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26LSO-0437
2026
STATE OF WYOMING
26LSO-0437
Numbered
2.0
HOUSE BILL NO. HB0182
State heritage lands-protection and revenue.
Sponsored by: Representative(s) Campbell, K
A BILL
for
AN ACT relating to state lands; authorizing the board of land commissioners to designate state land as a state heritage site; providing a process for the nomination and review of state land for designation as a state heritage site; providing definitions; nominating the Glenrock buffalo jump for designation as a state heritage site; and providing for an effective date.
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:
Section 1.
W.S. 36
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1
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122 is created to read:
36
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1
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122.
Designation of land as a state heritage site.
(a)
When the designation is consistent with the greatest long
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term benefit of the state land trust beneficiaries, the board may designate specific parcels of state land as a state heritage site if the board finds that the land possesses exceptional archeological, historical or cultural value that would be irreparably degraded by industrial use on the land.
(b)
The board may consider state lands for designation as a state heritage site under this section on its own motion. In addition, any citizen of Wyoming, the legislature, any local government entity, a tribal government of either the Northern Arapaho or Eastern Shoshone tribes or the state archeologist may nominate lands for designation as a state heritage site under this section by making an application to the department of state parks and cultural resources. The department of state parks and cultural resources shall review any state lands nominated for designation as a state heritage site under this subsection and shall provide a recommendation to the board after consultation with the Wyoming parks and cultural resources commission and the state historic preservation office.
(c)
Any lands designated by the board as a state heritage site, after consideration of any recommendation under subsection (b) of this section, shall be subject to the following:
(i)
The board shall not authorize any industrial use on the state heritage site or on any surrounding lands that significantly impairs the visual integrity or archaeological, historical or cultural value of the site;
(ii)
The board shall consider the issuance of leases of the state heritage site for the greatest benefit to trust beneficiaries, including leases for:
(A)
Educational and research programs;
(B)
Sustainable tourism related activities, including guided tours of the state heritage site;
(C)
Recreational use that the board finds will not deplete, destroy or permanently alter the state heritage site.
Section 2.
W.S. 36
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1
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101(a) by creating a new paragraph (ix) and 36
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4
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104 by creating a new subsection (g) are amended to read:
36
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1
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101.
Definitions.
(a)
Unless the context indicates otherwise, as used in this act:
(ix)
"Greatest benefit" or "greatest long
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term benefit" shall include a consideration of the long
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term protection of the financial and intrinsic value of the land. For any land designated as a state heritage site, "greatest benefit" shall include a consideration of the need to mitigate any depletion or alteration of the state heritage site.
36
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4
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104.
Powers; interpretive service agreements.
(g)
The department, in consultation with the commission and the state historic preservation office, shall accept applications for designation of state lands as a state heritage site and shall make recommendations to the board of land commissioners as provided by W.S. 36
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1
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122(b).
Section 3
.
The legislature hereby nominates the Glenrock buffalo jump as described in the national register of historic places for designation as a state heritage site under W.S. 36
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1
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122 as created by section 1 of this act.
Section 4
.
This act is effective July 1, 2026
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(END)
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HB0182