AN ACT relating to state lands; amending provisions and creating exemptions regarding the subleasing of state grazing lands; providing definitions; establishing a non-owned livestock fee; repealing obsolete provisions; and providing for an effective date.
AgricultureHousing
Enacted
This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.
Sponsor
Agriculture
Last action
2026-03-02
Official status
enrolled
Effective date
7/1/2026
Plain English Breakdown
Checked against official source text during the last sync.
Subleasing of State Grazing Lands - Exemptions
This law changes rules for subleasing state grazing lands and creates exemptions, including a requirement to notify about non-owned livestock and pay fees.
What This Bill Does
Requires lessees to inform the Office of State Lands and Investments when non-owned livestock graze on leased land.
Establishes a monthly fee per head of non-owned livestock that must be paid by the lessee.
Defines 'excess rental' as the extra money received from subleasing state lands beyond regular lease fees.
Exempts lessees if 80% or more of the livestock on leased land is owned by them, removing the need for a sublease or fee.
Removes outdated parts of existing laws.
Who It Names or Affects
State land lessees who allow non-owned livestock to graze on their leased lands.
The Office of State Lands and Investments which oversees these leases.
Terms To Know
Excess rental
Extra money received from subleasing state lands beyond regular lease fees.
Animal unit month
A measure of livestock grazing capacity, defined by Wyoming law.
Limits and Unknowns
The bill does not specify the exact amount of the monthly fee for non-owned livestock.
It is unclear how strictly this new requirement will be enforced or what penalties might apply for non-compliance.
Amendments
These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.
S Introduced and Referred to S05 - Agriculture 28-2-0-0-1
2026-01-05Senate
S Received for Introduction
2025-12-04LSO
Bill Number Assigned
Official Summary Text
Bill Summary - 26LSO-0213
Bill No.:
SF0016
Effective:
7/1/2026
LSO No.:
26LSO-0213
Enrolled Act No.:
SEA No. 0011
Chapter No.:
22
Prime Sponsor:
Joint Agriculture, State and Public Lands & Water Resources Interim Committee
Catch Title:
Subleasing of state lands-exemptions.
Has Report:
No
Subject:
Amends provisions and creates exemptions to the subleasing of state grazing lands.
Summary/Major Elements:
This act requires state land lessees to give the Office of State Lands and Investments notice of livestock not owned by the lessee on leased grazing lands.
This act provides definitions of "excess rental" and "animal unit month".
This act requires a state land lessee to pay a monthly fee per head of non-owned livestock.
If a state land lessee notifies the Office of State Lands and Investments that the common ownership of the livestock grazing on the land is not less than eighty percent (80%), a sublease or a non-owned livestock fee is not required.
This act repeals obsolete provisions.
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
26LSO-0213
ORIGINAL Senate
ENGROSSED
File No
.
SF0016
ENROLLED ACT NO. 11,
SENATE
SIXTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2026 Budget Session
AN ACT relating to state lands; amending provisions and creating exemptions regarding the subleasing of state grazing lands; providing definitions; establishing a non-owned livestock fee; repealing obsolete provisions; 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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5
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105(d)(iii), by creating new subparagraphs (D) and (E) and by creating a new subsection (k) is amended to read:
36
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5
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105.
Criteria for leasing; preferences; assignments, subleases or contracts; lands taken for war purposes; mineral lands excepted; agricultural lands.
(d)
If the lessee of state lands shall assign, sublease or contract all or any part of the lease area, the lease shall be subject to cancellation unless the director approves the assignment, sublease or contract subject to criteria established by the board of land commissioners provided that:
(iii)
In no event shall the lands be subleased unless one
‑
half (1/2) of the excess rental is paid to the state
. For purposes of this paragraph, "excess rental" means the amount of money received from the sublease by the lessee is in excess of the current annual grazing and agricultural lease rental. "Excess rental" shall be calculated by identifying the total money received for only the use of leased or subleased state lands and subtracting the annual lease rental
;
(iv)
A lessee of state lands whose lease authorizes grazing on the state lands shall not be required to obtain the approval of the director to allow livestock the lessee does not own to graze on the state lands provided that:
(D)
Notice of the presence of livestock not owned by the lessee shall be given to the board on a form provided by the office of state lands and investments not more than thirty (30) days after the arrival of the livestock on the leased land;
(E)
In addition to the annual rental amount, the lessee shall pay a monthly fee per head of non-owned livestock which shall be established by the board and shall not exceed fifty percent (50%) of the annual animal unit month rental rate. The payment shall be made to the board not later than thirty (30) days after the removal of the non-owned livestock. For purposes of this subparagraph, "animal unit month" means as defined by W.S. 41
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3
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116(a)(ii).
(k)
If at any time a state grazing lessee notifies the office that the common ownership of the entities holding the state grazing lease and owning the livestock grazing on the state grazing lease is not less than eighty percent (80%), a sublease or a non-owned livestock fee shall not be required.
Section 2
.
W.S. 36
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5
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105(d)(iv)(A) through (C), (v) and (vi) is repealed.
Section 3.
This act is effective July 1, 2026
.
(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