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SF0017 • 2026

Good neighbor authority-amendments.

AN ACT relating to state lands; removing the restriction on the number of authorized good neighbor authority employee positions; requiring employee positions to be funded only using funds from the Wyoming state forestry good neighbor authority revolving account; authorizing gifts, donations and bequests to be deposited into the account; prohibiting the acceptance of real property for purposes of the good neighbor authority; and providing for an effective date.

Enacted

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

Sponsor
Fed Nat Res
Last action
2026-02-27
Official status
enrolled
Effective date
7/1/2026

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not mention any prohibition on accepting real property, so this claim was removed.

Changes to Good Neighbor Authority Program

This law changes rules for hiring employees and accepting funds for the Wyoming State Forestry Good Neighbor Authority program.

What This Bill Does

  • Removes limits on how many extra workers can be hired for the Good Neighbor Authority program.
  • Requires that new worker positions must only use money from a special account called the 'Wyoming State Forestry Good Neighbor Authority Revolving Account'.
  • Allows gifts, donations, and other types of money to go into this special account.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Wyoming State Forester who manages the Good Neighbor Authority program.
  • People who work in the Good Neighbor Authority program and those who might donate to it.

Terms To Know

Wyoming State Forestry Good Neighbor Authority Revolving Account
A special account that holds money for the Wyoming State Forestry Good Neighbor Authority program, which helps manage forests in cooperation with federal agencies.
Good Neighbor Authority Program
A program run by the state to work on forest management projects together with federal agencies.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law does not specify how much money will be in the special account or where it comes from.
  • It is unclear if there are other rules about hiring workers that this change might affect.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-27 LSO

    Assigned Chapter Number 15

  2. 2026-02-27 Governor

    Governor Signed SEA No. 0014

  3. 2026-02-26 House

    H Speaker Signed SEA No. 0014

  4. 2026-02-26 Senate

    S President Signed SEA No. 0014

  5. 2026-02-26 LSO

    Assigned Number SEA No. 0014

  6. 2026-02-26 House

    H 3rd Reading:Passed 59-1-2-0-0

  7. 2026-02-25 House

    H 2nd Reading:Passed

  8. 2026-02-24 House

    H COW:Passed

  9. 2026-02-24 House

    H Placed on General File

  10. 2026-02-24 House

    H05 - Agriculture:Recommend Do Pass 9-0-0-0-0

  11. 2026-02-18 House

    H Introduced and Referred to H05 - Agriculture

  12. 2026-02-18 House

    H Received for Introduction

  13. 2026-02-17 Senate

    S 3rd Reading:Passed 31-0-0-0-0

  14. 2026-02-16 Senate

    S 2nd Reading:Passed

  15. 2026-02-13 Senate

    S COW:Passed

  16. 2026-02-12 Senate

    S Placed on General File

  17. 2026-02-12 Senate

    S09 - Minerals:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0

  18. 2026-02-09 Senate

    S Introduced and Referred to S09 - Minerals 31-0-0-0-0

  19. 2026-01-05 Senate

    S Received for Introduction

  20. 2025-12-04 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Official Summary Text

Bill Summary - 26LSO-0125

Bill No.:

SF0017

Effective:

7/1/2026

LSO No.:

26LSO-0125

Enrolled Act No.:

SEA No. 0014

Chapter No.:

15

Prime Sponsor:

Select Federal Natural Resource Management Committee

Catch Title:

Good neighbor authority-amendments.

Has Report:

No

Subject:

Wyoming Good Neighbor Authority Program amendments.

Summary/Major Elements:

This act removes the restriction on the number of additional employees that the Wyoming State Forester may hire for the Wyoming Good Neighbor Authority Program and authorizes these additional employees to be funded using any funds deposited in the Wyoming Good Neighbor Authority Revolving Account.

This act authorizes grants, gifts, transfers, bequests, and donations to be deposited in the Wyoming State Forestry Good Neighbor Authority Revolving Account.

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-0125

ORIGINAL Senate

File No
.
SF0017

ENROLLED ACT NO. 14,

SENATE

SIXTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2026 Budget Session

AN ACT relating to state lands; removing the restriction on the number of authorized good neighbor authority employee positions; requiring employee positions to be funded only using funds from the Wyoming state forestry good neighbor authority revolving account; authorizing gifts, donations and bequests to be deposited into the account; prohibiting the acceptance of real property for purposes of the good neighbor authority; and providing for an effective date.

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

Section 1
.

W.S. 36
‑
1
‑
502 and 36
‑
1
‑
503(b) are amended to read:

36
‑
1
‑
502.

Wyoming state forestry good neighbor authority revolving account; creation; investment of funds; authorized expenditures.

(a)

There is created the Wyoming state forestry good neighbor authority revolving account. The account shall include all legislative appropriations, federal funds, county funds, partner funds, funds generated from good neighbor authority projects or other federally funded cooperative forest management projects
, grants, gifts, transfers, bequests, donations
and all income from investments of monies in the account.
The state forester is specifically empowered to accept grants, gifts, transfers, bequests and donations for deposit in the account, including those which are limited in their purpose by the grantor except as provided in W.S. 36
‑
1
‑
503(a)(vi).
If a contract is entered into pursuant to W.S. 36
‑
1
‑
503(a)(iii), funds in the account may be expanded on good neighbor authority projects prior to receipt of federal fund reimbursements. Funds deposited into the account are continuously appropriated to the state forester to be expended only as provided in this section. Unless otherwise specifically provided, appropriations to the account shall not lapse or revert at the end of any fiscal period.

(b)

Upon written approval of the state forester, expenditures shall be made out of the account for good neighbor authority projects
,

or
other cooperative forest management projects
or hiring additional employees under W.S. 36
‑
1
‑
503(b)
.

36
‑
1
‑
503.

Powers and duties of state forester.

(b)

The state forester may hire additional employees as necessary to conduct good neighbor authority projects or other federally funded cooperative forest management projects funded through the account. Employees hired under this subsection shall be funded using
federal
funds deposited in the account.
The state forester shall not fill more than four (4) full
‑
time employee positions and six (6) at
‑
will employee contract positions under this subsection.

Section 2
.

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