1999 State of Wyoming 99LSO-0344



                              HOUSE BILL NO. HB0150
                                        
                                        
Federal natural resource policy account.

Sponsored by: Representative(s) Philp, Eyre, Huckfeldt, Paseneaux and Simons and Senator(s) Barton,
              Senator(s) Barton, Cathcart, Coe and Geis


                                     A BILL
                                        
                                       for

 1  AN ACT relating to the federal natural resource policy

 2  account; creating a federal natural resource policy account

 3  within the special revenue fund; specifying the purpose of

 4  the account to fund monitoring and challenges of federal

 5  natural resource policies which adversely affect the state;

 6  providing a statement of purpose; providing an

 7  appropriation; requiring reports as specified; and providing

 8  for an effective date.

 9

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

11

12       Section 1.  W.S. 9-4-218 is created to read:

13     

14       9-4-218.  Federal natural resource policy account

15  created; purposes.

16



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 1       (a)  There is created within the special revenue fund

 2  an account known as the "federal natural resource policy

 3  account." Funds within the account may be expended by the

 4  governor on behalf of the state of Wyoming and its local

 5  governments, to take any of the actions specified in this

 6  subsection in response to federal land, water, air, mineral

 7  and other natural resource policies which may affect the tax

 8  base of the state, wildlife management, private property

 9  rights, water rights or leasehold rights.  The governor may:

10     

11            (i)  Monitor federal natural resource issues;

12     

13            (ii)  Coordinate, cooperate and communicate with

14  local governments, other states and the federal government;

15     

16            (iii)  Assist counties with federal land use plans

17  or litigate only when all reasonable efforts to negotiate a

18  settlement have failed;

19     

20            (iv)  Recognize and support economic development

21  opportunities.

22          

23            (b)  All funds and earned interest remaining in the

24  federal natural resource policy account at the end of a



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 1  biennium shall remain in the account to implement the

 2  purposes of this section.

 3

 4       Section 2.  The Wyoming legislature recognizes the

 5  impact made on Wyoming custom, culture, economy and the

 6  management of natural resources within Wyoming by proposed

 7  federal natural resource management policies.  The Wyoming

 8  legislature desires to coordinate, cooperate and communicate

 9  with the federal government and, if necessary, challenge

10  federal natural resource management policies which are

11  implemented or advanced in contravention of decisions made

12  by the United States congress or are contrary to the best

13  interests of the state of Wyoming, its local governments and

14  the property rights of its citizens.

15

16       Section 3.  There is appropriated from the policy

17  development reserve account (PDRA) to the governor's office

18  seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($750,000.00) to

19  implement the purposes of this act.

20

21       Section 4.

22     

23       (a)  The governor shall report to the joint

24  appropriations interim committee not later than December 1,

25  of each year:



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 1

 2            (i)  All actions taken pursuant to W.S. 9-4-218;

 3

 4            (ii)  All expenditures from the federal natural

 5  resource policy account;

 6

 7            (iii)  The purpose of each expenditure.

 8

 9       Section 5.  This act is effective July 1, 1999.

10     

11                                      (END)

                                        

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