HB0027 • 2026

Continuity of Permitting Act.

AN ACT relating to cities and towns; requiring jurisdiction over pending building permit or land use applications on land annexed by a city or town to remain with the county until the applications are issued or denied by the county following annexation; requiring jurisdiction to transfer to an annexing city or town as specified; prohibiting counties from arbitrarily and capriciously denying applications for the purpose of transferring jurisdiction; specifying applicability; and providing for an effective date.

Did Not Pass

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

Sponsor: Representative Filer
Last action: 2026-02-10
Official status: inactive
Effective date: 3/1/2026

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass in the session it was introduced.

Continuity of Permitting Act

The bill requires that counties retain control over building permits and land use applications for annexed areas until the application is issued or denied, then transfers this responsibility to the city or town.

What This Bill Does

Keeps county control over pending building permit and land use applications after a piece of land has been annexed by a city or town.
Transfers jurisdiction from the county to the city or town once the application is issued or denied.
Prohibits counties from denying applications just to keep control over them longer.

Who It Names or Affects

Cities and towns that want to annex land
Counties handling building permits and land use applications for annexed areas

Terms To Know

Annexation: The process of adding a new area, such as land or buildings, to an existing city or town.
Jurisdiction: The authority given to a government body, like a county or city, to make decisions and enforce laws over a specific area.

Limits and Unknowns

This bill did not pass in the session it was introduced.
It only applies to annexations starting July 1, 2026, so older applications are handled differently.

Bill History

2026-02-10 House
H Failed Introduction 37-24-1-0-0
2026-01-09 House
H Received for Introduction
2025-12-23 LSO
Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

26LSO-0214
2026
STATE OF WYOMING
26LSO-0214
Numbered
2.0

HOUSE BILL NO. HB0027

Continuity of Permitting Act.

Sponsored by: Representative(s) Filer, Fornstrom, Geringer, Provenza and Singh and Senator(s) Barlow, Love and Pappas

A BILL

for

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

Section 1
.

W.S. 15
‑
1
‑
404 by creating a new subsection (c) is amended to read:

15
‑
1
‑
404.

Annexing territories; initiation of proceedings; by governing bodies; determination.

(c)

Jurisdiction over a building permit or land use application pending at the time that the subject land or building was annexed by a governing body of a city or town under this section shall remain with the county with whom the application was initially filed. The county's jurisdiction shall continue until the county issues or denies the final building permit or land use application, at which time jurisdiction shall transfer to the annexing city or town. No county shall arbitrarily or capriciously deny a pending building permit or land use application under this subsection for the sole purpose of transferring jurisdiction to the annexing city or town.

Section 2.

This act shall apply to annexations, building permit applications and land use applications filed on and after July 1, 2026.

Section 3
.

This act is effective July 1, 2026
.

(END)

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HB0027