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SF0004 • 2025

State park peace officers-definition and scope of authority.

AN ACT relating to criminal procedure; amending the definition of peace officer to clarify and expand the scope of authority for park rangers, superintendents and assistant superintendents; making conforming amendments; and providing for an effective date.

Crime Labor
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Travel
Last action
2025-02-27
Official status
enrolled
Effective date
2/27/2025

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on the implementation of expanded authority.

State Park Peace Officers - Definition and Authority

This law changes how state park peace officers are defined, allowing district managers and reserve park rangers to be included as peace officers with expanded authority.

What This Bill Does

  • Expands the definition of 'peace officer' to include district managers and reserve park rangers in addition to full-time park rangers.
  • Removes the requirement that state park peace officers must respond to a request from other peace officers before acting.
  • Allows state park employees who are qualified as peace officers or law enforcement officers to enforce felony laws after observing or discovering a felony during their duties.

Who It Names or Affects

  • State park rangers, superintendents, assistant superintendents, district managers, and reserve park rangers.
  • People who visit state parks or commit felonies within them.

Terms To Know

Peace Officer
A person with the authority to enforce laws and maintain public order.
Felony
A serious crime that can result in a prison sentence of more than one year or even death.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law does not specify how the expanded authority will be implemented.
  • It is unclear if all state park employees who meet qualifications will automatically become peace officers.

Amendments

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

SF0004S2001

2nd reading • Senator Nethercott

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment updates the definition and scope of authority for park rangers, superintendents, and assistant superintendents to include enforcement actions related to felony statutes or specific state laws when these are observed during their official duties.

  • Adds language allowing peace officers to enforce felony statutes and a specific state law (W.S. 31-5-233) after observing such violations in the course of their work.
  • The exact nature of W.S. 31-5-233 is not explained, so its full implications are unclear without additional context.
SF0004S3001

3rd reading • Senator Nethercott

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment modifies the definition and scope of authority for park rangers, superintendents, and assistant superintendents by adding provisions that allow them to enforce felony statutes under certain conditions.

  • Adds language allowing peace officers to enforce felony laws when they observe or discover a felony during their official duties.
  • The exact nature of the deleted and reinserted language is not provided, making it difficult to fully explain all changes without additional context.

Bill History

  1. 2025-02-27 LSO

    Assigned Chapter Number 54

  2. 2025-02-27 Governor

    Governor Signed SEA No. 0024

  3. 2025-02-24 House

    H Speaker Signed SEA No. 0024

  4. 2025-02-24 Senate

    S President Signed SEA No. 0024

  5. 2025-02-24 LSO

    Assigned Number SEA No. 0024

  6. 2025-02-24 House

    H 3rd Reading:Passed 40-20-2-0-0

  7. 2025-02-21 House

    H 2nd Reading:Passed

  8. 2025-02-20 House

    H COW:Passed

  9. 2025-02-18 House

    H Placed on General File

  10. 2025-02-18 House

    H06 - Travel:Recommend Do Pass 8-0-1-0-0

  11. 2025-02-14 House

    H Introduced and Referred to H06 - Travel

  12. 2025-01-22 House

    H Received for Introduction

  13. 2025-01-21 Senate

    S 3rd Reading:Passed 21-8-2-0-0

  14. 2025-01-20 Senate

    S 3rd Reading:Laid Back

  15. 2025-01-17 Senate

    S 2nd Reading:Passed

  16. 2025-01-16 Senate

    S COW:Passed

  17. 2025-01-16 Senate

    S Placed on General File

  18. 2025-01-16 Senate

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

  19. 2025-01-15 Senate

    S Introduced and Referred to S06 - Travel

  20. 2024-12-19 Senate

    S Received for Introduction

  21. 2024-12-02 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Official Summary Text

Bill Summary - 25LSO-0061

Bill No.:

SF0004

Effective:

Immediately

LSO No.:

25LSO-0061

Enrolled Act No.:

SEA No. 0024

Chapter No.:

54

Prime Sponsor:

Joint Travel, Recreation, Wildlife & Cultural Resources Interim Committee

Catch Title:

State park peace officers-definition and scope of authority.

Has Report:

No

Subject:

State park peace officers-definition and scope of authority.

