restoration funding-2.

25LSO-0600
2025
STATE OF WYOMING
25LSO-0600
Numbered
2.0

HOUSE BILL NO. HB0297

Fire suppression and restoration funding-2.

Sponsored by: Representative(s) Connolly and Larsen, L and Senator(s) Crago

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to wildfires; providing appropriations; authorizing grants and expenditures; creating a steering committee; specifying duties of the executive director of the Wyoming wildlife and natural resource trust account board; providing for the transfer of funds; authorizing borrowing; repealing prior borrowing authorization; and providing for effective dates.

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

[WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION, RESTORATION AND REHABILITATION FUNDING]

Section 1
.

(a)

There is appropriated from the general fund for the purpose of restoring funds expended by the state of Wyoming to suppress wildfires that occurred in calendar year 2024 the following amounts for the following programs or purposes:

(i)

One million dollars ($1,000,000.00) for the special contingency division of the office of the governor, unit 0601;

(ii)

One million two hundred sixty
‑
three thousand nine hundred sixty
‑
six dollars ($1,263,966.00) for the disaster contingency unit within the homeland security division of the office of the governor, unit 1106;

(iii)

Thirty million dollars ($30,000,000.00) to the emergency fire suppression account within the office of state lands and investments.

(b)

There is appropriated from the general fund up to twenty million dollars ($20,000,000.00), or as much thereof as is necessary, to be deposited by the state auditor in the legislative stabilization reserve account for repayment of funds borrowed on or before June 30, 2025 from the legislative stabilization reserve account under 2024 Wyoming session laws, chapter 118, section 301(b).

(c)

There is appropriated from the general fund the amounts specified in this subsection to the Wyoming wildlife and natural resource trust income account for mitigation and restoration projects needed as a result of the wildfires that occurred within the state of Wyoming in calendar year 2024. Notwithstanding W.S. 9
‑
15
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103(b), amounts appropriated in this subsection and subsection (h) of this section shall not be subject to the grant process or other requirements specified in the Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Funding Act. Following review and recommendation by the steering committee created in subsection (d) of this section, the following amounts shall be expended for grants and expenditures approved by the executive director of the Wyoming wildlife and natural resource trust account board:

(i)

One hundred million dollars ($100,000,000.00) for purposes of restoring grass and vegetation destroyed by wildfires on private and state lands, preventing the establishment of nonnative invasive terrestrial vegetation on private and state lands affected by wildfires, replacing and restoring habitats destroyed by wildfires on private and state lands and restoring lost public infrastructure;

(ii)

Ten million dollars ($10,000,000.00) for projects to repair or replace watershed habitat and facilities for municipal, community and county water supplies.

(d)

There is created a steering committee to consist of the following members:

(i)

Members of the legislature as follows:

(A)

One (1) member of the Wyoming house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house;

(B)

One (1) member of the Wyoming senate, appointed by the president of the senate.

(ii)

The executive director of the Wyoming wildlife and natural resource trust account board, who shall be the chairman of the steering committee;

(iii)

Not to exceed six (6) members appointed by the governor representing or having expertise in, but not limited to, the following:

(A)

The Wyoming office of the governor;

(B)

The Wyoming game and fish department;

(C)

The weed and pest division of the Wyoming department of

agriculture;

(D)

The agricultural extension services of the University of Wyoming;

(E)

Wyoming county commissioners;

(F)

The agricultural industry.

(e)

The steering committee created in subsection (d) of this section shall:

(i)

Establish a process to accept and review applications for grants and expenditures from funds appropriated in subsection (c) of this section;

(ii)

Develop grant and expenditure eligibility criteria for receipt of funds appropriated in subsection (c) of this section; and

(iii)

Make recommendations for grants and expenditures from funds appropriated in subsections (c) of this section.

(f)

Any proposed grant or expenditure of funds appropriated in subsection (c) in this section shall be subject to the following requirements:

(i)

The proposed grant or expenditure shall be reviewed by the attorney general, who shall determine whether the grant or expenditure provides a substantial public benefit and constitutes a lawful use of funds; and

(ii)

The executive director of the Wyoming wildlife and natural resource trust account board may impose conditions on his approval of any grant or expenditure, including a requirement for consideration from the recipient or beneficiary thereof.

(g)

There is appropriated twelve thousand five hundred dollars ($12,500.00) from the general fund to the legislative service office for purposes of providing salary, mileage and per diem to the legislative members of the steering committee appointed under subsection (d) of this section.

Payments shall be made in the manner and amount provided by W.S. 28
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5
‑
101 for conducting official business of the steering committee.

(h)

From amounts appropriated under subsection (c) of this section, there shall be paid per diem and mileage to the non
‑
legislative members and nonstate employee members of the steering committee appointed under subsection (d) of this section. Payments shall be made in the amount provided for members of the legislature by W.S. 28
‑
5
‑
101 for conducting the official business of the steering committee. The members of the steering committee representing Wyoming state government shall be considered to be acting within the scope of regular employment when conducting the official business of the steering committee and shall receive their regular pay without additional compensation.

(j)

The steering committee shall terminate on December 31, 2026.

(k)

The executive director of the Wyoming wildlife and natural resource trust account board shall, not later than October 1, 2025 and each October 1 thereafter until the funds appropriated in subsection (c) of this section are fully expended, report to the joint agriculture, state and public lands and water resources interim committee and the joint appropriations committee on the expenditure, encumbrances, obligations, recipients, purposes and justifications for all grants and expenditures from funds appropriated in subsection (c) of this section.

(m)

Funds appropriated in this section shall not be transferred or expended for any other purpose. Notwithstanding W.S. 9
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2
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1008, 9
‑
2
‑
1012(e) and 9
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4
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207, any unexpended, unobligated funds appropriated in this section shall revert as provided by law on June 30, 2027.

[TRANSFERS – WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION, RESTORATION AND REHABILITATION]

Section 2.

The state auditor shall transfer one hundred sixty
‑
two million two hundred seventy
‑
six thousand four hundred sixty
‑
six dollars ($162,276,466.00) from the legislative stabilization reserve account to the general fund for purposes of this act.

[BORROWING AUTHORITY – WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION]

Section 3.

For the period beginning July 1, 2025 and ending June 30, 2026, the governor is authorized to borrow from the legislative stabilization reserve account up to thirty million dollars ($30,000,000.00) as necessary to meet funding requirements to fight wildfires in the event the reserves in the office of state lands and investments' forestry division have been exhausted.

The governor shall report to the joint appropriations committee, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives immediately upon exercise of this authority.

[REPEAL]

Section 4
.

2024 Wyoming session laws, chapter 118, section 301(b) is repealed.

[EFFECTIVE DATES]

Section 5.

(a)

Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, 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.

(b)

Sections 3 and 4 of this act are effective July 1, 2025.

(END)

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HB0297