KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Wyoming

SF0117 • 2026

Zoning protest petition-amendments.

AN ACT relating to cities and towns; amending the zoning protest process as specified; specifying applicability; and providing for an effective date.

Land
Did Not Pass

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

Sponsor
Senator Pappas
Last action
2026-03-03
Official status
inactive
Effective date
3/1/2026

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on the exact number of property owners required to initiate a protest petition.

Changes to Zoning Protest Rules

The bill modifies the zoning protest process by changing ownership and distance requirements for protesting proposed changes.

What This Bill Does

  • Amends the current law on zoning protests, altering how many property owners must sign a petition to stop a zoning change from taking effect.
  • Requires that more than one owner with at least 20% ownership of properties shown by the county assessor can protest if they own 33% or more of the area in the proposed change zone.
  • Changes the distance requirement for adjacent property owners who want to protest a zoning change from 140 feet to 300 feet.
  • Limits the governing body's ability to override protests by requiring a two-thirds majority vote instead of three-fourths.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Property owners in cities and towns who may want to protest against proposed zoning changes.
  • Local government officials responsible for making zoning decisions.

Terms To Know

Zoning
The division of a city or town into districts with specific rules about what can be built and used in each area.
Protest petition
A document signed by property owners to show they disagree with proposed changes to zoning laws.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass, so the new rules will not take effect.
  • It is unclear how many property owners or what percentage of area would be needed for a protest under the amended law.

Amendments

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

SF0117SW001

Committee of the Whole • Senator Pappas

Failed

Plain English: 1 SF0117SW001 1 Page 1-line 14 Delete the Senate standing committee amendment 2 (SF0117SS001/A) to this line; after stricken 3 "(20%)" insert "of record, as shown by the 4 county assessor,".

  • 1 SF0117SW001 1 Page 1-line 14 Delete the Senate standing committee amendment 2 (SF0117SS001/A) to this line; after stricken 3 "(20%)" insert "of record, as shown by the 4 county assessor,".
  • 5 6 Page 1-line 15 Delete the Senate standing committee amendment 7 (SF0117SS001/A) to this line.
  • PAPPAS
SF0117SS001

Standing Committee • Senate Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivi

Divided

Plain English: 1 SF0117SS001 1 Page 1-line 7 After "15-1-603(a)" insert "and by creating a 2 new subsection (c)".

  • 1 SF0117SS001 1 Page 1-line 7 After "15-1-603(a)" insert "and by creating a 2 new subsection (c)".
  • 3 4 Page 1-line 14 Delete "who".
  • 5 6 Page 1-line 15 Delete entirely and insert "of record, as 7 shown by the county assessor, who".
  • 8 9 Page 2-after line 10 Insert: 10 11 "(c) The municipal clerk's certification of sufficiency shall 12 be final and shall not be subject to further administrative 13 review.".
SF0117SS001.01

Standing Committee • Senate Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivi

Corrected, Adopted

Plain English: 1 SF0117SS001.01 [DIVIDED AMENDMENT] (CORRECTED COPY) 1 Page 1-line 14 Delete "who".

  • 1 SF0117SS001.01 [DIVIDED AMENDMENT] (CORRECTED COPY) 1 Page 1-line 14 Delete "who".
  • 2 3 Page 1-line 15 Delete entirely and insert "of record, as 4 shown by the county assessor, who".
  • CASE, 5 CHAIRMAN
SF0117SS001.02

Standing Committee • Senate Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivi

Corrected, Failed

Plain English: 1 SF0117SS001.02 [DIVIDED AMENDMENT] (CORRECTED COPY) 1 Page 1-line 7 After "15-1-603(a)" insert "and by creating a 2 new subsection (c)".

  • 1 SF0117SS001.02 [DIVIDED AMENDMENT] (CORRECTED COPY) 1 Page 1-line 7 After "15-1-603(a)" insert "and by creating a 2 new subsection (c)".
  • 3 4 Page 2-after line 10 Insert: 5 6 "(c) The municipal clerk's certification of sufficiency shall 7 be final and shall not be subject to further administrative 8 review.".
  • CASE, CHAIRMAN

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-03 House

    H:Died in Committee Returned Bill Pursuant to HR 5-4

  2. 2026-03-03 House

    H No report prior to CoW Cutoff

  3. 2026-02-27 House

    H07 - Corporations:Do Pass Failed 2-6-1-0-0

  4. 2026-02-25 House

    H Introduced and Referred to H07 - Corporations

  5. 2026-02-25 House

    H Received for Introduction

  6. 2026-02-24 Senate

    S 3rd Reading:Passed 26-5-0-0-0

  7. 2026-02-23 Senate

    S 2nd Reading:Passed

  8. 2026-02-20 Senate

    S COW:Passed

  9. 2026-02-18 Senate

    S Placed on General File

  10. 2026-02-18 Senate

    S07 - Corporations:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0

  11. 2026-02-13 Senate

    S Introduced and Referred to S07 - Corporations 28-3-0-0-0

  12. 2026-02-11 Senate

    S Received for Introduction

  13. 2026-02-11 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
26LSO-0477
2026
STATE OF WYOMING
26LSO-0477
ENGROSSED
3.0

SENATE FILE NO. SF0117

Zoning protest petition-amendments.

Sponsored by: Senator(s) Pappas, Boner, Love, Nethercott and Schuler and Representative(s) Davis, Filer, Geringer and Washut

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to cities and towns; amending the zoning protest process as specified; specifying applicability; and providing for an effective date.

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

Section 1
.

W.S. 15
‑
1
‑
603(a) is amended to read:

15
‑
1
‑
603.

Regulations; protest makes change ineffective; exception; hearing and notice.

(a)

If there is a protest against a change in the regulations, restrictions or district boundaries signed by
more than one (1) of
the owners
of twenty percent (20%)
of record, as shown by the county assessor, who either own thirty‑three percent (33%)
or more of the area of the lots included in the proposed change
,
or
of those
comprise thirty‑three percent (33%) or more of the owners
immediately adjacent within a distance of
one hundred forty (140)
three hundred (300)
feet, the change is not effective except upon the affirmative vote of
three
‑
fourths (3/4)
two‑thirds (2/3)
of all the members of the governing body. In determining the
one hundred forty (140)
three hundred (300)
feet, the width of any intervening street or alley shall not be included.

Section 2
.

This act shall apply to zoning changes made on and after July 1, 2026.

Section 3.

This act is effective July 1, 2026
.

(END)

1
SF0117