Summary/Major Elements:

Existing law defines "peace officer" and "law enforcement officer" to include any superintendent, assistant superintendent, or full-time park ranger of a state park, state recreation area, state archeological site or state historic site when acting within the boundaries of the state park, state recreation area, state archeological site or state historic site, or when responding to a request to assist other peace officers.

This bill amends the definitions of "peace officer" and "law enforcement officer" to remove the requirement that park rangers be full‑time and to add district managers and reserve park rangers of any state park, state recreation area, state archeological site or state historic site that are otherwise qualified under law.

The bill also removes the requirement that the state park peace officers be responding to a request to assist other peace officers and specifies that a state park employee who is otherwise qualified as a peace officer or law enforcement officer meets the definition of a peace officer or law enforcement officer when enforcing felony statutes following observation or discovery of the commission of a felony that was observed or discovered during the performance of their official duties.

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-0061

ORIGINAL Senate

File No
.
SF0004

ENROLLED ACT NO. 24,

SENATE

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

AN ACT relating to criminal procedure; amending the definition of peace officer to clarify and expand the scope of authority for park rangers, superintendents and assistant superintendents; making conforming amendments; and providing for an effective date.

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

Section 1
.

W.S. 6
‑
1
‑
104(a)(vi)(P), 7
‑
2
‑
101(a)(iv)(G), 7
‑
2
‑
106(e)(ii) and 35
‑
7
‑
1002(a)(xxiv) are amended to read:

6
‑
1
‑
104.

Definitions.

(a)

As used in this act, unless otherwise defined:

(vi)

"Peace officer" includes the following officers assigned to duty in the state of Wyoming:

(P)

Any superintendent, assistant superintendent
,

or full
‑
time
district manager,
park ranger
or reserve park ranger
of any state park, state recreation area, state archeological site or state historic site who has qualified pursuant to W.S. 9
‑
1
‑
701 through 9
‑
1
‑
707, when acting within the boundaries of the state park, state recreation area, state archeological site or state historic site or when
responding to a request to assist other peace officers acting within the scope
enforcing felony statutes following observation or discovery of the commission of a felony which was observed or discovered during the performance
of their official duties
;
in their own jurisdiction;

7
‑
2
‑
101.

Definitions.

(a)

As used in W.S. 7
‑
2
‑
101 through 7
‑
2
‑
107:

(iv)

"Peace officer" means:

(G)

Any superintendent, assistant superintendent
,

or full
‑
time
district manager,
park ranger
or reserve park ranger
of any state park, state recreation area, state archeological site or state historic site who has qualified pursuant to W.S. 9
‑
1
‑
701 through 9
‑
1
‑
707, when acting within the boundaries of the state park, state recreation area, state archeological site or state historic site
,
or when
responding to a request to assist other peace officers performing
enforcing felony statutes following observation or discovery of the commission of a felony which was observed or discovered during the performance of
their official duties;

7
‑
2
‑
106.

Extraterritorial authority of peace officers; requests for assignment of peace officers; liability; compensation.

(e)

Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize a peace officer:

(ii)

As defined in W.S. 7
‑
2
‑
101(a)(iv)(E)
or (G)
to act pursuant to paragraph (a)(ii) or (iii) or subsection (b) of this section; or

35
‑
7
‑
1002.

Definitions.

(a)

As used in this act:

(xxiv)

"Law enforcement officer" means any sheriff, undersheriff or sheriff's deputy of any county of this state, any duly authorized municipal policeman of any city or town of this state, any member of the Wyoming highway patrol, any police officer of the University of Wyoming or any Wyoming community college who is a peace officer, any superintendent, assistant superintendent
,

or full
‑
time
district manager,
park ranger
or reserve park ranger
of a state park, state recreation area, state archeological site or state historic site who has qualified pursuant to W.S. 9
‑
1
‑
701 through 9
‑
1
‑
707, when acting within the boundaries of the state park, state recreation area, state archeological site or state historic site or when
responding to a request to assist other law enforcement officers acting within the scope of their official duties in their own jurisdiction
enforcing felony statutes following observation or discovery of the commission of a felony which was observed or discovered during the performance of their official duties
, or any special agent employed by the commissioner under this act;

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 Senate.

Chief Clerk

1